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A USF fans guide to every defensive transfer addition

Author
Collin Sherwin
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    The South Florida Bulls brought in 39 new players through the transfer portal.

    Eighteen of those newcomers are on the defensive side of the ball.

    If you want to learn more about the offensive players USF brought in, you can check out “A USF Fan’s Guide to Every Offensive Transfer Portal Addition.”

    This article focuses on the Bulls’ overhauled defense. USF will lose almost every key contributor from its 2025 unit.

    The only defensive starter returning for the Bulls in 2026 is defensive end Dennard Flowers. Star linebacking duo Mac Harris and Jhalyn Shuler are both out of eligibility and hope to be on NFL rosters in 2026. The Bulls will also lose a pair of steady secondary contributors to graduation in De’Shawn Rucker and Tavin Ward.

    USF also lost a bevy of players to the transfer portal, with 14 players from last year’s defense entering the portal.

    The Bulls’ defense will look much different under Brian Hartline and new defensive coordinator Josh Aldridge. Last season, Aldridge found success as East Carolina’s defensive coordinator, helping lead the Pirates to the best scoring defense in the American Conference.

    Aldridge will oversee a unit made up of players with very little experience playing together in 2026.

    Defensive line

    Key departure: Traevon Mitchell

    Asani Redwood (West Virginia): Redwood played four seasons with the Mountaineers and appeared in at least 11 games in each of the past three seasons. Last season, he played in 12 games and started six, posting 23 tackles. West Virginia ranked seventh in the Big 12, allowing 143.8 rushing yards per game. Redwood was a three-star prospect out of Georgia who played tight end and defensive end in high school.

    Terrell Jones (Virginia): Jones spent four seasons with the Cavaliers. He played in three games last season and recorded four tackles. In 2024, Jones saw much more action, appearing in 12 games and making his only career start against Pittsburgh. Against the Panthers, Jones recorded a career-high six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. He was a three-star recruit who played his high school football in Alabama.

    Terry Simmons Jr. (Duke): Simmons spent three seasons with Duke. Last season, he appeared in nine games at defensive tackle. Simmons has played in just 12 career games during his three seasons with the Blue Devils. In high school, Simmons was a three-star recruit and ranked as the 26th-best defensive tackle in the 2023 class.

    Major Dillard (Norfolk State): Dillard spent one season at Norfolk State and played in all 12 games last year. He recorded 46 tackles on a struggling Spartans defense that allowed 35.6 points and 180.7 rushing yards per game. Prior to Norfolk State, Dillard spent two seasons at Division II Chowan University. In 2023, he played ten games on the Hawks’ offensive line before switching to defense in 2024, when he recorded 20 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in nine games.

    Outside linebackers/EDGE

    Key Departure: Ira Singleton

    MarShon Oxley (West Virginia): Oxley played in 11 games last season during his lone year with the Mountaineers, recording 15 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks. In 2024, Oxley played for Hutchinson Community College, where he posted 42 tackles and 12 sacks, earning first-team NJCAA honors. Oxley and the Blue Dragons finished 11-1 and won the NJCAA national championship. Before junior college, Oxley spent two seasons at Colorado State. He did not play in 2022, but in 2023 he appeared in 11 games and recorded 26 tackles, four sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. Last season, Oxley played the BANDIT position at West Virginia, a hybrid role combining outside linebacker and defensive end responsibilities.

    C.J. Hicks (Ohio State): Hicks spent four seasons with the Buckeyes and redshirted last season. He saw action in Ohio State’s first four games before returning in the postseason. Last spring, Ohio State moved Hicks from linebacker to defensive end. He has 21 career tackles and two career sacks. Hicks was a five-star prospect in the 2022 class, ranking as the top player in Ohio and the second-best linebacker nationally. Hicks and wide receiver Bryson Rogers are the only players to follow Hartline from Ohio State.

    Shamar Meikle (Oregon State): Meikle played the past two seasons with the Beavers. Last season, he appeared in 11 games and recorded 28 tackles, six tackles for loss and two sacks. As a freshman in 2024, Meikle played in ten games and recorded 10 tackles. He was a three-star recruit from Miramar, Florida, in Broward County.

    Inside linebackers

    Key Departures: None

    Sam Robinson (Rutgers): Robinson spent two seasons at Rutgers. Last season, he played in ten games and recorded 11 tackles after not seeing action as a freshman in 2024. Robinson had three tackles Nov. 22 against Ohio State and his future head coach. He played his high school football in Tallahassee and was rated a four-star recruit in the 2024 class.

    Grayson “Pup” Howard (Florida): Howard played two seasons with the Gators. A lingering lower-body injury limited him to three games last season. In 2024, he started nine games and recorded 17 tackles and a sack. Howard played 11 games as a freshman at South Carolina in 2023 before transferring to Florida. He played high school football in Jacksonville and was rated a four-star prospect in the 2023 class.

    Cornerbacks

    Key Departures: Jarvis Lee, James Chenault, Jonas Duclona

    Tayvion Beasley (BYU): Beasley spent last season with the Cougars and played in 11 games. He recorded 12 tackles and two pass breakups while playing nickel corner. USF will be Beasley’s fifth team in five years. He was recruited by and played for Deion Sanders at Jackson State in 2022 and followed him to Colorado in 2023 before spending the 2024 season at San Diego State. Beasley was a three-star recruit in the 2022 class and played high school football in California.

    Za’Quan Bryan (Minnesota): Bryan spent three seasons with the Golden Gophers. Last season, he played in 12 games and started ten, recording 36 tackles and three pass breakups. Minnesota ranked 51st nationally, allowing 210.5 passing yards per game. Bryan recorded six tackles and a tackle for loss against Ohio State. In 2024, he played in 12 games and made three starts, posting 19 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception. He redshirted in 2023. Bryan was a four-star recruit who played football, baseball, and track and field in Georgia. His father, Anthony Bryan, played for the Kansas City Chiefs.

    Teddy Foster (Florida): Foster spent two seasons with the Gators, appearing in five games in 2024 and six games in 2025. He recorded six tackles over two seasons. Foster is from Sarasota and played at Cardinal Mooney High School, where he won a state title in 2023. He was rated a three-star recruit and the 65th-best player in Florida in the 2023 class.

    A’mon Lane-Ganus (Auburn): Lane-Ganus was Hartline’s first commit as USF head coach. He spent two seasons at Auburn, playing in four games as a freshman in 2024 and not seeing the field last season. Lane-Ganus was a four-star recruit who played high school football and track and field in Alabama.

    Amarion Fortenberry (Kansas State): Fortenberry is a versatile defensive back who has played cornerback and safety. He’s joining his third team in three years. Last season, he played in 12 games for Kansas State and started three, recording 13 tackles and two pass breakups. In 2024, Fortenberry played his freshman season at South Alabama, appearing in 13 games and making eight starts. He recorded 45 tackles, nine pass breakups and an interception. Fortenberry played high school football and track and field in Mississippi and was rated a three-star prospect and the 15th-best player in the state in the 2024 class.

    Safeties

    Key Departure: Fred Gaskin

    Ayden Jackson (Georgia Southern): Jackson spent three seasons with the Eagles. Last season, he played in 13 games and started nine, recording 74 tackles, a team-high three interceptions and three pass breakups. He earned third-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors. In 2024, Jackson played in 11 games with nine starts, posting 35 tackles. In 2023, he appeared in ten games. In high school, Jackson was a first-team all-state wide receiver in Georgia.

    Israel Boyce (West Virginia): Boyce spent two seasons with the Mountaineers. Last season, he played in all 12 games and made one start, recording 30 tackles and forcing a fumble Oct. 18 against UCF. As a freshman in 2024, Boyce appeared in eight games and finished with 11 tackles. He was a three-star recruit and an all-state defensive back from Georgia. The Bulls landed three transfers from West Virginia, the most from any single program this cycle.

    Malcolm Ziglar (North Carolina): Ziglar spent two seasons with the Tar Heels. Last season, he played in 10 games, recording five tackles and an interception Sept. 6 against Charlotte. In 2024, Ziglar appeared in all 12 games as a freshman. He was a four-star prospect and rated the 53rd-best player in the 2024 class. Ziglar, the second-highest-rated player in North Carolina, stayed in his home state out of high school. His coaches at North Carolina included Mack Brown and Bill Belichick.