Again posted this on another message board so though I would share:

Butch Jones often mentions that while others may be going the Portal route, he is going to build his program with high school players, and that certainly seems to be the case as far as the 2023 class.

It is a little misleading however when it comes to this years team. 2022 is decidedly the year of the transfers at A-State (including JC transfers) , as the list below shows, with players in BOLD all likely to start , an those underlined strong candidates todo so, or be the #2. Also worth noting that a lot of the transfers are underclassmen, so they will impact your program for a few years, and I'm sure you will add more.


Leon Jones JR DBC, JC
Denzel Blackwell rSO DBC, Boston College
Drew Rawls RSO DBC, Utah
Charles Shelton IV rJR DBC Eastern Illinois
Melique Straker JR, DBNB, JC
Eddie Smith rJR, DBS, Alabama/ Illinois
Sam Graham SO DBS, JC
Thurman Geathers SR DLDE, Louisville
Blayne Toll rSO DLDE Arkansas/Colorado
Robert Mcwilliams rSR DLDE, Purdue
John Mincey SR DLT, Tennessee
Terion Tank Sugick rFR DLT, Vanderbilt
Treviance VJ Bronson SO, DLT, Lamar
Wilson Odimba rJR, DLT, JC
Kivon Bennett SR LB, Tennessee
Jordan Carmouche rSR LB, SMU/JC/ Houston
Charles Willekes SO LB, Michigan State
Cruse Temple rFR, LB East Carolina
Mehki Butler rSO OLG, JC
Ernie Ramirez rSR OLG, JC
Tristian Smith rFR, OLG, JC
Robert Holmes sJr, OLT Uconn/Austin Peay
Jordan Rhodes rSR , OLT, South Carolina/ Ole Miss
James Blackman rSR QB, FSU
AJ Mayer RJr QB, Miami (OH)
Johnnie Lang SR RB, Iowa State
Brian Snead rJR RB, Ohio St/Austin Peay
Ja'Quez Cross rFR, RB Purdue
Torrance Farmer SO RB, JC
Ay'Jon Green rSO RB, JC
Te'Vailance Hunt SR WR, TCU
Champ Flemimg SR WR, Oregon
Adam Jones rFR WR, Central Michigan
Khyheem Waleed rSO WR, Boise State
William Przystup JR, P, Nebraska
Magnus Haines rFR P, Kent State

If this year is the bounce-back year Butch is promising, these players are probably the reason why. They have certainly impressed those that have watched their team this past spring and this fall.