If UCLA wide receiver enters portal, Minnesota is a long shot but makes sense
When Chip Kelly decided to leave UCLA to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State last week, not only did his decision spark rumors (that have since been quashed) that P.J. Fleck would be a top candidate to replace him, but it also set into motion a 30-day window for current UCLA players to enter the transfer portal.
On Monday, UCLA hired longtime assist DeShaun Foster to take the lead as head coach. How many players will enter the portal with the coaching change is unclear, but local Bruins writers believe there are a few names to keep an eye on, including a top-notch wide receiver named J. Michael Sturdivant.
Why are we writing about Sturdivant? For one, it's the college football offseason and we need to entertain ourselves. But more importantly, what we know about Minnesota is that they offered a bunch of wide receivers in the transfer portal and wound up receiving commitments from Christian Driver (Penn State) and Jaylen Varner (Division II Emporia State).
If Sturdivant, who decided to return to UCLA next season instead of entering the NFL Draft, changes his mind now that Kelly is gone, would the Gophers try to entice the 6-foot-3 receiver to see what life is like in Minneapolis?
According to Mike Farrell, who considers himself the "godfather of recruiting," Sturdivant is a player to watch as a potential UCLA transfer.
As a redshirt sophomore this past season, Sturdivant had 36 catches for 597 yards and four touchdowns. It was a solid first year at UCLA after he totaled 65 receptions for 755 yards and seven touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2022 at California.
At Minnesota, Sturdivant would have an opportunity to be a go-to wide receiver alongside returning leading receiver Daniel Jackson. And unlike the run-first-no-matter-what offensive approach Fleck's teams have employed in recent seasons, there's a belief that the 2024 Gophers will be throwing the ball a lot more with new quarterback Max Brosmer.
Brosmer was at New Hampshire before transferring to Minnesota and he led the FCS in passing yards while finishing second in touchdown passes in 2023.
Sep 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant (1) catches the ball at the 16 yard line in front of Coastal Carolina Chanticleers cornerback Keonte Lusk (7) and runs for a touchdown in the second half at Rose Bowl.
Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
