2025 North Carolina Football Transfer Portal:
Enrollees/Signees/Commitments (Seven In-State FBS Programs)
(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, including 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), Virginia Tech defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Florida), Virginia Tech defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles (Duke), Miami defensive tackle Simeon Barrow Jr. (Michigan State) and SMU defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte (Miami). Reid also made the first team as a return man.
At Appalachian State this season, four of the Mountaineers’ best players were major college transfers: center Jack Hollifield (Virginia Tech), wide receiver Makai Jackson (Saint Francis), running back Ahmani Marshall (Wake Forest) and wide receiver Kaedin Robinson (UCF). Each received 2024 All-Sun Belt Conference accolades.
At Charlotte, four of the 49ers’ best players were major college transfers: cornerback Dontae Balfour (UNC), wide receiver O’Mega Blake (South Carolina), defensive end Demon Clowney (Ole Miss) and kicker Stephen Rusnak (Michigan State). Each received 2024 All-American Athletic Conference accolades.
At East Carolina, five of the Pirates’ best players were major college transfers: offensive tackle Parker Moorer (West Virginia), safety Omar Rogers (Elon), wide receiver Anthony Smith (NC State), wide receiver Chase Sowell (Colorado) and wide receiver Winston Wright Jr. (Florida State). Each received 2024 All-American Athletic Conference accolades.
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 semester, which typically begins 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 North Carolina FBS Transfer Commitments/Signees
(Enrolled/Incoming)
Appalachian State (4)
Arkansas WR Davion Dozier, r-So. (2024 backup; 4-star HS prospect from Moody HS in Alabama)
Arkansas DB Dylan Hasz, Jr. (2024 backup; 3-star HS prospect from Bixby HS in Oklahoma)
Tennessee RB Khalifa Keith, r-So. (2024 redshirt; 2023 backup; 32 career carries, 124 yards, 1 TD)
Arkansas LB Brooks Yurachek, r-So. (2024 backup; 2023 redshirt at Wake Forest)
Charlotte (6)
Elon S Caleb Curtain, Gr. (2024 2nd-team FCS All-America, All-CAA; 171 career tackles, 11.5 TFL, 7 sacks, 23 PD, 7 INTs)
Duke QB Grayson Loftis, r-So. (2024 backup/redshirt; 5 career starts; 91-163 passing for 1,006 yards, 8 TDs, 4 INTs)
Charlotte OG Dallas Shirley, Sr. (2022 2nd-team All-Piedmont; 3-year starter; 6-4, 290 pounds)
NW Mississippi QB Zach Wilcke, r-So. (2024 juco starter; 2023 redshirt, 2022 starter at Southern Miss; 134-216 passing, 1,654 yards, 13 TDs, 6 INTs in 2024)
Bucknell LB Gavin Willis, Jr. (2024 2nd-team All-Patriot; 2-year starter; 198 career tackles, 12.5 TFL, 7 PD, 5 FR, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT)
Western Carolina TE Jake Young, r-Jr. (2024 1st-team All-SoCon; 30 career catches, 325 yards, 2 TDs; from Marvin Ridge HS near Charlotte)
Duke (7)
Oklahoma WR Andrel Anthony, r-Sr. (2024 redshirt; 2023 starter; 47 career catches, 761 yards, 5 TDs; formerly 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 TFLs, 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)
East Carolina (10)
Houston DT Justin Benton, r-So. (2024 backup; 2023 redshirt; 3-star HS prospect from Newton HS in Georgia)
Garden City RB Dejuan Lacy, r-So. (2024 NJCAA HM All-America; 163 carries for 1,119 yards, 14 TDs)
Maryland OG Kyle Long, Gr. (2024 backup; 6 career starts; 6-5, 324 pounds)
Western Carolina CB Jordy Lowery, r-Jr. (2024 FCS All-America; 48 career tackles, 14 PDs, 6 INTs)
Indiana State LS Triston O’Brien, Gr. (2024 starter; also Cincinnati 2020-22)
Oklahoma WR Jaquaize Pettaway, Jr. (2024 backup; 16 career catches for 157 yards, 0 TDs; 4-star, top-100 HS prospect)
Towson DT Rion Roseborough, r-So. (2024 backup; from John Paul II Catholic HS in Greenville; 6-2, 315 pounds)
El Camino OG Leivi Semaia, Jr. (2024 1st-team all-conference; DNP 2022/2023; 6-4, 340 pounds)
Newberry OT Cooper Trnavsky, r-Sr. (2024 All-Piedmont Division/SAC; 2-year starter; 6-5, 295 pounds)
Houston S Teagan Wilk, r-Sr. (2024 backup; 13 career starts, all at ECU; originally played for Pirates from 2020-23)
North Carolina (10)
Delaware DE Melkart Abou-Jaoude, r-Jr., (2024 HM All-CAA; 49 career tackles, 14.5 TFLs, 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 for 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 TFLs; 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 for 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)
Wake Forest (0)
none
^ — not enrolled until after Spring 2025 semester
