Football's Transfer Kwantel Raines Talks New Home Here at Temple

PHILADELPHIA – With the implementation of the transfer portal in 2018, the NCAA and college athletics has granted transferring athletes more freedom. Long gone are the days when athletes needed permission from institutions or coaches to test the waters and see if another school is the right place for them. The portal has given power to the players to decide what institution they fit at best given their current life situation.

Temple's newest transfer, safety Kwantel Raines, decided to transfer back to his home state and play ball at Temple for the remainder of his college career. Although Raines comes from just outside of Pittsburgh, Temple had been on Raines' radar since high school, and was also one of the reasons he decided to come to Temple following two seasons at West Virginia University. Raines helped his high school team go 12-1 his senior year and post a #3 ranking in the state. He captained a defense that allowed just one touchdown in the regular season.

"Adam DiMichele recruited me to Temple out of high school," said Raines about his initial interest in Temple. "I felt like it was time for a new scene [after two seasons at WVU], so I put my name in, took a leap of faith, and now I am here. I feel like this was the best decision for me and my future, so that's why I came."

Raines was an ESPN300 prospect out of Aliquippa, Pa., that will provide additional support to the safeties and overall defensive backs unit for the Owls. The 6'2" defender already has some college experience and has said that he has been able to mesh with his new teammates really well despite there being no practices until the spring. He joins an experienced group of safeties that stepped up last season after Benny Walls was out for a few weeks with an injury. Now that Walls and Ayron Monroe have graduated, Raines and the other remaining Owls safeties will look to compete to fill their void.

Redshirt senior safety Amir Tyler stepped up in a big way last season and welcomes the additional help on defense following the loss of Walls and Monroe. "We just want to add key assets to our defense that we may have lost because of guys graduating or leaving," said Tyler. "Anybody that's willing to buy in and contribute at a high level will always be welcomed here."

"I really like the guys in the locker room here," said Raines. "It's definitely a brotherhood that you have to be all in on if you want in. I am really excited to get started for real with the team."

Tyler couldn't have been more complimentary of his new teammate and said that adding new guys whether it be via recruiting or the transfer portal can only be successful if that player buys into the team's culture formed by the guys in the locker room.

"He's coming from a great program. He just has to understand how we handle things around here and how to be organized, a team player, and Temple tough," said Tyler. "If he can apply all that in the offseason and during the year, he will be a great addition to our defensive unit."

Temple University Athletics

Football's Transfer Kwantel Raines Talks New Home Here at Temple

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Ayron Monroe

Kwantel Raines

Amir Tyler

Benny Walls

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