Star Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks running back Ahmad Hardy has announced his intention to enter the transfer portal after a strong freshman season. Hardy had just one offer out of high school but should have plenty of suitors this time around.
Hardy is one of the top running backs in the transfer portal, and it will be interesting to track his recruitment the second time around. Here are five potential landing spots for the Louisiana-Monroe transfer.
Where Could Ahmad Hardy Transfer?
Hardy was a huge scouting win for first-year head coach Bryant Vincent, who didn’t have much competition to sign the 5’11”, 205-pound running back. Yet, as soon as Hardy got to campus, it was evident that he would outplay his recruiting ranking.
Hardy went on to run for 1,372 yards and 12 touchdowns for a Warhawks offense that had little other firepower. Now he’s capitalizing on his stock being high but planning to enter the transfer portal.
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He’s a smart, patient runner with a low center of gravity and good contact balance. I have a mid-Power Four grade on him, and he should have plenty of interest from teams around the country. Here are five potential landing spots for the rising sophomore with three years of remaining eligibility.
Memphis Tigers
The Memphis Tigers have a long history of developing running backs, but their recent history is with successful running back transfers. Mario Anderson had a fantastic season for the Tigers after transferring from South Carolina, but he’s a senior.
The Tigers are likely in the market for another running back and have succeeded in the past in going head-to-head with Power Four programs. They’d likely need to beat a few out but can do so with Hardy.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Originally from Monticello, Miss., Hardy didn’t get much attention from the in-state schools the first time, but they certainly have an eye on him now. The Mississippi State Bulldogs have pieced together a talented offense but lost some key guys at the running back position.
Coming off a 2-10 season, they cannot rely on one-year transfers, so finding a starting-caliber running back with three remaining years seems like a good plan.
South Carolina Gamecocks
The teams that are having the best-sustained success with the transfer portal are the teams that can successfully plan for more than one year at a time. The South Carolina Gamecocks have been one of the best teams in the country at finding transfers who can impact the team not just next year but in subsequent years as well.
Last year, the Gamecocks took Jawarn Howell from South Carolina State, knowing he wouldn’t see the field much in 2024. Now, he’s expected to have an elevated role in 2025. Still, the Gamecocks want another running back from the portal, and Hardy has three years of eligibility remaining and can immediately see the field in Columbia, S.C.
TCU Horned Frogs
The TCU Horned Frogs’ passing offense was electric this season, but the running game lacked bite. Accordingly, the Frogs will likely want to add a running back in the transfer portal.
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Part of the issue at Louisiana-Monroe is that the Warhawks had little else on offense aside from Hardy. Josh Hoover is young and has talented receivers that the Frogs can build around. That could appeal to a guy like Hardy, who often had to do it all at his previous school.
Ole Miss Rebels
The Ole Miss Rebels famously changed their Name, Image, and Likeness and team-building strategies to go with a running-back-by-committee approach rather than paying for one star running back. The problem is that they’ll lose several of their most productive backs and must reload there.
We know that the Rebels can compete with anyone in the NIL world, and we know that Lane Kiffin isn’t afraid to attack the portal. If Ole Miss pushes, there’s a good chance Hardy can end up in Oxford, Miss., next season.
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