Much of the focus for USF in the first days of the Transfer Portal has been on players leaving the Bulls, but that is changing. USF is now drawing national attention for the players who are coming to Tampa,
With tne news Tuesday morning that former Florida defensive back Teddy Foster will join the Bulls, players so far have committed to joining USF through the portal. Nine of those 11 are on the defensive side of the football. The website On3.com ranks the incoming portal class 17th in the country.
USF has signed Florida cornerback transfer Teddy Foster, @chris_hummer and I have learned.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 6, 2026
Another P4 transfer addition for Brian Hartline and USF. Played in nine games as a redshirt freshman at Florida this season. pic.twitter.com/UM9iSNEgs4
The biggest name is linebacker C.J. Hicks, a former 5-star recruit from Archbishop Alter High School in Dayton. He joined the Buckeyes in 2022, and played three seasons at linebacker before moving to defensive end in 2025. Pro Football Focus gave him a 79.7 grade at that position, which is considered excellent
Hicks played in Ohio State's first four games last season, then chose to sit out the remaining games to preserve a red-shirt.
Even with that, he brings tools that USF will need on defense.
Coming out high school, Hicks was described by On3.com as an "Excellent blitzer who has explosive ability to shoot gaps or come off the edge. Additional strength was noticeable on his senior film. Ball skills are good, which he shows on offense and he should be a great coverage linebacker at the next level. Physically, he has it all. Next steps on his game will be to keep adding the weight and strength he already has, and continue to work on diagnosing offenses. But a high level prospect who fits well in today's defenses because he never has to come off the field and can line up in multiple spots."
Another interesting name joining the Bulls is A'mon Lane-Ganus, who comes to USF from Auburn. He was a 4-star cornerback in high school and was a state champion in the the Class 5A 80-meter dash. Despite those credentials, he appeared in only four games as a true freshman in 2024 and no games last season.
USF fans are still awaiting news about quarterbacks new head coach Brian Hartline will bring in to replace Byrum Brown and Locklan Hewlett. This is a rapidly evolving story, so stay tuned.