USC Trojans cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson, who entered the portal on Sunday, has now withdrawn, Peter Nakos of On3sports has reported. 74 career tackles and 8 pass deflections.
Nicholson spent a single season with the Trojans following a two-year stint at Mississippi State. Prior to his collegiate career, he committed to the University of Kentucky before beginning his football journey at the junior college level.
DeCarlos Nicholson Withdraws From Portal, To Stay With USC Trojans
When Nicholson decided to leave it left the secondary in an uncertain place. He was the final 2024 starting defensive back remaining on the Trojans roster from 2024. Kamari Ramsey, Jacobe Covington, Akili Arnold, Greedy Vance, and John Humphrey are all at the end of their eligibility or on their way to the NFL Draft. Zion Branch is one of five defenders to enter the transfer portal.
USC has added Bishop Fitzgerald and DJ Harvey through the portal so far.
Harvey and Marcelles Williams or Maliki Crawford are likely to compete for starting roles heading into 2025.
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The NCAA transfer portal officially opened on Monday, December 9, 2024, marking the commencement of another period of significant roster movement within college football.
During the 2023-24 academic year, over 2,800 FBS scholarship players entered the transfer portal. After accounting for withdrawals and players who opted to pursue professional careers, the final total reached 2,707 transfers.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, this figure represents approximately 25% of all FBS scholarship players, highlighting the unprecedented scale of player movement within college football.
While the final numbers for the 2024-25 academic year are yet to be determined, it remains to be seen whether this trend of significant player movement will continue at a similar pace.