Memphis announced the signing of another defensive player Friday morning with the addition of defensive lineman Joseph Head. Head becomes the third player to commit or sign with the Tigers from Mississippi State since Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Memphis announced the signing of wide receiver Braylon “Stonka” Burnside, and on Thursday, it was reported that offensive lineman Koby Keenum committed to the program.
Head signed with the Bulldogs as a three-star recruit in the class of 2023 and spent the last three seasons in Starkville. After being redshirted in the 2023 season, Head recorded 11 tackles and 0.5 sacks in 12 games as a redshirt freshman.
In 2025, Head only appeared in five games and recorded eight tackles, including three in a blowout win over Alcorn State.
Head has seen very limited time over the last two seasons, and he’ll head to Memphis looking for a bigger opportunity with the Tigers. At 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, the defensive lineman is more of an edge rusher, and he could carve out a role with the Tigers.
Charles Huff has loaded up on the defensive side of the ball early in the transfer portal period, and there are currently eight of the signees are defensive lineman, including four of the last five announced signings. Huff said at his introductory press conference that he wanted to get bigger on the defensive line, and it’s clear that has been a priority with the types of defensive linemen that have signed with the team.
Memphis now has 21 signees from the transfer portal, and it still has four players who have reportedly committed but haven’t signed yet. The coaching staff has focused on the defensive side of the ball, and 15 of the 21 signees are defensive players.
All four of the commits that have yet to sign are offensive players, and it appears that the Tigers could pick up more offensive players in the next few days.