Fresno State CB Cale Sanders entering NCAA Transfer Portal
The Fresno State Bulldogs are now up to two NCAA Transfer Portal entries upon the Dec. 5 opening of the 45-day portal window for undergraduates. Sophomore cornerback Cale Sanders announced Monday his intent to transfer.
Sanders immediately saw the field as a true freshman in 2021 and started the Bulldogs’ final four games of last season including the New Mexico Bowl victory. Sanders started nine of the first 11 games in this year’s 2022 Mountain West Championship season, but it was junior college transfer Carlton Johnson who started the final two contests at the position.
Sanders wrote on Twitter, “I appreciate the team and the opportunity that Coach Tedford and the University of Fresno gave me. However, I am entering the transfer portal with 2 years of eligibility remaining.”
Sanders finished his sophomore season with 32 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 6 pass deflections. In 2021, he had 20 tackles, 3 pass deflections and an interception. His interception came in a 34-7 win over New Mexico. In all, he leaves with 53 career tackles in 26 games of his two-year career as an underclassmen with the ‘Dogs. He had 13 career starts for the ‘Dogs.
Sanders committed to Fresno State as a 3-Star recruit out of New Caney (Texas) High School. Before committing to the ‘Dogs, he was committed to another school on the opposite end of the country for the other side of the ball – to UCF as a running back. Amid a coaching change, he changed his decision to Fresno State. He was also once committed to Texas Tech during his junior year of high school. His other offers included Utah, Colorado State, Houston, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas State, UTSA and Sam Houston.
Sanders joins Emari Pait as the first two Bulldogs to enter the portal on Dec. 5. Pait also had an impressive true-freshman season, but saw his role decrease as a sophomore in 2022.
Fresno State is positioned to bring back its two starting cornerbacks from Saturday’s Mountain West Conference Championship-winning lineup. Cam Lockridge was named Defensive Player of the Game for his two interceptions – he has one more season to play for the ‘Dogs. Carlton Johnson missed the Bulldogs’ first seven games with a broken foot, then scored a game-sealing interception in his debut vs SDSU and started the Bulldogs’ final two games. He had six tackles, one for loss, and a pass breakup in the MW Title game at Boise State. Johnson is in his first year at Fresno State but has just one more year of eligibility after stops at Southern Utah and Riverside City College. Fresno State also returns Bralyn Lux who started the Bulldogs’ first eight games this year before suffering a season-ending injury.
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Dec 5 marked the beginning of the first of two NCAA Transfer Portal windows for undergraduates. Players who are eligible to transfer as graduate students or undergo a coaching change are not limited to the transfer window dates.
Pait is the first transfer portal entry of the postseason for Fresno State. Two defensive linemen Tito Chikere other Joshua Pakolaentered the portal in August.
Student-athletes who enter the NCAA Transfer Portal have the option to withdraw and return to their original school, but must be welcomed back by their respective coaching staff.