Zach Kittley has landed his next transfer for the Florida Atlantic Owls as he made a huge addition to the team’s receiving corps, landing their next commitment in wide receiver Damien Alford.
Damien Alford
Wide Receiver
6-6, 215 lbs
Transfer
Utah
Alford announced his commitment to the Owls on Sunday afternoon via X, shortly after entering the portal on Dec. 6. He joins the team with one year of eligibility remaining.
The Canada native looks for a new opportunity after being a member of the Utah Utes for one season, playing a backup role with four appearances to his belt despite being seen as a big acquisition for them when he joined the team back in April.
A 6-foot-6 athlete, Alford can play on the offensive side of the field at a high level. His ability to make catches as a receiver is worthy to note about the talent he showcased for four seasons with the Syracuse Orange.
Playing in 42 games that included 28 starts with Syracuse, Alford emerged as one of the team’s big play threats. Among all Syracuse receivers with 10 or more career catches, Alford’s 19.2 yards per catch is tops in the program among active players and ranks fifth in program history (min. 40 catches). Throughout his stint, he finished with 67 catches for 1,291 yards and seven touchdowns, finishing the 2023 season ranked 22nd in program history in career receiving yards (1,291).
He had two games where he achieved 100 or more receiving yards for the Orange in 2023. He had nine receptions for 135 yards against Army on Sept. 23 and made four catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns against Wake Forest on Nov. 25.
“Solid athlete with a combination of adequate COD, balance, lateral quickness/agility, and solid acceleration. A long, smooth strider that is deceptively quick. Has second gear once reaching top speed. Possesses good footwork to execute good releases at LOS. Fluid in the open field against man/zone,” independent scouting consultant Jimmy Williams wrote on NFL Draft Diamonds.
“Uses large frame to gain advantage against matchup. Attacks zone and uses solid FBI to identify soft spots, often rerouting to adjust to defensive looks. Solid route runner that utilizes good footwork while breaking off his stem. Shows adequate hands overall with a wide catch radius.”
Alford was viewed as a consensus three-star prospect by recruiting outlets coming out of high school. On 247Sports, he has an 85 score as the 140th-best player in the state of Quebec, Canada, and the 183rd-best receiver in the Class of 2020 and the 161st-best player in the state of Texas. He had multiple offers from Power Four teams like Florida, Florida State, Miami, and Kentucky among other schools before choosing Syracuse in December 2019.
Upon entering the portal, he maintained his 85 score while being seen as the 69th-best receiver and the 378th-best player in the transfer portal.
Alford has the ability to torch defenders on routes and break down opposing defenses with his speed and strength, making him potentially invaluable for FAU’s depth at wide receiver.
His 2023 season highlights at Syracuse can be viewed below: