ASU Football: Bunkley-Shelton and Lovell Enter Transfer Portal

(Photo: Dom Contini/WCSN)

Arizona State Football redshirt sophomore wide receiver LV Bunkley-Shelton and redshirt senior offensive linemen Spencer Lovell have entered the transfer portal on Thursday.

Bunkley-Shelton joins a long list of transfers from ASU’s program. Just last week, the Sun Devils lost senior wide receiver Ricky Pearsall to the portal, who was ASU’s leading receiver with 48 receptions in 2021.

Last season, Bunkley-Shelton appeared in 12 of ASU’s games, recording 33 receptions for 418 yards and two touchdowns. With the departure of Pearsall, Bunkley-Shelton was in the running to be the Sun Devils’ go-to wide receiver before his announcement.

“For us [not to bring] in any transfers in the spring was really letting them know that A) We believe in the group that we have. [and] B). That they’re going to be challenged by each other,” ASU wide receiver coach Bobby Wade said on March 28. “Somebody is going to have to start to step up, start to separate. And understand that if we had to play tomorrow, this is all we got.”

Now, ASU will likely have to rely on redshirt sophomores Chad Johnson Jr. and Elijhah Badger in addition to senior Bryan Thomspon at the position and redshirt junior Andre Johnson at the position in 2022.

Joining Bunkley-Shelton in the transfer portal is redshirt senior offensive linemen Spencer Lovell, who was battling for a starting position during the spring practice sessions. Lovell has been a backup for the last four seasons but saw action in 11 games last season.

“I think we’re in a good position because [offensive line] coach [Mike Cavanaugh] really preaches technique,” Lovell said on April 6. “I think we have a good core group of guys that want to get better. We have guys with a lot of experience under their belts. I think as long as we keep wanting to get better, we’ll be good.”