The transfer portal opened on Friday, and the new Memphis staff was quick to hand out offers and set up visits for the weekend. Charles Huff had several players on campus over the weekend, and on Sunday, Memphis announced its first pickup out of the transfer portal in wide receiver Tychaun Chapman.
Chapman signed with North Carolina as a four-star recruit out of high school. He redshirted his first year and recorded 125 yards and a touchdown on seven catches in one full season with the Tar Heels.
After his redshirt freshman season, Chapman transferred to Marshall and recorded 146 yards and a touchdown on 17 receptions for Huff’s team. Chapman hit the portal again when Huff took the Southern Miss job, and he followed his coach to Hattiesburg.
In his lone season with the Golden Eagles, Chapman recorded 448 yards and three touchdowns on 25 receptions, and he finished third on the team in receiving yards. The 6-foot receiver spent the last two seasons with Huff and receivers coach Aaron Dobson, so it wasn’t a surprise that he would follow the two coaches again to Memphis.
Chapman has an opportunity to become a fan favorite with the Tigers, thanks to his speed, and will likely fill a similar role to that of Jamari Hawkins, who became a deep threat option this past season. The wideout had his best game of the season against Appalachian State when he recorded 112 yards on four receptions, and he had four games with at least one reception for 40 or more yards.
Chapman became the first player to sign with the Tigers in the transfer portal, but there could be more by the end of the weekend. Memphis hosted a handful of players, including other Southern Miss players, for visits over the weekend, and it’ll be interesting to see if more players announce their decisions before the end of the weekend.