NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
Memphis football’s 2025 roster just got a significant boost.
First team All-AAC defensive end William Whitlow Jr., who entered the transfer portal last month, announced Tuesday he would return to the Tigers in 2025.
That makes him the only member of the Memphis defense that started the 2024 season opener against North Alabama who will be on the roster in 2025. Whitlow made 24 tackles and had four sacks in 2024.
He’d posted on social media he had offers from the likes of Oklahoma and West Virginia but ultimately decided to withdraw his name from the transfer portal. A former three-star recruit from Millbrook, Alabama, Whitlow has one year of eligibility remaining.
Whitlow has spent his entire collegiate career with the Tigers. He redshirted in 2021, then started two games in 2022, four in 2023 and became a full-time starter in 2024.
He’ll be a building block for defensive coordinator Jordon Hankins going into 2025. The Tigers lost nearly their entire defense but will rebuild under their second-year defensive coordinator.
Whitlow’s return means the only defensive players who had eligibility remaining and won’t return are linebacker Chandler Martin (NFL Draft) and linebacker Elijah Herring (transferred to Florida State).
Memphis went 11-2 in 2024, including a win over West Virginia in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl.
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: William Whitlow Jr. withdraws from portal, will return to Memphis
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/aac-william-whitlow-jr-withdraws-050857691.html
Author : The Commercial Appeal
Publish date : 2025-01-08 05:08:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
