The football season may have ended in November, but the job was not done for head coach Gerad Parker and his staff. The winter transfer window opened, allowing players to enter and transfer to new schools.
Parker and the staff immediately jumped on the recruiting trail to start the offseason, looking to improve the Trojans’ roster.
Troy had many of last season’s starters return to the team, with only five entering the NFL draft. However, the Trojans lost three key players to the transfer portal.
The most important of these players was star wideout Devonte Ross. Ross had a stellar season where he was named to All-Sun Belt First Team at the wide receiver position. Ross was also named to the All Purpose first team and return specialist second team, the only Sun Belt player to be honored at three different positions.
After his 1,000-yard campaign, Ross transferred to Happy Valley, Pennsylvania, and will play for Penn State next season. The Nittany Lions were just in the College Football Playoff Semifinals and return their star quarterback Drew Allar next season.
The two other players Troy lost to the portal were Ian Conerly-Goodly and Boaz Stanley. Conerly-Goodly returned to Southeast Louisiana, where he was before coming to Troy. Stanley transferred to South Carolina, where he will get a shot to defend star QB Lanorris Sellers on the offensive line.
Troy may have lost these players, but the Trojans didn’t leave the offseason empty handed. Troy has landed a total of nine commitments, with five standing out.
The wideout room may have lost Ross, but it gained two new wide receivers from the portal. Tray Taylor was the first of the new wideouts to commit to Troy.
The junior came from fellow Sun Belt school, Coastal Carolina. With the Chanticleers, he had 18 receptions for 262 yards and one touchdown, but most importantly averaged 14.6 yards per catch. Taylor also served as a return specialist, so he will fill in the hole left by Ross at both positions.
The other wideout added to the team was Delaware State transfer Kristian Tate. In two seasons with the Hornets, Tate had 408 yards and three touchdowns. He also averaged 14.1 yards per catch. Tate adds big play potential to the wideout room.
Another position on offense that needed replacement was the offensive line. With the departure of Stanley to South Carolina and Daniel King to the draft, Parker dipped into the portal to find his next lineman. Patrick Screws Jr. became the target.
Screws Jr. committed to the Trojans a few days ago after transferring from ACC program Georgia Tech. The Eufaula, Alabama, native was a three star recruit out of high school, ranking top 12 at the center position nationally. He did not see game action while at Georgia Tech and comes to Troy with all his eligibility remaining.
On the defensive side of the ball, Troy returned most starters at all positions but needed two key spots filled with certain players leaving. The safety position was stretched thin with Cecil Powell entering the portal once again, but the Trojans reloaded with another Power Four recruit.
David Daniel-Sisavanh transferred from Georgia to the Trojans. The safety did not see game action this past season, but in 2023 he served in special defensive packages for the Bulldogs. Daniel-Sisavanh was also a part of the 2022 National Championship team that slaughtered TCU 65-7.
Out of high school, the safety was a four-star recruit, ranking top 131 overall nationally. His leadership and tenacity should come in handy for a young Troy defensive back room.
The cornerback room also needed reloading after the departure of Demaje Yancey to the draft. Gerad Parker went the FCS route for this pick up. Missouri State transfer Kaleno Levine made his commitment official and joined the Trojans.
Levine had 50 total tackles this past season with six pass breakups. The senior finds himself with an extra year of eligibility, thanks to the JUCO ruling granting all former JUCO players extra years to play football. Levine ranks as a three-star transfer, adding leadership to Troy’s defensive back position.
Parker has Troy sitting pretty heading into the spring transfer window where plenty more players will be available. Troy aims to be back atop the Sun Belt once again when the season opens with Nicholls State in August.
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