Eric O’Neill spent his first three collegiate seasons at the FCS level with the LIU Sharks. After just one year with the James Madison Dukes, he’s entered the transfer portal for a shot at yet another increase in competition.
Where Will Eric O’Neill Transfer?
The redshirt junior announced his decision on X Dec. 20, just two days after the Dukes defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 27-17 in the Boca Raton Bowl.
In his lone season at James, O’Neill earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors and a second-team All-American nod from CFN after generating 52 total tackles, 18.5 TFLs, 13 sacks, and a pick-six.
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The 6’3″, 250-pound EDGE has experience on the interior and even said teams wanted to convert him to DT when he entered the portal last year.
Yet, O’Neill proved his worth off the edge and is ready to continue his linear progression at the Power Four level in 2025. So, which teams make the best landing spots?
Syracuse Orange
The Syracuse Orange showed interest during O’Neill’s high school recruitment, even hosting him for a junior day visit in 2020. There’s an entirely new coaching staff in place now, but if Year 1 of the Fran Brown era is any indication, that’s a positive.
Brown has embraced the transfer portal and even enjoyed recent success along the edge with Fadil Diggs.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
If playing close to home is the Staten Island product’s primary objective, it doesn’t get much closer than the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Although the program is searching for a new defensive coordinator, with Joe Harasymiak becoming the UMass Minutemen’s next head coach, Greg Schiano is one of the best defensive minds in the country and should be able to maximize O’Neill’s versatility.
North Carolina Tar Heels
Bill Belichick picking up a small-school DL transfer? Yeah, it’s certainly in the cards. North Carolina’s newest head coach has already dipped into the transfer portal, even earning commitments from several players at the Group of Five level and lower. Want to earn an opportunity in the NFL? Play for arguably the greatest coach in NFL history.
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are coming off one of the biggest one-season drop-offs ever. Best believe head coach Mike Norvell is going to be busy this offseason, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
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The EDGE room is currently one of the weakest on the depth chart, thanks to transfers, but Norvell and Co. can fight fire with fire by adding O’Neill to the rotation.
Other Big Ten Programs
O’Neill has the size, inside-out flexibility, and mental makeup that fits the Big Ten’s mold, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he ended up with any of these teams in the conference:
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