I went ahead and updated the Football Scholarship Distribution chart with all of the latest transactions, including today's. Lots of bullets flying here, so hope I got it correct.
The only speculation, so to speak, I have on there is defensive lineman Michale Matus coming back to play in 2023. I feel that there's a good chance that this happens, but for the record, it hasn't been official. A lesser speculation of mine is running back Kyson Brown signing in February, but I feel stronger about that compared to Matus.
So with those two assumptions, by my count, ASU currently has 83 scholarship players, two fewer than the permissible 85-scholarship limit.
Of course, ASU will add players between now and the May transfer portal window, which means that attrition will take place, maybe more of it taking place post-spring rather than pre-spring, but it's a given.
Pure speculation from my end, but here are the returning players that I expect will not be on the team when the 2023 season kicks off:
QB Daylin McLemore (as I mentioned weeks and weeks ago, could be retiring from the game altogether since he graduates this semester)
WR Zeek Freeman
TE Ryan Morgan
OL Thomas Le Boucher
DL Dylan Hall
Edge James Djonkam
DL Brandon McElroy
LB Caleb McCullough
This list of possible departures is by no means a comprehensive one, and I do expect it to change, maybe with some surprises. But wanted to give everyone my analysis of this topic.
With 16 high school and junior college players signed (including Kyson Brown, who again I expect will sign) as well as 23 transfer players, a figure that is a shoo-in to be greater by the time the season kicks off, perhaps by a handful of additional transfers, the roster overhaul numbers just boggle the mind. More than half of the scholarship players when the season kicks off will be newcomers, with just under a third of the roster consisting of transfer portal players.
The only speculation, so to speak, I have on there is defensive lineman Michale Matus coming back to play in 2023. I feel that there's a good chance that this happens, but for the record, it hasn't been official. A lesser speculation of mine is running back Kyson Brown signing in February, but I feel stronger about that compared to Matus.
So with those two assumptions, by my count, ASU currently has 83 scholarship players, two fewer than the permissible 85-scholarship limit.
Of course, ASU will add players between now and the May transfer portal window, which means that attrition will take place, maybe more of it taking place post-spring rather than pre-spring, but it's a given.
Pure speculation from my end, but here are the returning players that I expect will not be on the team when the 2023 season kicks off:
QB Daylin McLemore (as I mentioned weeks and weeks ago, could be retiring from the game altogether since he graduates this semester)
WR Zeek Freeman
TE Ryan Morgan
OL Thomas Le Boucher
DL Dylan Hall
Edge James Djonkam
DL Brandon McElroy
LB Caleb McCullough
This list of possible departures is by no means a comprehensive one, and I do expect it to change, maybe with some surprises. But wanted to give everyone my analysis of this topic.
With 16 high school and junior college players signed (including Kyson Brown, who again I expect will sign) as well as 23 transfer players, a figure that is a shoo-in to be greater by the time the season kicks off, perhaps by a handful of additional transfers, the roster overhaul numbers just boggle the mind. More than half of the scholarship players when the season kicks off will be newcomers, with just under a third of the roster consisting of transfer portal players.
