2025 ACC Football Transfer Enrollees/Signees/Commitments
(Incoming)

By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
(last updated Dec. 31, 2024)

(NOTE: An updated version of this article can be found HERE.)

Thanks to the NCAA’s creation of the transfer portal in 2018, then the organization’s revolutionary 2021 rule change that allowed first-time transfers to be immediately eligible at their new school, the manner in which college football teams are built and sustained has changed dramatically.

Just on the first day of the 2024-25 transfer cycle, more than 750 players at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level entered the portal. Including walk-ons, the first-day FBS number surpassed 1,000.

Last year, during the 2023-24 cycle, more than 3,800 FBS players entered the portal. That was a new record, up from 3,500-plus in 2022-23. In recent years, more than two-thirds of all portal entries have entered during the early (December) window.

Meanwhile, all across college football, the percentage of players who joined their program as a major college transfer (rather than straight from the high school ranks) has reached unprecedented levels. Accordingly, the percentage of transfers on all-conference squads has never been higher.

In the Atlantic Coast Conference, for example, 13 slots on the 28-player All-ACC first team this season were filled by major college transfers: Miami quarterback Cam Ward (Washington State), SMU running back Brashard Smith (Miami), Louisville wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks (Alabama), Pitt all-purpose back Desmond Reid (Western Carolina), North Carolina guard Willie Lampkin (Coastal Carolina), Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge (Middle Tennessee), Virginia Tech defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Florida), Virginia Tech defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles (Duke), Miami defensive tackle Simeon Barrow Jr. (Michigan State), SMU defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte (Miami), Cal linebacker Teddye Buchanan (UC Davis) and Cal cornerback Nohl Williams (UNLV). Reid also made the first team as a return man.

In football, NCAA rules provide for two transfer windows each year. For the 2024-25 cycle, the early window runs from Dec. 9-28. (The Dec. 28 deadline is simply for portal entry; the timeline for selecting a new school is tied more practically to universities’ spring semesters, which typically begin in mid-January.) The late window, designed to follow spring practice, will run from April 16-25 in 2025. Both windows were shortened from those in the 2023-24 transfer cycle.

Reminder: The incoming transfers below are listed with their class/eligibility for the upcoming (2025) season. Under recently revised NCAA rules, virtually all major college transfers are immediately eligible at their new school.

2025 ACC Transfer Commitments/Signees
(Enrolled/Incoming)

Boston College (8)

Brown DT Michael Bumpus Jr., Gr. (2024 starter; 9 career starts; father played OL at BC; 6-4, 275 pounds)
Merrimack OL Amir Johnson, r-So. (2024 starter; 11 career starts; 6-4, 305 pounds)
Alabama QB Dylan Lonergan, r-So. (2024 backup; 2023 redshirt; 4-star HS prospect)
FAU TE Zeke Moore, Jr. (2-year starter; 18 career catches, 76 yards, 2 TDs)
Elon DT Chuck Nnaeto, Sr. (2-year starter; 18 career starts; 36 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2 sacks; 6-2, 293 pounds)
Valparaiso DE Onye Nwosisi, Sr. (2024 2nd-team All-Pioneer; 14 career starts; 71 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks)
Ball State RB Vaughn Pemberton, r-Sr. (2024 backup; 2 career starts; 119 career carries, 548 yards, 3 TDs; 5-11, 242 pounds)
Campbell WR/KR VJ “Rocket” Wilkins, r-Jr. (2023 HM All-CAA; 2-year starter; 69 career catches, 884 yards, 9 TDs)

California (10)

Mississippi State OT Leon Bell, r-Jr. (2024 backup/dismissed; also Kilgore CC; 6-8, 325 pounds)
Charlotte PK Kyle Cunanan, r-So. (2024 backup; 2023 starter; 14-20 career FGs; also handles kickoffs)
Washington S Tristan Dunn, r-Jr. (2024 backup; 20 career tackles)
Notre Dame DT Tyson Ford, r-So. (2024 medical redshirt; top-100 player in Class of 2022)
Colorado State LB Buom Jock, Jr. (2024 2nd-team All-MWC; 13 career starts; 134 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FF)
FIU CB Hezekiah Masses, Sr. (3-year starter; 28 career starts; 105 career tackles, 14 PD, 2 INTs)
Notre Dame CB Jaden Mickey, r-Jr. (2024 redshirt; 3 career starts; 4-star prospect from Centennial HS near L.A.)
New Mexico LT Lajuan Owens, r-So. (2024 starter; 10 career starts; 6-5, 335 pounds)
Georgia State OG Lamar Robinson, Gr. (2-year starter at GSU/Norfolk State; 24 career starts; 6-4, 303 pounds)
Nevada OG Tyson Ruffins, r-So. (2024 starter; 11 career starts; from Long Beach Poly HS; 6-2, 291 pounds)

Clemson (2)

Purdue DE Will Heldt, Jr. (2024 HM All-Big Ten; 12 career starts; 68 tackles, 11 TFL, 5 sacks; 6-6, 265 pounds)
Southeast Missouri State WR Tristan Smith, Sr. (2024 2nd-team All-Big South/OVC; also Hutchinson CC; 56 catches, 718 yards, 4 TDs in 2024)

Duke (7)

Oklahoma WR Andrel Anthony, r-Sr. (2024 redshirt; 2023 starter; 47 career catches, 761 yards, 5 TDs; also Michigan)
Harvard WR Cooper Barkate, r-Jr. (2024 1st-team All-Ivy; 19 career starts; 113 catches, 1,742 yards, 14 TDs)
App State RB Anderson Castle, Gr. (2024 backup; 3 career starts; 193 carries, 1,036 yards, 8 TDs)
Utah State CB Jaiden Francois, Gr. (2-year starter; 110 career tackles, 8 TFL, 4 PD, 2 INTs, 2 sacks; also Nebraska/UCF)
Dartmouth DT Josiah Green, Gr. (2024/2023 1st-/2nd-team All-Ivy; 120 career tackles, 20 TFL, 4.5 sacks; 6-1, 285 pounds)
Tulane QB Darian Mensah, r-So. (2024 starter; 12 career starts; 189-287 passing for 2,723 yards, 22 TDs, 6 INTs; 60-132 rushing, 1 TD)
Sam Houston State S Caleb Weaver, r-Sr. (2024 1st-team All-CUSA; 167 career tackles, 17 PD, 2 FF, 6 INTs)

Florida State (11)

Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos, Sr. (2-year starter; 20 career starts; 297-507 passing for 3,689 yards, 33 TDs, 19 INTs; 322-1,427 rushing, 15 TDs)
Arizona State TE Markeston Douglas, r-Sr. (2024 backup; 5 career starts; previously played 2020-23 at FSU)
Vanderbilt OT Gunnar Hansen, r-Sr. (3-year starter; 35 career starts; 6-5, 330 pounds)
Western Kentucky DE Deante McCray, r-Jr. (2024 HM All-CUSA; 16 career starts; from Sandalwood HS in Jacksonville)
UCF OG Adrian Medley, r-Sr. (2-year starter; 19 career starts; seventh-year player in 2025; 6-5, 305 pounds)
Wake Forest OC Luke Petitbon, Gr. (2024 HM All-ACC; 2-year starter; 23 career starts; 6-2, 295 pounds)
Ole Miss OT Micah Pettus, Gr. (3-year starter; 29 career starts; 6-7, 350 pounds)
UCF TE Randy Pittman Jr., Jr. (2024 starter; 11 career starts; 51 catches, 631 yards, 3 TDs)
Southern Cal WR Duce Robinson, Jr. (2024 backup; 39 career catches, 747 yards, 7 TDs; also baseball; 6-6, 220 pounds)
Nebraska LB Stefon Thompson, r-Sr. (2024 backup; 21 career starts; also Syracuse)
Nebraska DE James Williams, r-Jr. (2024 backup; also Iowa Western CC)

Georgia Tech (13)

UCF DT Matthew Alexander, r-Sr. (2024 backup; 5 career starts; 60 tackles, 6 TFL, 1 sack; from Buford HS near Atlanta; 6-3, 295 pounds)
California TE JT Byrne, Gr. (2024 backup; also Oregon State; 6-5, 255 pounds)
South Carolina WR Debron Gatling, r-Fr. (2024 redshirt; from Milton HS near Atlanta)
Alabama-Birmingham CB Kelvin Hill, So. (2024 starter; 12 career starts; from Carrollton HS near Atlanta)
Penn RB Malachi Hosley, Jr. (2024 Ivy League Offensive POY; 2x 1st-team All-Ivy; 312 career carries, 1,915 yards, 16 TDs; 5-10, 205 pounds)
Oregon State LB Melvin Jordan IV, r-Jr. (2024 starter/captain; 67 career tackles, 7 TFL, 1 sack; from St. Petersburg, Fla.)
Wake Forest TE Harry Lodge, r-Jr. (2024 starter; 7 career starts; 6-6, 240 pounds)
Mercer DE Brayden Manley, Jr. (2024 2nd-team FCS All-American; SoCon Defensive Player of the Year)
FIU WR/PR Dean Patterson, Gr. (2024 2nd-team All-CUSA; 2-year starter; 98 career catches, 1,406 yards, 8 TDs)
FIU WR Eric Rivers, r-Sr. (2024 3rd-team All-America, 1st-team All-CUSA; 94 career catches, 1,542 yards, 14 TDs)
Tennessee Tech LB/S Cayman Spaulding, Jr. (2024 1st-team All-Big South/OVC; from Miller Grove HS near Atlanta)
Eastern Michigan CB Daiquan White, Jr. (2-year starter; 22 career starts; from Fairburn Creekside HS near Atlanta)
FAU LS Luke Whiting, r-So. (DNP 2024; 2023 redshirt at Idaho State; elite HS snapper from Utah)

Louisville (15)

Rutgers DE Wesley Bailey, r-Sr. (2024 medical redshirt; 2-year starter; 25 career starts; 6-5, 265 pounds)
FAU OG Jordan Church, r-So. (2024 starter; 12 career starts; 6-4, 315 pounds)
Charlotte DE Demon Clowney, r-Sr. (2024 backup; 8 career starts at Ole Miss/Charlotte; 69 career tackles, 13 TFL, 6.5 sacks)
FIU S JoJo Evans, r-Sr. (2024 1st-team All-CUSA; 2-year starter at FIU/Kent State; 200 career tackles, 10 PD, 2 FF, 3 INTs)
SE Missouri State OG Carter Guillaume, r-So. (2024 2nd-team All-Big South/OVC; from St. Xavier HS in Louisville; 6-2, 282 pounds)
FIU OG Naeer Jackson, r-Jr. (2-year starter; 6-7, 319 pounds)
Southern CB Rodney Johnson Jr., r-Sr. (2-year starter; 97 career tackles, 14 TFL, 1 INT; 6-2, 200 pounds)
Abilene Christian DT Jerry Lawson, Jr. (2024 1st-team All-United; 2-year starter; 21 career starts; 6-2, 295 pounds)
Old Dominion DT Denzel Lowry, r-Sr. (2x HM All-Sun Belt; 27 career starts; 136 tackles, 13 TFL, 8.5 sacks, 2 FF)
Coastal Carolina DE Clev Lubin, r-Jr. (2024 1st-team All-Sun Belt; 2023 1st-team NJCAA A-A at Iowa Western CC; 6-3, 245 pounds)
Jacksonville State CB Jabari Mack, Sr. (2-year starter; 49 career tackles, 14 PB, 3 INTs)
Southern Cal QB Miller Moss, r-Sr. (2024 starter; 10 career starts; MVP of 2023 Holiday Bowl vs. Louisville; 299-454 career passing for 3,469 yards, 27 TDs, 10 INTs)
Purdue LT Mahamane Moussa, r-Sr. (3-year starter; 30 career starts; 6-4, 300 pounds)
Mississippi State LT Makylan Pounds, r-Sr. (3-year starter; 25 career starts at Memphis/MSU; 6-5, 310 pounds)
Western Kentucky LB Darius Thomas, r-Jr. (2024 HM All-CUSA; 12 career starts)

Miami (7)

Louisiana Tech DT David Blay, r-Sr. (2024 1st-team All-CUSA; 62 career tackles, 10.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks; 6-4, 303 pounds)
Charlotte LS Adam Booker, r-Jr. (2-year starter; from Middle Creek HS in Apex)
Michigan State CB Charles Brantley, r-Sr. (2024 HM All-Big Ten; 2-year starter; 25 career starts; from Venice HS in Florida)
LSU WR CJ Daniels, r-Sr. (2024 starter; 3-year starter at Liberty/LSU; 148 career catches, 2,439 yards, 21 TDs)
FAU PK Carter Davis, Sr. (3-year kickoff specialist; 4-11 career FG; from Western HS near Miami)
Arizona CB Emmanuel Karnley, r-So. (2024 part-time starter; 6 career starts, 16 tackles; 6-3, 184 pounds)
Jacksonville State S Zechariah Poyser, r-So. (2024 starter; 75 career tackles, 12 PD, 4 INTs)

North Carolina (10)

Delaware DE Melkart Abou-Jaoude, r-Jr., (2024 HM All-CAA; 49 career tackles, 14.5 TFL, 8.5 sacks; 6-5, 260 pounds)
Purdue QB Ryan Browne, r-So. (2024 backup; 2023 redshirt; 2 career starts; Florida Class 8A POY in HS; 6-4, 210 pounds)
South Carolina TE Connor Cox, r-So. (2024 redshirt; 2023 backup; began prep career at Cardinal Gibbons HS in Raleigh)
Washington LB Khmori House, So. (2024 backup; 35 tackles, 4 PBU in 2024; played for Huskies’ DC Steve Belichick)
Michigan State WR Aziah Johnson, r-So. (2024 part-time starter; 16 career catches, 276 yards, 2 TDs)
Holy Cross OC/OG Christo Kelly, Gr. (2024/2023 1st-/3rd-team All-Patriot; 2-year starter; 6-4, 305 pounds)
Rice OG/OT Chad Lindberg, Gr. (2024 starter; 11 career starts; Georgia backup 2020-23; 6-6, 325 pounds)
Alabama LT Miles McVay, r-So. (2024 backup; 2023 redshirt; 6-6, 342 pounds)
East Carolina DT CJ Mims, r-Jr. (2024 backup; 37 career tackles, 6 TFL; 6-0, 302 pounds)
Michigan PK Adam Samaha, r-So. (2024 redshirt; 2023 backup; elite HS prospect; also handles kickoffs)

NC State (5)

Utah State OT Teague Andersen, r-Jr. (2024 HM All-MWC; 2-year starter; 18 career starts; 6-5, 305 pounds)
Purdue OC/OG Jalen Grant, Gr. (2024 backup/redshirt; 3-year starter at Bowling Green/Purdue; 39 career starts; 6-3, 285 pounds)
Elon TE Cody Hardy, Sr. (2024 starter; 17 career starts; 10 career catches, 63 yards, 1 TD)
Norfolk State LB AJ Richardson, Jr. (2024/2023 1st-/2nd-team All-MEAC; 169 career tackles, 20.5 TFL, 5 sacks; from Kings Mountain HS)
North Carolina A&T OC/OG Brock Stukes, Jr. (2024 part-time starter; 6-3, 317 pounds)

Pittsburgh (2)

Florida State WR/KR Deuce Spann, Gr. (2024 backup; KR ace at Illinois/FSU; 15 career catches, 216 yards, 2 TDs)
Charlotte RT Kendall Stanley, r-Jr. (2024 HM All-AAC; 13 career starts; 6-5, 290 pounds)

Southern Methodist (6)

East Carolina LB Zakye Barker, r-Jr. (2024 2nd-team All-AAC; 10 career starts, 106 tackles, 14 TFL, 2 FF, 2 sacks)
Oklahoma OC/OG Joshua Bates, r-So. (2024 backup; 2 career starts; 4-star HS prospect)
Central Florida CB Chasen Johnson, So. (2024 part-time starter; 4 career starts)
Miami RB/KR Chris Johnson Jr., r-So. (#1 KR, backup RB in 2024; 19 career KR for 285 yards, 0 TDs)
Arkansas OC Addison Nichols, r-Jr. (2024 starter; 12 career starts; 6-5, 329 pounds)
Baylor DE Trey Wilson, Jr. (2024 backup; from Lakeview Centennial HS near Dallas; 6-3, 276 pounds)