Southeast Missouri State offensive tackle transfer Phillip Wilder announced his decision to join the Bearcats on Thursday afternoon and is expected to have two years of eligibility remaining.
Wilder has experience at both tackle positions and should compete for a starting spot alongside fellow offensive line transfers in guard Luke Kandra and center Trevor Radosevich.
The former 3-star prospect per 247 Sports held offers from Florida, Miami, Oregon, Texas and others coming out of high school before spending three years at Southeast Missouri State.
In addition to Wilder, Cincinnati received a pair of recent transfer portal commitments from former Florida State receiver Keyshawn Helton and Utah State defensive end Daniel Grzesiak.
Utah State defensive end Daniel Grzesiak and Western Illinois offensive lineman Sidney Fugar visited Wednesday and are potential #Bearcats additions moving forward!https://t.co/2ojBEQmxKp pic.twitter.com/KIDKJ6rOsA
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) January 6, 2023
Cincinnati Football: Bearcats pick up a commitment from offensive tackle transfer Phillip Wilder
Despite missing out on a few targets, the Bearcats brought in six potential starters from the portal and hope to add more in the future after hosting several transfers in recent days.
North Carolina A&T receiver Sterling Berkhalter and Western Illinois offensive lineman Sidney Fugar took official visits to Clifton this week and are key targets for the Bearcats going forward.
Other transfers that recently received an offer include Notre Dame tight end Cane Berrong, Utah Tech defensive tackle Justin Kirkland and Texas State defensive lineman Davon Sears Jr.
In the aftermath of early signing day, Cincinnati’s new-look staff led by first-year coach Scott Satterfield will continue to focus on the portal after adding seven transfers this offseason.
#Bearcats pick up a commitment from Florida State slot receiver Keyshawn Helton! The senior has 61 catches for 819 yards and eight touchdowns during his career. pic.twitter.com/3C6XzbC8vd
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) January 4, 2023
Cincinnati Football: Florida State transfer slot receiver Keyshawn Helton commits to Bearcats
Following his senior campaign at Florida State, Helton entered the transfer portal in early December and eventually committed to join the Bearcats on Wednesday afternoon.
During his time in Tallahassee, Helton showed off his dynamic catch radius and next level speed, highlighted by an impressive touchdown reception in a 33-30 win over Syracuse in 2021.
Helton totaled 61 catches for 819 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in four years at Florida State but only appeared in two games this season before entering the portal last month.
In addition to being a dangerous slot receiver, the Bearcats latest commit was a kick and punt returner at Florida State. Helton is expected to be a candidate to return kicks next season.