Falcons Announce 7 new portal players, and two players leave

It would appear that the football transfer window has closed at BG.  The Falcons announced 7 transfers, in addition to the 8 they announced in the previous window.  We are told that all of them are in summer classes right now.

The players are tight end Elijah Boyd (UTEP), cornerback Todd Bumphis (Cincinnati), tight end Blane Cleaver (Army), cornerback Darius McClendon (FAU), RB Justin Pegues (Tennessee Tech), wide receiver Rahkeem Smith (Delaware St.) and inside linebacker Donovan Stephens (Oklahoma State).

Players with a link were known and have something written here on them.  The official BG write up is here.

So there were two new ones.

Elijah Boyd is a TE coming from UTEP.  He is 6'4" and 250 pounds.  He played in JUCO ball and had 6 catches.  He transferred to UTEP, where he played 9 games, 120 snaps or so, and caught no passes.  He was a decent to average run blocker, according to pff.  He could end up as a blocking TE for us, or possible in the backfield as a hybrid fullback.  He visited Middle Tennessee and had a PWO offer from Bama.  Also FCS offers--and practiced at OL this Spring.

The other is Rahkeem Smith, from Delaware State. Comes to BGSU with 34 career receptions for 560 yards and six touchdowns. Also finished 2023 No. 3 I the nation for FCS with two kick returns for touchdowns and No. 5 in the nation for FCS with 30.1 yards per kick return.

In High School, he competed in football, baseball and track & field … had 38 catches for 752 yards and 22 touchdowns, in addition to a kickoff return touchdown, during senior season … set school 100-meter track and field record and captured state 55-meter dash championship (6.42 sec.) as a senior … ranked No. 8 nationally in the 60-meter dash during junior year … member of state indoor and outdoor state championship team as a senior

He had a 74 grade as a FR and 67 as a SO.  Was very effective in the deep middle his first year.  He played mostly in the slot.

With the incoming players, there are also outgoing players.  

Maurice Brown, a WR in this year's FR class, announced that there were personal issues and it was not a good time to be away from home.  His tweet was apologetic to BG, but indicated this was the right thing for him.  I wish him well-being.

Bryce Boyer, a TE who has been on the roster for a couple of years, has disappeared from the roster and presumably has left the team.  A rare fourth-generation Falcon, he went to Anthony Wayne.  No idea what went into the decision, but you hope to move up the depth chart and when two TEs come in the portal, it has to change your perspective.

Welcome to the transfers and best wishes to Maurice and Bryce.