Traeshon Holden Transfers To Oregon
A dozen players from the Alabama football program have entered the transfer portal, ranging from those buried on the depth chart to some who started for Nick Saban during the 2022 season.
Traeshon Holden falls into the latter, as the junior wide receiver was one of the main targets for Bryce Young, catching 25 passes for 331 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games for the Crimson Tide.
Still Holden decided to enter his name into the transfer portal, and now he's found a new home: the Oregon Ducks.
Holden has traded the east coast and SEC for the west coast and the Pac-12, where he has joined another former SEC player familiar to both Alabama and Auburn fans: quarterback Bo Nix.
Oregon has one of the better passing offenses in the Pac-12, ranking in the top-5 in passing yards, completions and touchdowns. The Ducks also have a top receiver as Troy Franklin sits on 56 catches for 867 yards and eight touchdowns. However, there is a significant drop-off after Franklin, not to mention the Pac-12 is comparatively more pass-heavy which can inflate the numbers a touch.
With the addition of Holden, Nix will have another target, and Holden will likely enjoy a role where his skills are better maximized (in theory).
For Alabama, it was a surprise to see a significant contributor leave with a bowl game still to be played. Alabama will also be without JoJo Earle, who's also entered the portal. That said, Jermaine Burton is still on the roster - not to mention he's supposed to be back, according to reports - and there are a number of young receivers looking to fill the void, whether it's Kendrick Law, Isaiah Bond or Kobe Prentice.
Only time will tell how this news will play out for both sides.
