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Former No. 1 JUCO Prospect Signs With Eliminated College Football Playoff Team

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nate Lunak | Last updated Jan 9, 2025 5:42 PM ET

It's been over a month since the transfer portal officially opened, yet there are still a number of big moves made every day.

It's been an extremely valuable asset to some of the top college football teams, and the latest to benefit is the SMU Mustangs, who were eliminated in the first round of the College Football Playoff by Penn State.

On Thursday, SMU received a big piece to potentially improve its defense, which ranked 32nd in points allowed per game (22.1) and 26th in total yards allowed per game (326).

That comes from defensive lineman Jeffrey M'Ba, who's spent the previous two seasons with Purdue.

BREAKING: Purdue transfer DL Jeffery M’ba has signed with SMU, @PeteNakos_ reportshttps://t.co/kSYG7dYADj pic.twitter.com/JyL9xfJxqa
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) January 9, 2025

M'Ba, originally from Libreville, Gabon, which is located on the coast of Central Africa, and started his college football career in 2020 at Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas.

He spent two years there, accumulating 60 tackles, three sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries.

In 2022, 247Sports ranked M'Ba as the nation's No. 1 junior college prospect, and he eventually transferred to Auburn, where he recorded just seven tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble.

After that season, he made his way to Purdue, where he has racked up 46 tackles and one sack in the past two years.

M'Ba also joins three-star defensive lineman Eric Taylor, three-star linebacker Zakye Barker and three-star safety Robert Rahimi as potential difference makers the Mustangs have added through the portal.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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