USC defensive lineman Bear Alexander narrows his transfer portal interest to three destinations

Former five-star defensive lineman Bear Alexander has been well-traveled throughout his football career. The highly-coveted recruit played at four different high schools before heading to Georgia in 2022. After one year at Georgia, he transferred to USC to join Lincoln Riley, and then in 2024, his second season at USC, he opted out after three games to preserve his redshirt and transfer again. 

Despite his transient nature, Alexander is a tantalizing talent at 6-foot-3 315 pounds and he’s on James Franklin’s radar. Franklin appears to be approaching the transfer portal with a new level of aggressiveness after finally making the College Football Playoff, and Alexander is his most high-profile target. 

Interior defensive line is a position of need for the Nittany Lions in anticipation of Coziah Izzard, Dvon J-Thomas, and Alonzo Ford Jr.’s graduation following the 2024 campaign. Despite prevailing concerns about his motor across his underwhelming career, Alexander would create an exciting DL duo with Zane Durant, an undersized disruptor who is third on the team in quarterback pressures in 2024. 

Penn State was one of the first programs, along with Oregon, which beat the Nittany Lions in the Big Ten Championship Game 45-37 on Saturday night, to arrange a visit with Alexander. Both teams are seemingly taking a proactive approach to improving their defense after playing in a shootout for the conference crown. The Ducks and Nittany Lions, along with the SMU Mustangs, who are heading to Happy Valley for the first round of the 12-team CFP, are reportedly standing out to Alexander as he searches for his third team in four years. 

There are obvious reasons for teams to fear being Alexander’s next one-year pit stop, but it would make a lot of sense for Penn State and even Georgia, his first collegiate program, has shown interest in a reunion, which is a good sign. Penn State needs a defensive tackle and its coaching staff has shown interest in others, including PA-native and first-team All-Conference USA player David Blay from Louisiana Tech, but Alexander is the most talented interior defensive lineman on the market and should be priority No. 1 on that side of the ball.