The Utah State football team has been hit hard with roster attrition during the offseason, with four more players entering the NCAA transfer portal since last Saturday. The departures include cornerbacks Ajani Carter and Dominic Tatum, nickel back Kaleo Neves, and wide receiver Martavious Davis. According to The Athletic’s Max Olson, this brings the total number of defensive starters to enter the portal to 10, including leading tackler AJ Vongphachanh, who is transferring to BYU.
Neves was a standout player for the Aggies, starting 12 games in 2022 and finishing the season with 59 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a quarterback hurry. He has two years of eligibility remaining, including a super senior year due to the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season.
Carter, who started 10 games at corner last season, had 44 tackles, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one tackle for loss, an interception, and a quarterback hurry. He has one year of eligibility remaining. Tatum played in every game last year, recording 26 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack. He has two years of eligibility remaining thanks to a redshirt year in 2021 and a super senior year.
Davis played in 12 games last season, making 14 catches for 97 yards and adding two carries for 15 yards. He has three years of eligibility remaining after redshirting the 2021 season. All four players were originally recruited to Utah State out of high school.
The Aggies will play their Blue vs. White spring showcase this Saturday at 1 p.m. MDT at Maverik Stadium. With the departure of so many defensive starters, Utah State will need to rely on returning players to step up and fill the voids left by their former teammates.
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