UTSA wide receiver Zakhari Franklin has entered the transfer portal. Could Texas A&M be a fit?
The college football transfer portal just added one of the most productive players from the Conference USA, and he’s already drawn the interest of multiple Power 5 schools. Should Texas A&M be considered in the mix as a potential landing spot?
According to a report from On3’s Matt Zenitz, UTSA wide receiver Zakhari Franklin has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Following the news made on Thursday, Franklin immediately becomes one of the most productive and soon-to-be sought-after players available in the portal.
In four seasons with the Roadrunners Franklin logged 3,348 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns with an average of 12.8 yards per reception. The UTSA standout is coming off arguably the best collegiate season of his career in which he tallied 1,136 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, which earned him first-team All-Conference USA honors in 2022.
Per Pro Football Focus, Zakhari received a 75.8 offense grade (141st / 1051 WRs) and a 77.7 receiving grade (110th / 959 WRs). During the 2022 season, he logged 819 snaps on the outside and 142 snaps in the slot.
Texas A&M has been a prime candidate to leverage the college football transfer portal, which re-opened on April 15 and is set to close on April 30. The Maroon and White have already added the likes of cornerback Josh DeBerry and linebacker Jurriente Davis. But wide receiver depth remains a need for the Aggies in the short term.
In a move that felt forthcoming since the start of spring football, wide receiver Tyrin Smith officially re-entered the transfer portal after a brief stint with the Aggies. A&M still boasts a talented receiving room headlined by the likes of Evan Stewart, Moose Muhammad III, and returning senior Ainias Smith, but one or two injuries to those key pieces can throw a wrench into the potential of this offense.
The best way to combat those worst-case scenarios is to build adequate depth behind your star names. It’s the justification behind former USC WR Gary Bryant Jr. having the Aggies on the radar, so throwing Franklin in the mix doesn’t seem too far-fetched.
With the portal’s close fast approaching, all eyes will be on whether the Aggies prove to be aggressive down the stretch in adding depth. Franklin feels like a realistic get and a seamless fit for the Maroon and White, so here’s to hoping he feels the same way.
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