The first week of the December transfer portal period culminated with two more local additions to the ranks in Tempe, BYU linebacker Tate Romney and USC wide receiver Jake Smith, both of whom were standouts at Chandler High School and Notre Dame Prep, respectively.

The 6-3 220-pound Romney redshirted at BYU this past season after arriving in Provo following an LDS mission. Among the 2020 recruiting class, he was ranked in the top 25 list of in-state prospects and No. 51 among high school outside linebackers nationally.

In 2019, his last year with the Wolves and during an undefeated season, Romney paced Chandler High with 115 tackles, 13 tackles-for-loss, and seven sacks. Romney played two years under then-Chandler head coach and current ASU running backs coach Shaun Aguano, an aspect that naturally weighed heavily in his decision to join the Sun Devils. The linebacker was part of a Wolves squad that won three consecutive state championships.

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In two years for the University of Texas, Jake Smith saw action in 20 games, hauling 48 receptions for 568 yards and nine touchdowns. He transferred to USC in 2021, but a foot injury in spring practice sidelined him that year. He sat out the 2022 season as he was working on completing his degree. Thus, he’s expected to arrive at ASU as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility.

Jake Smith had one of the most illustrious careers of any local high school player, culminating with the prestigious Gatorade National Player of the Year, an award he won in his senior season in 2018.

Smith was a bona fide offensive weapon who, in his last year for Notre Dame Prep playing mostly wide receiver, posted 1,070 yards receiving and 741 yards rushing, and along with kickoff and punt returner duties, accumulated an eye-popping 2,349 all-purpose yards. He also scored a total of 39 touchdowns during that campaign.

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The list of transfers to date, for now, all local, that ASU has landed (that is public knowledge):

DL Tristan Monday (Transferred from Wisconsin/prepped at Saguaro HS)

LB Krew Jackson (Kansas State/Queen Creek HS)

P Josh Carlson (Nex Mexico State/Gilbert HS)

LS Slater Zellers (Cal/Notre Dame Prep)

RB DeCarlos Brooks (Cal/Chandler HS)

QB Jacob Conover (BYU/Chandler HS)

LB Tate Romney (BYU/Chandler HS)

WR Jake Smith (Texas/USC/Notre Dame Prep)

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