After two seasons in the FCS with the Samford Bulldogs, cornerback Dontae Pollard entered the transfer portal earlier this week, hoping to find a new home for the 2025 campaign.
Where Could Dontae Pollard Transfer?
The Pittsburgh native spent his first two years of college football at the University of Akron, where he accumulated three tackles in 12 games for the Zips during the 2022 season.
After joining Samford, he helped the Bulldogs to records of 6-5 in 2023 and 4-7 in 2024, earning a full-time starting role in both of those years. In 2024, he made 7.5 tackles for loss with 3.5 sacks. He ends his time there with 42 tackles with six pass breakups and two interceptions.
A former state champion in the state of Pennsylvania, Pollard could add depth to several squads for the upcoming campaign. He has one year of eligibility remaining. Here are five where he could be a strong fit before the portal opens again in late April:
Thank you Samford!
Officially in the portal pic.twitter.com/xgLpBcCCzn— Dontae Pollard (@DontaePollard) February 27, 2025
Western Kentucky
Pollard posted to his X account Thursday morning that the Hilltoppers had made him a scholarship offer for 2025. Recently promoted co-defensive coordinators Da’Von Brown and Davis Merritt are looking to reload after having the second-best passing defense in CUSA in 2024, allowing 176.1 yards per game.
The Tops have other pieces as well, but losing cornerback Upton Stout this year to the NFL creates an opportunity for new faces to step up.
Missouri State
The Bears will play their first FBS season in 2025 as Ryan Beard prepares for his third season as their head coach. Missouri State lost cornerbacks Avery Powell (Temple), LeMondre Joe (Colorado State), and Kaleno Levine (Troy) to the portal this past window.
They did gain Maguire Neal from Charlotte but could use a few more pieces in that group, as Beard has previously noted. The MSU defense is outside the top 110 in ESPN’s initial SP+ rankings.
Sacramento State
The Hornets lost one of their better defensive backs, Murvin Kenion, to the transfer portal earlier this cycle. Pollard could help fill that void immediately for an FCS program that is still on a major upward trajectory.
Pollard and Sacramento State Football General Manager Zachary Potter recently followed each other on X.
Northern Illinois
After a good 2024 campaign that ended with an 8-5 record, Northern Illinois lost more production from that team than anybody in FBS.
Per ESPN, NIU has just 23% of its total production returning and 22% of its defensive production returning after having the MAC’s top pass defense last year. It would behoove Thomas Hammock’s staff to inquire about Pollard’s services.
Pitt
Perhaps something of a longshot, but a return to the area where Pollard played and excelled as a high school player could be appealing.
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The move could also be a benefit to the Panthers, who could use some secondary help after allowing 264.2 yards through the air in 2024, the third-worst in the ACC in that category. Members of the Panthers’ recruiting staff recently followed Pollard on X.
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