It shouldn’t be a surprise to see Colordao Buffaloes players enter the transfer portal this year. Deion Sanders’ unique approach was bound to send players packing, and that opens the door for teams to get quality players like running back Alton McCaskill.
Landing Spots for Alton McCaskill
The former Houston Cougars transfer took his time returning from injury, and now enters the portal again healthy. Where will he land? There are a few spots that make sense.
Auburn Tigers
McCaskill has the talent to play on a Power Five team, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see offers flood in for him. He’s a big back at 6’1″ and 200 pounds, and his physical running style would be perfect in Hugh Freeze’s system.
The rushing attack will carry the weight early in the season until the quarterback situation gets sorted and improves. Jarquez Hunter, one of the top running backs in the SEC, will lead the charge, but it wouldn’t hurt to add another back who can take some of the hits off of the Tigers’ starter.
McCaskill was AAC Rookie of the Year in 2021 thanks to his 961 yards and 16 touchdowns rushing, so we’ve seen what he can do despite only playing in four games since that season.
Florida State Seminoles
Mike Norvell and the Florida State Seminoles look to replace Trey Benson, and they’ve already started that process with the addition of Alabama transfer Roydell Williams. Freshman Kam Davis also has some promise, but McCaskill gives Norvell a back that he’s had in his offense before.
At Memphis, Norvell utilized a big back in Patrick Taylor. The former Tigers star stood 6’2″ and 217 pounds, totaling 2,884 yards and 36 touchdowns during his tenure there. McCaskill runs similarly to Taylor, so Norvell would already know how to utilize his newest weapon.
UCLA Bruins
McCaskill chose Houston out of high school over numerous Power Five programs, including the UCLA Bruins. His primary recruiter for the Bruins was current head coach DeShaun Foster, so there’s familiarity with the guy running the show if he chooses to head further West.
UCLA is going through some changes, including at the running back position. While T.J. Harden returns, depth will be a question early for the offense. McCaskill’s arrival gives them a big back with experience and adds a valuable piece even if he doesn’t win the starting job.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Even with Ollie Gordon II returning as the Doak Walker Award winner, McCaskill gives the Cowboys another back to punish oncoming tacklers. This would provide Mike Gundy with one of the best duos in the country and allow the Pokes to keep their foot on the gas even when Gordon needs a breather.
Marshall Thundering Herd
McCaskill’s dad was vocal when his son announced his decision to transfer, but will that affect his future opportunities? Personally, I don’t think so, but we’ve seen it happen before. He shouldn’t have a shortage in options, so it just comes down to what he wants from his future school.
With two years of eligibility left, does he want to go somewhere to be part of a rotation or be the guy? While he won’t get an outright starting spot at a Power Five school, there are Group of Five schools that would put him in the starting lineup today.
KEEP READING: College Football Transfer Portal Tracker
Charles Huff recruited McCaskill out of high school while at Alabama, and the Thundering Herd has a vacancy with Rasheen Ali going pro.
McCaskill would be an immediate impact player and the feature back in an offense that will rely heavily on the run. We’ve also seen what McCaskill can do to Group of Five defenses, and it’s a ton of fun to watch.
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