College football’s transfer portal officially opens on Wednesday for the second and final time of the 2024-25 academic year. It will be the last chance for players who wish to play elsewhere in the 2025 season to enter their names and be recruited. The spring portal window lasts 10 days and closes on April 25.
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There was a low, steady hum of activity in the weeks leading up to this one, as players from Stanford and Kent State utilized their immediate 30-day windows to move after their respective head coaches were fired. Graduate transfers, who are eligible to enter their names at any time until May 1, have been jumping in the portal, too.
But what many personnel directors across the country figured would be a relatively tame spring portal window has quickly become intriguing, thanks to the Nico Iamaleava drama and some big-time running backs entering the market, headlined by Cal’s Jaydn Ott, who landed at Oklahoma on Tuesday. And there are other lingering issues, like roster limits, the pending House settlement and spring football, which many teams are wrapping up this week. (If you need a refresher on how the portal works, we have you covered.) In the portal world, expect the unexpected.
As the spring window gets rolling, here are some key names to know of players who are already in the portal or have declared their intent to enter.
Big names
QB Nico Iamaleava (2024 school: Tennessee)
The Iamaleava saga consumed the college football news cycle over the weekend after Tennessee parted ways with the starting quarterback from its 10-3 College Football Playoff team. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Iamaleava, who was due to make $2.2 million, sought closer to $4 million from Tennessee, but the school rebuffed him, and now he’s headed to the portal.
What is his value on the open market? It seems unlikely he’ll get close to his asking price, as most schools have committed to their 2025 starting quarterback and allocated the money accordingly. UCLA has been most often linked to Iamaleava, and On3 reported that initial interest from North Carolina and Tulane has quickly fizzled. There may not be many Power 4 buyers, but Iamaleava’s still a talent. He’ll be a redshirt sophomore this fall and has three years of eligibility remaining.
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RB Jaydn Ott (2024 school: Cal; signed with Oklahoma)
The Pac-12’s leading rusher in 2023 battled a lingering ankle injury last year, so his numbers weren’t as eye-popping, but when healthy, Ott is one of the best backs in the country. He indicated in December that he wasn’t leaving, but that stance changed when he entered the portal on Monday night as a graduate transfer. Oklahoma was linked to Ott as soon as he hit the portal, and it’s no secret that new Oklahoma general manager Jim Nagy was a fan. In Nagy’s previous job as executive director of the Senior Bowl, he raved about Ott’s skill set.
Cal’s Jaydn Ott is 2025 draft’s “if you give him a crease” runner.
Explosive smooth-strider is a true 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧. 💨💨💨@THEJAYDNOTT had 131 yards in 1Q vs. USC!
Got a couple old-school comps locked & loaded for Ott this fall.#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️ pic.twitter.com/b42P3Yii9O
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_Sooners) July 6, 2024
Love Jaydn Ott stayed at Cal and continued low-key tradition of NFL backs like Marshawn Lynch, Jahvid Best, Shane Vereen, J.J. Arrington, & Justin Forsett.
It’s just so damn pretty when @THEJAYDNOTT opens that stride. 👀
𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮, 𝘼𝘾𝘾!#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️ pic.twitter.com/BWtbLgHclW
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_Sooners) July 6, 2024
Ott, who has one year of eligibility left, should provide a boost to the Oklahoma offense alongside Washington State transfer quarterback John Mateer.
As Ott officially departs Berkeley, one more time for the #Calgorithm:
In demand
OT Joe Cotton (2024: South Dakota) — Cotton was a second-team All-Missouri Valley selection last year and started all 27 South Dakota games the last two seasons, logging 1,489 snaps. In 2024, he allowed only one sack in 352 pass blocking snaps. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound Cotton has two years of eligibility and is getting plenty of Power 4 attention.
TE Jack Endries (2024: Cal) — Tight ends are typically at a premium in the portal, and Endries is as productive as they come. He led the Bears with 56 catches for 623 yards last season and has 91 receptions over the last two seasons. Endries is listed at 6-4, 240 pounds and will have two years of eligibility left.
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OT Bryce George (2024: Ferris State) — Lower-division players are a popular option at this time of year, and George, a Division II All-American and two-time first-team all-conference selection listed at 6-5 and 314 pounds, has emerged as a Power 4 target. George has visits lined up to Cal, Iowa and USC, according to On3.
QB Gio Lopez (2024: South Alabama) — North Carolina has been linked to Lopez, who had a solid first season as a starter in 2024, throwing for 2,559 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions and completing 66 percent of his passes. He also ran for 463 yards and seven touchdowns and was second in the Sun Belt in total offense, behind former Appalachian State QB Joey Aguilar. Could he bring clarity to an unsettled quarterback situation in Chapel Hill? He has three years of eligibility.
RB Josh McCray (2024: Illinois) — McCray, Illinois’ leading rusher in 2024 and the MVP of the Citrus Bowl, is expected to hit the portal on Wednesday. He’s a big back (6-1, 235) and was the first recruit Bret Bielema landed after taking the Illinois job. And although he’s known for his rushing ability, he has impressive hands, too.
THIS CATCH THOUGH 😳@IlliniFootball pic.twitter.com/UsckRP9If2
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 21, 2024
WR Trebor Pena (2024: Syracuse) — The All-ACC receiver led the conference with 84 catches last season, had a team-high nine touchdown catches and was second on the team with 941 receiving yards. After Syracuse’s spring game, coach Fran Brown said Pena had been “dominating” throughout spring football. As teams look for receivers, Pena will be one of the top options available and has one year of eligibility left.
Keep an eye on
Edge TJ Bush (2024: Liberty) — Bush was a second-team All-Conference USA pick last year, leading the Flames with 5.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss and finishing second on the team with 58 tackles. The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Bush was a freshman All-American in 2023 and has two years of eligibility left. Edge rushers are always scarce in the portal, so he should have no shortage of Power 4 suitors.
❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/FTKtvxZ0wH
— 𝐓𝐁𝟑🧬 (@TheTJBUSH) April 14, 2025
CB Julian Neal (2024: Stanford) — Troy Taylor’s firing in March opened a 30-day portal window for the Cardinal and Neal, who transferred to Stanford in the winter window from Fresno State but re-entered the portal after the coaching change. In 2024 at Fresno State, Neal recorded 35 tackles, six pass breakups, five tackles for loss and two interceptions. Syracuse and Virginia have hosted Neal for visits. The graduate transfer has one year of eligibility left.
Edge Kobe Stewart (2024: Buffalo) — The 6-3, 240-pound Stewart led the MAC with 9.5 sacks last season and had 30 quarterback pressures, according to PFF. He started all 13 games and took 673 snaps after carrying a much lighter playing load the previous three years at Samford. He has one year of eligibility left and figures to get Power 4 interest.
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OT Makilan Thomas (2024: Arkansas State) — Offensive tackle-needy teams will likely take a look at Thomas, who was a three-year starter for the Red Wolves and has one year left. He was an All-Sun Belt pick in 2023 and logged 2,395 snaps in four seasons.
LB Eddie Walls (2024: FIU) — Walls (6-4, 247) joined FIU in 2024 after three seasons at Bethune-Cookman and produced right away. He led the team with five sacks and posted the highest pass rushing grade in Conference USA last season, according to PFF. He has one year of eligibility.
Key players committed
WR Cam Abshire, Oklahoma State (2024: Emory & Henry) — Abshire was a Division II All-American, leading the 9-2 Wasps with 51 catches for 1,057 yards and 13 touchdowns in the 2024 season. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound receiver caught 89 passes for more than 1,700 yards in two seasons and should help an Oklahoma State receiving corps that lost a lot of production this offseason.
Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech (2024: Stanford) — Bailey, who has NFL Draft potential, was one of Stanford’s most coveted portal entries. Texas Tech quickly mobilized and beat out multiple Power 4 suitors for Bailey’s services with a seven-figure payday. The Red Raiders’ portal haul is one of the best in the country. Bailey has one year of eligibility left and already enrolled at Texas Tech, where he’s participating in spring practices.
WR Sincere Brown, Colorado (2024: Campbell) — The Buffaloes lost a lot of receiver production, and Brown should help replenish that. The former USF receiver led the Fighting Camels in receptions (61), receiving yards (1,028) and touchdown catches (12). He has one year of eligibility left.
OL Xavier Hill, Colorado (2024: Memphis) — The 6-4, 318-pound Hill has been a mainstay on the Tigers’ offensive line the last two years as a full-time starter, logging 900-plus snaps each of the last two seasons. He has versatility, splitting time between left tackle, right tackle and left guard. His pass blocking grade (86.4) was fourth-best in the American last season.
OL Jake Maikkula, Oklahoma (2024: Stanford) — Offensive linemen are at a premium, especially in the spring, so adding an experienced one is key. The Sooners landed a commitment from Maikkula, who started 11 games last season at Stanford, on Tuesday night. He has more than 1,100 snaps to his name, according to PFF, with 764 of them coming last season while playing left guard and center.
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WR Emmett Mosley V, Texas (2024: Stanford) — The Longhorns don’t heavily utilize the portal because they’ve recruited at a high level and have done a good job of retention. But Texas coach Steve Sarkisian will bring in impact transfers at need positions, and receiver is one of those after Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden and Silas Bolden moved on. Mosley was Stanford’s second-leading receiver as a true freshman with 48 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns. He has good speed and versatility (and three years of eligibility left) and should fit well in Sarkisian’s downfield passing game.
OT Markell Samuel, Oklahoma State (2024: Appalachian State) — After playing sparingly his first three seasons, Samuel saw a lot of snaps the last two years for the Mountaineers. A sixth-year senior with one year of eligibility, he has played 1,379 snaps the last two years, including 820 last season.
(Photo: Michael Hickey / Getty Images)
This news was originally published on this post .
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