Memphis continued its signing spree Tuesday morning with the addition of two defensive players who spent last season at Southern Miss. The football team announced the additions of linebacker Mike Montgomery and defensive lineman Amir Leonard-Jean Charles on social media, bringing the total transfer portal additions to 15.
Out of the 15 signees, 13 of them follow Huff from Southern Miss, and 10 of them play on the defensive side of the ball. All of the new defensive coaches came from Southern Miss, so it makes sense that the Tigers would load up on defensive players from Hattiesburg.
Montgomery signs with Memphis after spending a year at Southern Miss. Before heading to Hattiesburg, the linebacker spent two seasons at Portland State, where he was named to the Stats Perform FCS Freshman All-America team.
With the Vikings, Montgomery recorded 149 tackles in two years of action and finished both seasons second on the team in total tackles. In one season with the Golden Eagles, he recorded 105 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, four pass deflections, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
Montgomery will have one season of eligibility remaining. He has found success at every spot, and it looks like he’ll be in line to be a starter next year for the Tigers.
Memphis also added a young defensive lineman in Amir Leaonard-Jean Charles. Like Montgomery, Charles only spent one season in Hattiesburg after transferring in from West Virginia.
Charles signed with the Mountaineers as a three-star recruit in the class of 2025 over offers from Auburn, Georgia and Florida, but he transferred out of the program in the spring transfer window after enrolling early for spring practice.
After playing for Lipscomb Academy in high school, Charles was one of the highest-ranked recruits in the 2025 class, which ranked inside the top 50 nationally, according to 247Sports. Charles didn’t see any action for Southern Miss in the as a true freshman.