Elijhah Badger and Bryce Pierre enter transfer portal

(Photo: Alyssa Burato/WCSN)

TEMPE — Redshirt senior wide receiver Elijhah Badger and graduate tight end Bryce Pierre are expected to enter the transfer portal, per Chris Karpman of Sun Devil Source.

Badger spent four seasons at Arizona State, accumulating a total of 1,640 yards on 142 receptions for 10 touchdowns. A two-time All-Pac-12 honorable mention, he logged 65 catches for 713 yards and three scores in 2023 and was the Sun Devils’ leading wide receiver over the past two years.

The Sacramento, Calif. native sat out for most of spring practices thus far due to a back injury sustained at the end of last season, but has recently increased his activity. Two SEC schools — Alabama and Texas A&M — are the early programs to inquire about Badger, Karpman reports.

Badger departs a wide receivers corps that is in good hands despite losing one of its best wideouts. Redshirt sophomore Jordyn Tyson, junior Troy Omeire and senior Jake Smith headline a deep position group now under the guidance of first-year wide receivers coach Hines Ward, who was recently hired after former wide receivers coach Ra’Shaad Samples was hired by Oregon as an assistant head coach and running backs coach.

Pierre, ASU’s only returning tight end this year, played in all 12 games in 2023 after only appearing in one the year prior. During his junior season, he recorded 139 yards on 17 receptions.

While Pierre wasn’t as large of a contributor as Badger, his transfer still hurts an ASU tight ends room that now only has two scholarship players for that position group: juniors Cameron Harpole and Markeston Douglas, who transferred from San Diego State and Florida State respectively.

The Sun Devils have now seen three players enter their names into the portal within a 24-hour period, as redshirt freshman signal caller Jaden Rasahada announced his intentions to play elsewhere on Thursday afternoon. Badger and Pierre’s departures come in the wake of the NCAA announcing mitigated Level I recruiting infractions against ASU earlier on Friday.

Entering the spring season, head coach Kenny Dillingham made it clear that he didn’t want to utilize the spring transfer window, but it appears he will need to do so in order to bolster his depth at quarterback and tight end.