Ole Miss, Oklahoma battling to land All-Conference sack artist in transfer portal

One of the most productive players to enter the spring transfer portal is closing in on where he'll play his senior season in 2024. First-Team Al-Conference USA defensive tackle Chris Hardie has 14 sacks over the last two seasons. Ole Miss and Oklahoma are targeting Hardie in hopes of beefing up their defensive line. 

Chris Hardie Considering Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and UCF

The Jacksonville State star recently visited with UCF and Ole Miss, and will meet with Oklahoma this week, per ESPN's Pete Thamel. The 6-foot-2, 270-pounder earned CUSA's defensive lineman of the year in 2023, leading the conference with 16 tackles for loss. He ranked higher than 2023 fourth-round pick Tyrice Knight. 

UCF would surely love to add to their impressive collection of transfer additions, and Hardie would pair wonderfully with star under tackle Ricky Barber. Head coach Gus Malzahn has already brought in former Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson and at least six expected contributors on the defense. Hardie would be a cherry on top for a team expected to be a tough matchup in 2024.

But it's expected that Ole Miss and Oklahoma are lurking with strong offers for the explosive pass-rusher. A&P Sports Agency has built an impressive array of clients and helped talented players find new homes. Ole Miss, already boasting stars in Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen, is an especially exciting possible landing spot for Hardie.

Hardie was a must-watch player in Jacksonville State's biggest games of 2023. He showed up when it mattered most, totaling nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks against Coastal Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Sam Houston, and Middle Tennessee. He also dominated against South Carolina, notching two sacks on Spencer Rattler.

Oklahoma's Brett Venables surely sees shades of Christian Wilkins in Hardie. Even after adding Damonic Williams, the Sooners' veteran defense needs another piece to take the unit to the next level. Hardie is versatile and dangerous enough to be an upgrade on the 2023 transfer flop Rondell Bothroyd.