On Thursday, the ASU football program said goodbye to Jaden Rashada, a former five-star recruit and last season’s starting quarterback, as he entered the transfer portal. Rashada, who flipped from the Florida Gators to the Arizona State Sun Devils in 2023, played in four games as a true freshman, tallying 485 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. However, ASU lost another top-end talent on Friday who happened to have much more on-the-field success than Rashada.
According to Chris Karpman of 247Sports, Sun Devils leading wide receiver Elijhah Badger will enter the transfer portal. Per Karpman, Alabama football and the Texas A&M Aggies could be in play for Badger. Alabama never offered Badger, while A&M did.
ASU WR Elijhah Badger: Leaving Tempe
After four seasons with ASU football, Elijhah Badger is out in Tempe, Arizona. A four-star prospect and sixth-ranked athlete in the class of 2020, according to 247Sports, committed to ASU over Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and Texas A&M, among others.
BREAKING: Elijhah Badger, ASU's leading WR who had 135 catches and 1,500+ receiving yards the last two seasons, is expected to transfer, per sources. Alabama and Texas A&M are among the suitors. Badger has been limited this spring due to a back injury against Oregon last year.
— Chris Karpman (@ChrisKarpman) April 19, 2024
Badger did not record a reception in his first season before snagging seven passes for 61 yards in 2021. The Sacramento, California, posted career numbers in 2022 despite the team’s abysmal 3-9 record. Badger registered a team-best 70 receptions and 866 yards while collecting seven touchdowns. He posted back-to-back 100-yard receiving games in late October against Stanford and Colorado.
Badger saw a downtick in production last season, with ASU football struggling in the Pac-12. The six-foot-two, 195-pound athlete tallied 65 receptions, 713 yards, and three touchdowns. He also returned 20 kicks for 578 yards. Badger also carried the ball, rushing 11 times for 51 yards and a score.
ASU Football: WR Depth Chart
Karpman believes that although Elijhah Badger has flashed elite talent over the past two seasons, his departure doesn’t doom ASU football. The Sun Devils have a deep, wide receiver room. Jordyn Tyson will now lead the wideout group. Tyson caught 22 passes for 470 yards and four scores with the Colorado Buffaloes last season.
Receivers Troy Omeire, Melquan Stovall, Jake Smith, and Xavier Guillory will also play a significant role with ASU next fall. Omeire, a transfer from the Texas Longhorns, caught 20 passes for 223 yards and three scores during his first season with the Sun Devils last year. Stovall had 18 receptions in 12 games in 2023, while Smith, a former top prospect and Arizona native, will return to the gridiron after a successful true freshman season in 2019. Meanwhile, Guillory posted 21 receptions, 226 yards, and a touchdown last year.
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