Michigan State DT Derrick Harmon enters the transfer portal and could be a target for Oregon

Earlier this spring, Dan Lanning suggested that he and his staff would be taking a less aggressive approach to the spring transfer portal than they have in portals past, only pursuing players that will make a sizable impact for the Oregon Ducks. Derrick Harmon could be one of those players.

Harmon is a defensive lineman for the Michigan State Spartans, and on Tuesday morning, he entered the transfer portal, according to a report from Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer. Harmon entered the portal this past winter as well, but he withdrew his name to stay at Michigan State.

In two full seasons and a redshirt freshman year at Michigan State, Harmon played in 25 games as a Spartan, taking 979 defensive snaps. In his career, Harmon has tallied 71 total tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, and forced a fumble. 247Sports ranks him as a 4-star transfer and the No. 1 defensive tackle in the portal.

When Harmon entered the transfer portal in the winter, the Ducks tried hard to bring him to Eugene, hosting him for a visit in mid-December. Ultimately, Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith convinced Harmon to stick around for the offseason, but now that Harmon’s back in the portal, the Ducks have a second chance to make the addition.

What jumps out about Harmon’s game is his ability to ignore the blocks of opposing centers and guards. He consistently locates the ball carrier and stops them at the point of attack, and he’s equally productive whether the opposing offense is passing or running the ball.

Although they’ve made upgrades this offseason, the interior defensive line is one of the Ducks’ weakest position groups. The addition of Ja’Maree Caldwell, a former Houston Cougars defensive tackle, was massive, but the addition of a player like Harmon would reinforce Oregon’s D-line depth.

Story originally appeared on Ducks Wire