College football transfer portal tracker: Latest news on who’s in and out
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ESPN staff
College football‘s new transfer portal window officially opened Monday, and while some players announced their plans to leave their schools prior to that, things are really off and running now.
Last year, more than 3,000 FBS players entered the portal, which was open year-round. Quarterbacks Caleb Williams (USC), Bo Nix (Oregon) and Spencer Rattler (South Carolina) were among the prominent transfers who made an immediate impact at their new schools.
This time around, the NCAA adopted dates for when players can enter the portal and not lose a year of eligibility, though they can sign with their new school at any time. The first window is open for 45 days from Dec. 5 until Jan. 18, and the second runs in the spring from May 1-15. There are exceptions for graduate transfers and for players going through head-coaching changes.
After an extremely busy college football transfer cycle a year ago, what will the next two months bring? We’re tracking notable players entering (and exiting) the portal, with the latest news and updates on how the 2023 season could be transformed. The most recent moves are at the top.
More coverage:
Ranking the best players in portal (
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What the transfer windows mean for CFB
MONDAY, DEC. 5
USC linebacker is in the portal
Ralen Goforth had 43 total tackles and 35 solo tackles for the Trojans this season.
Former Cal LB chooses UCLA
Linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo, who played two seasons at Cal, announced his transfer to UCLA. After announcing his intention to enter the portal earlier on Monday, Oladejo made the move to the Bruins quickly. He had 36 tackles and one interception in his two seasons with Cal.
Oklahoma State quarterback adds name to portal
Spencer Sanders, who was the No. 121 prospect in the 2018 ESPN 300, has entered the transfer portal. He was a multi-year starter for the Cowboys and has one year of eligibility remaining.
He threw for 2,642 yards and 17 touchdowns this season.
Oregon linebacker enters portal
Justin Flowe, who was the No. 10 overall recruit in the 2020 ESPN 300, appeared in 10 games this season. He had 35 total tackles and 14 solo tackles for the Ducks.
Updating a busy first day of the transfer portal being open
As of right now, 508 total football players have entered the portal today.
417 are FBS players. That’s just entries from today.
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) December 5, 2022
Uiagalelei to move on from Clemson
Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is officially in the transfer portal as a grad transfer. Uiagalelei was benched after leading two series, both three-and-outs, in the ACC championship game.
He finished the season completing 62.1% of his passes for 2,521 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also ran for 545 yards and seven TDs.
Second Texas A&M QB enters portal
Eli Stowers, who was an ESPN 300 prospect in the 2021 class, played in only two games this season. He’s the second Aggies QB to enter the portal, joining Haynes King.
QB Jurkovec moving from BC to Pitt
Transfer quarterback Phil Jurkovec told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that he’s committed to transfer to Pitt. Jurkovec both returns home and reunites with his former offensive coordinator at Boston College, Frank Cignetti Jr. Jurkovec has one year of eligibility remaining.
Michigan tight end enters mix
Erick All, who missed most of this season with injury, was second on the Wolverines with 437 receiving yards in 2021 and had two touchdowns.
Arizona receiver Singer adds name to portal
Dorian Singer, who led the Pac-12 with 1,105 receiving yards on 66 catches, has entered the portal. The 6-foot-1 sophomore scored six times and averaged 16.7 yards per reception.
Kent State receiver looks to catch on elsewhere
Dante Cephas was second on the Golden Flashes with 744 receiving yards and had three touchdowns this season. In 2021, Cephas had 1,240 yards on 82 catches.
Cam’Ron Kelly had 49 tackles, one interception and one pass breakup for the Tar Heels.
UCF starting corner puts name in
Davonte Brown, a 6-foot-2 corner, started every game the past two seasons for UCF. The junior had 30 tackles, two interceptions and four pass breakups in 2022 and has two years of eligibility remaining.
Seminoles linebacker enters as grad transfer
Amari Gainer entered the season as Florida State’s active leader with 193 tackles, but was limited this season (17 tackles, 1 sack).
Tight end Austin Stogner, who had 20 catches for the Gamecocks this season, entered the portal as a grad transfer. He came to South Carolina after transferring from Oklahoma.
UCF‘s No. 2 receiver enters portal
Ryan O’Keefe was second on the Knights in receiving yards this season with 725 and had five touchdown catches.
Quarterback Austin Reed ranked No. 2 in the FBS with 4,247 passing yards this season. He completed 64.4% of his attempts with 36 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The grad transfer has one season of eligibility left.
Cincinnati kicker enters portal
The Bearcats’ Ryan Coe made 19 of 23 field goals, including a 52-yarder, in his only season with Cincy. He had transferred from Delaware.
Three-year starting OL at Arizona State enters
Offensive lineman LaDarius Henderson, a three-year starter, has one year of eligibility remaining. He made 29 starts for the Sun Devils.
Huge UTEP offensive lineman is in
Multiyear starter Jeremiah Byers, a 6-foot-4, 331-pound sophomore, should draw a lot of interest.
Starting quarterback Mike Wright passed for 974 yards with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions and ran for 517 yards with five scores.
Leading rusher Ray Davis also entered the portal. Davis, who was fourth in the SEC with 1,042 rushing yards, transferred to Vandy from Temple. The Commodores were 5-7 this season, 2-6 in the SEC.
Kaleb Smith had 37 catches for 674 yards with three touchdowns and ranked fourth in the ACC with an 18.2-yard average. He is a graduate transfer.
Sources: Pitt QB Slovis on move again
Kedon Slovis, who played one season at Pittsburgh after transferring from USC, intends to enter the portal, sources tell ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Slovis struggled to find consistency with the Panthers (8-4), completing 58.4% of his passes for 2,397 yards, with 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Three-year starting guard at Purdue is in
Spencer Holstege, a 6-foot-5, 310-pound junior, started three seasons for the Boilermakers. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
One of UCF‘s top tacklers in portal
Linebacker Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste was second on the Knights with 52 total tackles this season. Also had five tackles for loss, one sack and four pass breakups.
Raneiria Dillworth, who ranked 87th in the 2021 recruiting class, appeared in seven games for the Heels this season, recording 14 tackles.
Virginia cornerback in portal
Fentrell Cypress II has started 14 games over the past two seasons, and he broke up 11 passes in 2022. He had 46 tackles over the past two seasons.
Wake Forest running back in portal
Christian Turner rushed for 516 yards this season and 506 yards last season, with 12 total touchdowns. He originally transferred from Michigan in 2020.
Washington State has two of its top three receivers in the portal. De’Zhaun Stribling caught 95 passes for 1,073 yards and 10 touchdowns over the past two seasons, averaging 11.3 yards per catch. Donovan Ollie, a 6-foot-3, 212-pound sophomore, had 43 catches for 491 yards with three scores this season.
Kent State offensive tackle in portal
Savion Washington is a 6-foot-8 tackle who started 11 games for the Golden Flashes this season. He allowed just four pressures in 774 snaps at right tackle.
Source: NC State quarterback Devin Leary intends to enter portal
Leary will have one year of eligibility remaining at his new school, as he’s spent five years at NC State. His production over the past four years — 6,807 and 62 touchdowns — will make him one of the most productive portal quarterbacks available. Leary’s 2022 season got cut short when he tore his right (throwing) pec against Florida State on Oct. 8.
A source told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that Leary is expected to be able to cleared to throw by early March, if not sooner. He could be ready for spring football at his new destination.
Ball State running back entering portal
Running back Carson Steele put up 1,556 rushing yards with 15 total touchdowns this season. He had 891 rushing yards and seven total scores as a true freshman in 2021.
Ball State went 5-7 and isn’t eligible for a bowl game.
Five Miami players enter portal
Running back Thaddius Franklin Jr., wide receiver Josh Murillo, safety Keshawn Washington and defensive linemen Elijah Roberts and Allan Haye Jr. are all in the transfer portal.
The most notable is Franklin, who had five rushing touchdowns this season. Roberts had nine total tackles.
SUNDAY, DEC. 4
Wisconsin’s three-year starting QB to enter portal
Graham Mertz has started 32 games over the past three seasons for the Badgers, throwing for 5,405 yards, 38 touchdowns and 26 interceptions in his four-year career.
Mertz, who will have two years of eligibility remaining, went 19-13 as Wisconsin’s starter, however the Badgers went from 9-4 in 2021 to 6-6 in 2022, firing coach Paul Chryst in October. They hired Luke Fickell on Nov. 27.
While Mertz’s 52.5 Total QBR ranked ninth among 12 qualified Big Ten quarterbacks in 2022, his 9.82 air yards per attempt ranked third in the conference and 21st among 124 qualified passers.
Indiana freshman LB to enter portal
Dasan McCullough, the highest-ranked prospect in Indiana’s 2022 recruiting class (No. 43 overall), recorded 49 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks as a freshman in 2022.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound McCullough started four of the Hoosiers’ 12 games, and his 15 defensive pressures ranked seventh among all Big Ten linebackers. He is the son of Notre Dame running backs coach Deland McCullough.
Alabama starting OL to enter portal
Javion Cohen started 25 games over the past two years at left guard, surrendering just one sack on 922 pass-blocking snaps.
The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Cohen, a junior who will have two more years of eligibility, opened up about mental health awareness in July, saying, “[I] don’t want to focus on the bad though, [I] want to shed light on the good that has come of this.”
Vanderbilt’s leading rusher to enter portal
Fourth-year senior Ray Davis ran for 1,042 yards, which ranked fourth in the SEC in 2022, and his five rushing touchdowns were tied for the team lead.
The 5-foot-9, 205-pound Davis spent his first two seasons at Temple before transferring to Vanderbilt prior to the 2021 season. In his career, he has 2,497 rushing yards, 439 receiving yards and 20 total touchdowns (15 rushing, five receiving).
Arizona’s leading tackler to enter portal
Safety Jaxen Turner recorded 79 total tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one sack for the Wildcats in 2022.
Turner, a fourth-year junior, has recorded 159 total tackles and defended seven passes in his career.
Former Clemson starting DB to enter portal
Cornerback Fred Davis II started the first four games of the 2022 season and appeared in seven games, totaling 15 tackles and defending two passes before injuring his ankle.
Davis, who is being sued over a 2021 car accident, has recorded 34 total tackles and four passes defensed in 28 games in three seasons at Clemson.
UCF QB to enter portal
Mikey Keene has thrown for 2,377 yards, 23 touchdown passes and seven interceptions in 15 career games (11 starts) with the Knights. He went 7-3 as a starter last year in place of Dillon Gabriel, but he played behind John Rhys Plumlee for most of the 2022 season.
Keene, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound quarterback with three years of eligibility remaining, completed 72.3% of his passes this season, throwing for 647 yards, six touchdowns and one interception in four games.
Charlotte’s leading WR to enter portal
Charlotte wideout Elijah Spencer, who led the 49ers with 943 receiving yards and nine touchdowns this season, will enter the transfer portal, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
His 381-yard, six-touchdown season in 2021 led him to being named Conference USA freshman of the year.
SATURDAY, DEC. 3
Oklahoma backup QB to enter portal
Oklahoma freshman QB Nick Evers was the No. 166 overall recruit in the 2022 class. He flipped from Florida to Oklahoma late in the recruiting process.
A 6-foot-3, 186-pound freshman, Evers backed up Dillon Gabriel this season. Oklahoma has five-star QB Jackson Arnold committed for the 2023 class.
BYU OL to enter portal
Campbell Barrington, the younger brother of fellow offensive lineman Clark Barrington, announced he will enter the portal when it opens.
The younger Barrington, who was part of ESPN’s true freshman All-America team in 2021, primarily played at right tackle. He went from playing 468 total snaps in eight games (six starts) in 2021 to 111 snaps in nine games without a start in 2022.
Oklahoma State‘s leading tackler to enter portal
Mason Cobb, who led the Cowboys with 96 total tackles, will have two years of eligibility remaining. Cobb, a 6-foot, 230-pound junior, also forced 1 fumble, intercepted 1 pass and recorded 2 sacks in 2022.
Leading MAC rusher to enter portal
Ball State sophomore running back Carson Steele ranked sixth in FBS with 1,556 yards entering conference championship weekend. He had nine 100-yard games and 14 touchdowns for the 5-7 Cardinals.
In two seasons, he racked up 2,447 yards and 20 touchdowns.
FRIDAY, DEC. 2
Texas A&M QB, cornerback entering the portal
Haynes King is in the portal after throwing for 1,220 yards and seven touchdowns for the Aggies in the 2022 season. Signing in 2020, King entered the Texas A&M program as the No. 46 recruit in the nation.
The Aggies (5-7) were 1-5 in games King played in this season.
In addition to King, cornerback Denver Harris is now in the portal. The former 5-star recruit (No. 25 class of 2022) played in five games this season for the Aggies before an indefinite suspension ended his season. He has three years of eligibility left.
Three Stanford players entering portal
Starting Stanford right tackle Myles Hinton joins teammates Drake Nugent and Levani Damuni in putting their names in the transfer portal. Hinton was one of Stanford’s top recruits in recent years. He was ESPN’s No. 14 overall recruit in 2020.
Nugent, a center, was on the Rimington Trophy and Outland Trophy watch lists coming into this season and was named All-Pac-12 honorable mention by the coaches in 2021. He started 22 games over the past two seasons. Damuni, a linebacker, was a team captain in 2022.
Coach David Shaw resigned earlier this week.
Oklahoma receiver enters the portal
Theo Wease Jr. has entered the transfer portal after recording 378 yards and four touchdowns for the Sooners this season. The former 4-star recruit (No. 33 in the 2019 class) had 10 total touchdown receptions over three seasons at Oklahoma. The Sooners went 6-6 in Brent Venables’ first year as head coach.
Washington State linebacker Travion Brown, a graduate student, is in the transfer portal. Brown had 49 tackles, five for loss, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery for the 7-5 Cougars this season.
Braden Fiske is in the portal as a grad transfer. Fiske had 30 tackles and 4.5 sacks this season for the Broncos (5-7, 4-4 MAC). Coach Tim Lester was fired Nov. 28.
Several high major schools are expected to show interest in Fiske, who has 12 career sacks.
Rara Thomas announced Friday that he plans to enter the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining. A 6-foot-2 former three-star recruit from Eufaula, Alabama, Thomas saw his production skyrocket after catching 18 passes and five touchdowns as a freshman in 2021.
As a sophomore this season, he led Mississippi State with 626 receiving yards. He ranked second on the team in receiving touchdowns (7) and fourth in receptions (44).
Pyne is a third-year player who will have three years of eligibility at his next destination. He started 10 games for Notre Dame this season, leading it to an 8-2 record and finishing No. 20 nationally in individual quarterback efficiency. Pyne threw 22 touchdowns, six interceptions and rushed for 108 yards and two more touchdowns. He completed 64.6% of his passes.
He had a 4-1 record against top-25 teams, which was the most wins against top-25 competition at Notre Dame in the last decade.
The number of football players that have entered the transfer portal since Monday:
FBS: 149
FCS: 393Those numbers will increase significantly once the transfer portal window opens this coming Monday.
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) December 2, 2022
Jurkovec will enter as a graduate transfer and will have one season remaining of eligibility. He has been Boston College’s starting quarterback the past three seasons after transferring from Notre Dame. He’s been productive when healthy, as he’ll be one of the more seasoned quarterbacks to enter the transfer portal this offseason. Jurkovec started 24 games during his three seasons at Boston College and flashed with promise when healthy.
Jurkovec hasn’t played since getting knocked out of BC’s 13-3 loss at UConn on Oct. 29. He suffered minor knee and rib injuries that are expected to be healed soon. He’d be available at full health for spring practice wherever he transfers, according to sources.
THURSDAY, DEC. 1
McNamara, who helped the Wolverines to a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth in 2021, is set to transfer to Iowa, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
McNamara, who has two seasons of eligibility left, entered the transfer portal as a graduate on Monday. He has not played for Michigan since suffering a leg injury in Week 3 that required surgery.
In 2021, McNamara threw for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns and six interceptions in 14 games as Michigan won its first outright Big Ten title since 2004 and made its first CFP appearance. He emerged as the Wolverines’ starter in 2020, passing for 425 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions in a season that was interrupted by COVID-19 restrictions.
Chance Nolan threw for 939 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions while starting the Beavers’ five games this season.
He suffered a neck strain during a lopsided loss at Utah on Oct. 1 and remained sidelined for the rest of the regular season. Nolan has started 17 games in his career over three seasons in Corvallis, Ore., throwing for 4,153 yards with 32 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
Nebraska wide receiver entering portal
Decoldest Crawford, who made offseason headlines after his NIL deal with a local HVAC company went viral, is entering the portal after one season with the Cornhuskers.
Crawford did not play during his freshman season, as he suffered a season-ending injury during a team scrimmage in August. His decision to transfer comes days after former Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule was hired as Nebraska’s next head coach.
Virginia quarterback enters the portal as grad transfer
Brennan Armstrong is in the portal.
He threw for 2,210 yards, seven touchdowns and 12 interceptions for the Cavaliers (3-7, 1-6 ACC) in 2022. Armstrong has 9,034 passing yards, 58 touchdown passes and 20 rushing TDs in his career. He ranked 4th in all of FBS with 4,449 passing yards in 2021.
Rhode Island offensive lineman to enter portal
Right tackle Ajani Cornelius has decided to enter the portal.
He started 22 games during his first two years with the Rams, and he’s reportedly already received offers from Nebraska, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Louisville, Syracuse, Penn State, Minnesota, Oregon, Auburn and South Carolina, among others.
Rhode Island went 7-4 overall (5-3 CAA) this season.
Texas A&M defensive end to portal
Edge rusher Tunmise Adeleye will enter the portal when it opens on Dec. 5.
He played sparingly this season for the Aggies and recorded tackles in only two games.
Adeleye was No. 42 overall in the 2021 ESPN 300 and had offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan and Ohio State, among others.
Cincinnati center entering portal
Center Jake Renfro, a first-team All-AAC selection in 2021, entered the transfer portal on Thursday.
He sustained a knee injury in preseason camp that prevented him from playing this fall. The 6-foot-3, 308-pound Renfro has started 19 games in the past two seasons. A third-year player, Renfro was allowed to enter the portal before Dec. 5 because Cincinnati’s coach Luke Fickell left for the Wisconsin job earlier this week.
Iowa wide receiver to enter portal
Keagan Johnson, who missed most of the 2022 season due to injury, has announced that he will enter the transfer portal.
In 2021, Johnson led all Iowa receivers with 352 yards as a freshman. He also contributed with two touchdowns and 18 receptions. This season, he appeared in two games and had two receptions for 11 yards against Nevada.
Maryland linebacker in portal as grad transfer
Ahmad McCullough had 45 tackles and two fumble recoveries in two starts for the Terrapins this season. In total, he started six games over four seasons, with 92 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Lineman Austin Fontaine also is in the portal. He played both defense and offense, starting six games at guard in 2019.
Kentucky running back enters portal
Kavosiey Smoke had 291 carries for 1,583 yards and 13 touchdowns over five seasons at Kentucky. He had 58 rushes for 277 yards this season. His best year was 2019, when he had 616 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Wide receiver Rahsaan Lewis also will transfer. He had eight catches for 69 yards over the past two seasons. He is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis. He previously attended UCF and FAU.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30
Stanford loses two more to portal
Defensive end Stephen Herron, who had led the Cardinal with 5.5 sacks in 2022, and guard Jake Hornibrook, who started 16 games over the past two seasons, are in the transfer portal. Herron had nine total sacks in three seasons.
They follow safety Jonathan McGill, who announced earlier this week he was transferring, following the resignation of coach David Shaw.
Alabama wide receivers decide to enter portal
Alabama wide receivers Traeshon Holden and Christian Leary are going to enter the portal when it opens next week. Holden was second on the team in touchdowns receptions (6) and fourth in receiving yards (331) this season as the Crimson Tide went 10-2.
Leary, who was No. 77 in the 2021 ESPN 300, was used on special teams for the most part during his two years in Tuscaloosa.
Second Tulsa quarterback to enter the portal
Braylon Braxton became the second Tulsa quarterback in three days to enter the portal, joining Davis Brin.
Braxton, a second-year player, started three of Tulsa’s final four games this season, throwing for 1,133 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions.
The news comes in light of the Golden Hurricane dismissing coach Phillip Montgomery after a 5-7 season.
Oklahoma wide receiver entering portal
Theo Wease has entered the portal as a grad transfer and will have two years of eligibility remaining. He caught 19 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns in seven games for the Sooners (6-6) this season. He established a new career high in receiving yards (123) during the final game of the season, a 51-48 overtime loss at Texas Tech.
Wease had 64 receptions for 1,044 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career. He was ranked as the No. 33 overall recruit in the 2019 ESPN 300.
Florida State freshman defensive back enters portal
Sam McCall announced his plans to enter the transfer portal. In his first season with the Seminoles, he recorded five total tackles, three solo tackles and one forced fumble.
McCall was ranked No. 55 overall in the 2022 ESPN 300.
Sean Tyler, who rushed for 1,027 yards this season and 1,150 yards in 2021, is in the portal. Tyler had 2,830 rushing yards, 338 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns in four seasons for the Broncos.
Western Michigan went 5-7 this season and fired coach Tim Lester earlier this week.
Colorado safety enters portal
Isaiah Lewis is a two-time Pac-12 honorable mention who played in only four games this season because of injury. In 42 career games since 2018, he has broken up five passes and recorded 128 total tackles and three interceptions.
Lewis, a 6-foot, 205-pound defensive back from Granite Bay, California, was originally a three-star prospect in the 2017 recruiting cycle.
TUESDAY, NOV. 29
Northwestern wide receiver to go into portal
Malik Washington will enter the portal as a graduate transfer. Washington led Northwestern, which went 1-11 in 2022, with 65 catches for 694 receiving yards. He hit his career high in receiving yards (97) twice this season — against Nebraska in Dublin on Aug. 27 and against Minnesota on Nov. 12.
He had 120 receptions for 1,348 yards and three touchdowns during his four seasons in Evanston.
Texas backup quarterback to enter portal
Hudson Card, who lost the Longhorns’ quarterback competition to Quinn Ewers but filled in when Ewers was hurt, is going to enter the portal. Card threw for 928 yards with six touchdowns this season for Texas, which went 8-4.
Card, who was ranked No. 40 overall and was the second-best dual-threat quarterback in the 2020 ESPN 300, has 1,523 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions during his career.
Three Syracuse WRs to enter portal
Courtney Jackson, who led the Orange in receiving yards in 2021 and has totaled 662 yards and four touchdowns in four seasons, entered the portal as a grad transfer with two years of eligibility remaining.
Anthony Queeley, who had 52 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns over his first two seasons but totaled just one catch for 12 yards in 2022, announced his intentions to enter the portal, as did Dom Foster, a freshman who was recruited as an athlete but converted to receiver.
FIU‘s top TE to enter portal
FIU tight end Rivaldo Fairweather has 54 catches for 838 yards and five touchdown in his three-year career with the Panthers thus far.
A 6-foot-5, 245-pound target, Fairweather ranked 18th among all FBS tight ends in receiving yards (426) and third in yards per reception (15.21) in 2022.
Three Duke players enter portal
Linebacker Rocky Shelton II, defensive back Tony Davis and wide receiver Darrell Harding Jr. all entered the portal as grad transfers. Shelton started eight games in 2020 and totaled 1.5 sacks and 35 total tackles, however he didn’t play in 2021 and recorded 10 total tackles in 12 games in 2022.
Harding caught 35 passes for 452 yards in 24 games over the past four years. Davis, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound cornerback, recorded 13 total tackles and one pass breakup in four seasons.
Indiana loses second quarterback to portal
Indiana starting quarterback Connor Bazelak announced he plans to enter the portal as a grad transfer. Bazelak transferred to Indiana from Missouri before the 2022 season. He threw for 2,312 yards and 13 touchdowns this season as Indiana went 4-8.
Bazelak, who has thrown for 7,370 yards, 36 touchdowns and 27 interceptions in his career, is the second Hoosiers quarterback to enter the portal. Fourth-year signal-caller Jack Tuttle announced in October he planned to enter the portal when it opened, but ultimately started Indiana’s 45-14 loss to Penn State in November amid injury woes.
Iowa backup quarterback to enter portal
Alex Padilla served as a backup to Spencer Petras, a three-year starter. He saw action in two games this season for the Hawkeyes — losses to Ohio State and Nebraska — and played in eight games in 2021, starting two.
Padilla threw for 821 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions during his three seasons at Iowa.
MONDAY, NOV. 28
McNamara led Michigan to the Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2021, throwing for 2,576 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions in 14 games.
He started the 2022 season with a 136-yard, one-touchdown performance against Colorado State in the opener but ultimately lost the Wolverines’ quarterback competition to second-year QB J.J. McCarthy.
McNamara suffered a leg injury in the second half against UConn on Sept. 17 that required surgery, and he didn’t appear in a game the rest of the season.
As a sophomore, Thornton caught 17 passes for 366 yards and a touchdown. He had a career-high 151 receiving yards in a 20-17 victory over Utah on Nov. 19.
He was the fourth-leading receiver for the Ducks, who went 9-3 in the regular season. Thornton has 26 catches for 541 yards and three touchdowns in his career.
Stanford safety to portal after coach David Shaw’s resignation
In response to Shaw’s resignation at Stanford, safety Jonathan McGill will enter the portal as a grad transfer.
McGill was second on the team in total tackles (51), had 5.5 tackles-for-loss, seven PBUs and an interception for the Cardinal this season. Stanford went 3-9 for a second consecutive year.
Tulsa quarterback to enter the portal
Tulsa quarterback Davis Brin, who started nine games this year, decided to transfer in light of coach Philip Montgomery’s firing.
Brin had 2,138 passing yards with 17 touchdowns with eight interceptions, but he didn’t start three of the Golden Hurricane’s last four games of the season.
In his career, he has 5,660 passing yards with 37 touchdowns and 24 interceptions.
LJ Johnson Jr. was the No. 86 overall recruit (No. 5 running back) in the 2021 ESPN 300 and chose Texas A&M over Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Texas and Oklahoma, among others.
In six games for the Aggies this season, he had 10 carries for 39 yards and two touchdowns but didn’t receive any carries after Oct. 22.
Texas A&M defensive linemen Elijah Jeudy and Donell Harris Jr. also plan to enter the portal.
SUNDAY, NOV. 27
Sophomore wide receiver Dominic Lovett ranked sixth in the SEC in receptions (56) and third in the conference in receiving yards (846).
Of the 12 passing touchdowns quarterback Brady Cook threw this year, three went to Lovett.
Jeff Sims was a three-year starter for the Yellow Jackets, who fired coach Geoff Collins in September.
Sims, a former ESPN 300 recruit ranked No. 88 in the 2020 class, started the first seven games of the 2022 season before hurting his foot during a loss to Virginia on Oct. 20.
In his career, Sims has 4,464 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
PREVIOUSLY
Alabama DB and former top juco prospect enters portal
Khyree Jackson, who was the top recruit in ESPN’s 2021 junior college rankings, entered the portal Nov. 23.
Jackson saw action in nine games, starting one, for the Crimson Tide in 2022 and recorded seven tackles. He chose Alabama over offers from Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma and Oregon, among others.
Several FCS prospects enter portal
With the conclusion of some FCS seasons across the country, several players hit the portal the week of Nov. 21. Notables include:
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Quarterbacks Tyler Vander Waal (Idaho State), Seth Morgan (VMI), Carson Camp (South Dakota), Jimmy Weirick (Wofford) and Derek Green (Long Island University)
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From Harvard: defensive lineman Truman Jones, safety James Herring, offensive tackle Alec Bank, center Scott Elliott and cornerback Victor Tademy
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From VMI: cornerback Aljareek Malry, linebacker Stone Snyder, wide receiver Leroy Thomas and defensive tackle Charles Dixon
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From Bucknell: cornerback Gavin Pringle, safety Brent Jackson, linebacker Ben Allen and safety Jonathan Searcy
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A few more notables: Duquesne wide receiver Abdul Janneh, Missouri State offensive tackle Ian Fitzgerald, Merrimack wide receiver Jacari Carter, Eastern Kentucky linebacker Eli Hairston, Penn offensive lineman Trevor Radosevich, Brown wide receiver Hayes Sutton, Presbyterian running back Delvecchio Powell II, Columbia tight end Luke Painton and Stephen F. Austin linebacker Brevin Randle
Wisconsin‘s former top-15 recruit enters after dismissal
Wisconsin offensive tackle Logan Brown was dismissed from the team because of an “internal incident” on Oct. 13, interim coach Jim Leonhard said.
Upon his dismissal, Brown, the No. 15 recruit and No. 7 offensive tackle in the 2019 recruiting class, tweeted he would enter the portal.
Boise State starting QB enters portal
Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier entered the portal on Sept. 27. Bachmeier, a four-year starter, had totaled 6,605 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
Bachmeier had thrown for 497 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions in four games this season. By leaving prior to playing in his fifth game of the season, he will have two years of eligibility remaining, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Sports
A famous dad, the perfect swing and elite Fortnite skills: Meet MLB’s most fascinating hitter
Warning: What you’re about to read is Jacob Wilson‘s opinion. He is a professional baseball player — a very good one — and not a medical expert, but there are some things he is convinced are true, and this is one of them.
The 23-year-old Wilson, the Athletics’ wunderkind shortstop, is wise enough to understand that the sort of success he has found on the baseball field — a .347 batting average and a near-certain invitation to the All-Star Game coming — comes from a multitude of areas. He is the son of a longtime big leaguer, so certainly genetics helped, and he works relentlessly at his craft, which goes a long way. But the special sauce that built the American League Rookie of the Year favorite, he believes, included a secret ingredient.
Fortnite.
“Kids are going to love this one. Parents are going to hate me,” Wilson said. “I am a big believer in video games. It’s fast decision-making strategy. I think that gets me ready for the game, because when you’re in the box, you have to process a lot. So there’s some days where I’ll wake up and I’ll play video games and then I’ll go to the field, and I’ll have a good day. Some days I won’t play and don’t see the ball well. I think it really helps me train kind of the decision-making that I have to make six, seven hours later at the baseball field.”
Yes, one of the best hitters in the major leagues, a contact maven who strikes out with the infrequency of Tony Gwynn, swears that he’s as good as he is at a kid’s game because of his aptitude at another kid’s game. After Wilson wakes up, he deploys to his living room and parks in a chair. On the table in front of him sit a PC and a controller. He logs in to Fortnite — the 8-year-old game still played by millions every day — hops on the Battle Bus and systematically disposes of those with the misfortune of sharing a map with him.
“If we play a game with me and him and guys we know and you kill him once, you’re like, ‘That’s a good day,'” A’s infielder Max Muncy said. “You could play 50 rounds. Just once is good.”
Muncy has known of Wilson’s Fortnite exploits since they were teammates at Thousand Oaks (California) High, where Wilson’s father, former Pittsburgh shortstop Jack Wilson, coached. Back then, Jack actually questioned whether the game was interfering with Jacob’s baseball growth — though he understood his son’s reasoning. Over his 12-year big league career, Jack earned a reputation as one of the best pingpong players in the major leagues. It was pure reaction, not unlike hitting, and he complemented his pregame work in the batting cage with the brain training found in a paddle and hollow ball.
He saw the same opportunity in video games for his son — with a caveat.
“I do believe in the hand-eye coordination that video games give — as long as you do your homework,” Jack said. “Kids, if you’re reading, do your homework.”
The Wilsons are not alone in their belief that unconventional methods off the field can lead to success on it. Studies back up the suggestion that video games can be beneficial for brain activity. And considering the recognition being lavished on Jacob Wilson — he is more than a quarter-million votes ahead of Kansas City star Bobby Witt Jr. in All-Star balloting to be the American League’s starting shortstop — the benefits can be pronounced.
Of course, dropping into Anarchy Acres does not a big league hitter make. The story of Wilson’s ascent actually starts in his backyard, where he spent countless hours figuring out how to thrive in a game that simply isn’t built for hitters like him anymore.
Heaven for the Wilson family is a regulation-sized turfed infield with a FungoMan ground ball machine, a fence covered with famous retired numbers and stadium logos, a full dugout on the third-base side — and a grill stationed in center field in case someone gets hungry. The backyard of the family’s home is a testament to form and function, and it’s where Jacob learned how to be — and how not to be — like his father.
“It was a place built for guys who just love the grind of wanting to get better every day,” Jack said.
Jack’s bat was never as adept as his glove, and to last a dozen years in the big leagues, he needed countless reps to keep his fielding at a level that, according to Baseball-Reference, produced the fifth-most defensive wins above replacement this century, behind only Andrelton Simmons, Yadier Molina, Adrian Beltre and Kevin Kiermaier.
“You know that idea about being able to write a letter to your former self on what would you tell yourself now?” Jack said. “I get to do that with Jake. And I said, ‘You know, this is the way I hit. I don’t want you to hit like this.’ Because there were so many things I wish I could have done differently. If I were to build a perfect hitter, what would I do?”
He started with Miguel Cabrera. Wilson always admired how tall he stood in the batter’s box before sinking into his legs. Then it was Mike Trout. The simplicity of his swing has always been a marvel, but in particular Wilson appreciated the speed at which he loads his hands, allowing Trout to be on time even for 100 mph fastballs. The final lesson was Albert Pujols’ bat path, which was so flat and stayed in the zone for so long that it allowed him to sting the ball from foul pole to foul pole while maintaining strikeout numbers that were well below league average.
To hone that Voltron of a swing, a teenage Wilson would grip a custom wood bat with a 1½-inch barrel — an inch less than a standard big league barrel — and face his dad, who stood 45 feet away and ripped 85 mph fastballs and sliders using a tennis ball. If he didn’t catch the ball on the meat of the barrel, it would spin sideways, forcing him to learn to maneuver his bat with special dexterity.
The skinny bat made a regulation-sized model feel twice as big. When he took regular batting practice, Jacob always started by peppering the right side of the field on his first dozen swings. Even though Jacob was bigger than his father — at 6-foot-3, he is a comparatively imposing presence — Jack didn’t want him to fall into the trap of always trying to pull the ball. While that approach works for some hitters, Cabrera, Trout and Pujols embraced and embodied an all-fields approach.
By Wilson’s junior year in high school, the work started to pay off. Wilson didn’t strike out once all season. He didn’t punch out during his COVID-shortened senior season, either, then continued that trend at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, where his sophomore year he whiffed seven times in 275 plate appearances and his junior season had five punchouts in 217 times at the plate. Twice, he received a plaque from the NCAA for being the toughest hitter to strike out in college baseball.
The A’s took Wilson with the sixth pick in the loaded 2023 draft. Last year, he hit .433/.473/.668 with just 15 strikeouts in 226 plate appearances across three minor league levels and, just a year and 10 days after being drafted, he debuted in the big leagues.
In a world of launch angle and exit velocity, Wilson arrived in the majors wanting to be more like Luis Arráez and Nico Hoerner, contact artists nonpareil who value batting average and are allergic to strikeouts.
“I just take strikeouts so personally,” Wilson said. “It’s the one thing in this game that makes me more mad than anything. So I’ll go up there and I’ll swing at a pitch that’s maybe a couple inches off and take a base hit to right. So I think batting average definitely is a stat that should be seen and should matter for most hitters.”
Wilson’s swing is kinetic, with a wide-open stance that closes as he moves his legs and flaps his arms — a little Chicken Dance, a little Cabrera-Trout-Pujols. While he hasn’t always been this twitchy — “I’ve got to keep my muscles moving a little bit,” Wilson said — it works for him. He keeps the knob of the bat in the direction of the ball longer than most hitters, reminding himself to “stay inside the baseball,” a lesson preached ad nauseam by Jack. Aiming to strike the inside of the ball, Jacob said, keeps him from rolling over it. He lives by the old axiom “good hitters get jammed” and doesn’t shy away from flipping a duck snort between the infield and outfield.
The approach has served him well. After starting the year in the No. 9 hole, Wilson has hit first or second every game since May 7. Only Arráez has a lower strikeout rate than Wilson’s 6.8% — and Wilson has nine home runs compared with Arráez’s one. Of all the strikeout-averse hitters in the game, the one with a line most comparable to Wilson’s.347/.388/.487 is Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez, who is primed to play in his seventh All-Star Game this season.
“It’s not even his hits,” said Nick Kurtz, the A’s first baseman and fellow rookie. “I’ve seen multiple times where there’s a sinker up and in that was going to hit him, and he hit it to second base. Sometimes they’re a hit, sometimes they’re not. Every time, though, I’m like, ‘How the hell did he do that?’ Being able to touch it, not break your bat and go the other way with it? I’m at a loss for words.”
On April 5 at 11:13 p.m., Jack Wilson’s phone dinged. He had texted his son to congratulate him on a good team win by the A’s. Jacob didn’t want to hear it. He was mad. He had gone 1-for-4 with a two-run double, but that wasn’t good enough.
“I’m not a .250 hitter,” Jacob texted.
Jack laughed. He batted .265 in his career. It was enough to earn him more than $40 million playing. His son wants to be better — not because he’s greedy but because he’s capable of it.
“That’s a good thought process,” Jack said. “Because when I was a rookie and I got a hit, I was pumped. I always tell him, ‘Man, hitting is freaking hard.’ It’s just not going to be every day where your swing is on point and you match up. It’s just the way it is. So this has been a real learning experience. And it will be for a long time. The more he learns now, the better off he is in the future and hopefully spends a long time as an Athletic.”
The A’s are counting on their star shortstop as a linchpin of their impressive offensive core. Wilson is the fulcrum, Kurtz the powerhouse with a propensity for late-inning heroics. Designated hitter Brent Rooker and outfielder Lawrence Butler are both sluggers locked up to long-term deals. First baseman Tyler Soderstrom and catcher Shea Langeliers provide additional home run thump. Denzel Clarke is going to win multiple Gold Gloves in center field. If they can build a pitching staff to match, the team scheduled to move to Las Vegas for the 2028 season will be among the most exciting in baseball.
And it all starts with the kid who is definitely not a .250 hitter and definitely does take strikeouts personally.
“I mean, I’ve studied his swing,” Muncy said. “There’s things that he does so well that other guys don’t do that leads to that. And I think one of the things is probably just his mentality. He has always thought he could put it in play. I don’t think there’s ever been a guy where he is like, ‘I can’t put it in play.’ When you have that supplemental edge — I can put it in play no matter what — that helps.”
Every edge helps, be it bat-to-ball skills, burgeoning power or the ability to no-scope someone from 300 meters. Wilson has no plans to abandon his Fortnite reps. It’s part of his training now, and even if it doesn’t work for everyone, he sees Victory Royales leading to victories for the A’s.
“Everybody has their own approach and everybody’s here for a reason,” Wilson said. “This is the big leagues. Everybody is the best in the world at what they do.”
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