After the bowl game, Memphis players have flooded to the transfer portal, which officially opens on January 2. Through Thursday, 33 Tigers announced their intentions to enter the portal, and wide receiver CJ Smith added his name to the list on Friday.
Smith is the second receiver to enter the transfer portal, joining Jamari Hawkins, but he’s the 18th offensive player to decide to look for a different program.
Smith joined Memphis ahead of the 2025 season after stops at Purdue and Georgia. With his Power Four experience, he became an addition that fans had high expectations for, and he solidified those expectations with an impressive debut during the spring game. The receiver appeared in 12 games, but he only received four targets and had one carry on the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Florida native also attempted one pass for Memphis on a trick play that resulted in an interception.
Smith signed with Georgia as a four-star recruit in the class of 2024, and he spent two seasons with the Bulldogs. Georgia redshirted him his first year, and he recorded 116 yards on six receptions as a redshirt sophomore.
Following his redshirt sophomore campaign, Smith transferred to Purdue, but he battled a hamstring injury during fall camp and only played in three games. The receiver recorded 69 yards on six receptions, including 55 yards on four catches against Northwestern, before he entered the transfer portal again and landed at Memphis.
Smith’s collegiate career has been plagued by injuries, and he has missed time with various injuries at all three stops. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
Memphis now has 34 players in the transfer portal, and it appears more will enter before the portal officially opens in January. The new Tigers staff has already started looking at the options in the transfer portal and D-II quarterback Marcus Stokes is scheduled to visit Memphis on January 10.