Two prominent members of the University of Maine football team’s defense are departing to play in the Big Ten Conference.
Redshirt sophomore free safety Devin Vaught has transferred to Michigan State, and sophomore nose tackle Jaedin Lee is heading to Rutgers University in New Jersey, according to reports from 247Sports.
The 6-foot, 205-pound Vaught was a second team All-Coastal Athletic Association selection this past fall after finishing second on the team in tackles with 60 and solo tackles with 50. He led the team in interceptions with three, including one for a 76-yard touchdown return against Football Bowl Subdivision team Georgia Southern.
Vaught also tied for the team lead in pass breakups with five.
He played in all 12 games for the 6-6 Black Bears and had six games with five or more tackles including a career-high 10 in a 33-27 loss to arch-rival New Hampshire in the regular season finale.
The Charlotte, North Carolina native had 43 tackles in 11 games in 2024 and shared the team lead in interceptions with three. His 43 tackles tied him for fifth on the team.
He played in 11 games after seeing action in three games in 2023 and being involved in four tackles.
Lee was involved in 32 tackles this past fall including 3.5 for lost yards.
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Lee appeared in 10 games in 2024 and had four tackles including a sack against Villanova.
Lee is a native of Chester, Virginia.
In addition to the two prominent transfer portal departures, UMaine has also added four players from the portal: an NCAA Division II wide receiver, a Division III long snapper and a kicker/punter and a junior college linebacker.
Joining the Black Bears will be wide receiver Kayon Concepcion from Concord University in West Virginia; long snapper Conway Bradshaw and kicker/punter Omar Aboutoui from Curry College and linebacker Nathan Gunderson from Dodge City Community College in Kansas.
The 5-foot-8, 170-pound Concepcion, who is from Rochester, New York, led the Mountain Lions in receptions with 46 and had 566 receiving yards to earn All-Mountain East Conference honors.
The 5-foot-11, 212-pound Bradshaw was an all-conference long snapper at Curry and Aboutoui was a two-time first team all-conference pick and an All-ECAC first team pick.
Aboutoui converted 13 of his 14 field goal attempts including a 54-yarder and he was 54 for 60 on extra points. He averaged 37.4 yards per punt and put nine of his 25 punts inside the 20 yard line.
Bradshaw and Aboutoui are both from Methuen, Massachusetts.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Gunderson, who is from Olathe, Kansas, shared the team lead in tackles for Dodge City Community College with 66 and his 14 tackles for lost yards was tops. He had three sacks and was an all conference second team choice.