2026 College Football Transfer Portal Tracker: Key Names to Watch Ahead of the January Window
One portal window, plenty of movement already
The college football coaching carousel has already created major ripple effects, and those changes could set the stage for an unusually hectic transfer portal cycle. This offseason, the transfer portal will not officially open for all players until Jan. 2, and it will close on Jan. 16 after the NCAA approved a single transfer portal window.
Even with the portal not yet open, players have already started declaring their intentions to enter or have had their plans reported. Below is a tracker-style look at several notable players who are set to enter the portal, along with the context and production that make them important names to monitor.
Defensive standout: Utah edge rusher Van Fillinger Daley
Daley announced he is entering the transfer portal after two seasons at Utah, following one season at BYU in 2023. His 2025 production was among the most disruptive in the country: two forced fumbles, 11.5 sacks, a Big 12-high 17.5 tackles for loss and 48 combined tackles.
His decision comes during a significant transition at Utah. Longtime head coach Kyle Whittingham stepped down after 21 full-time seasons and later became the next head coach at Michigan. In response, Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley was promoted to head coach.
Quarterbacks headlining the early list
Quarterbacks often drive portal headlines, and this cycle is no different. Several starters and high-volume passers have either announced their plans or were reported to be entering once the window opens.
James Madison QB Jordan Barnett announced on Dec. 26 that he is entering the portal. Barnett was the program’s primary quarterback for the past two years and has been with the team for four seasons (2022–25). In a season that included a College Football Playoff appearance, he posted 2,806 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 138.3 passer rating while completing 58.4% of his passes. He also added 589 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Iowa State QB Rocco Becht is headed to the portal, according to a report. Becht has been the Cyclones’ primary starting quarterback since 2023. Since that season, he has averaged 3,069.7 passing yards, 21.3 passing touchdowns, 8.7 interceptions and a 141.1 passer rating per year, completing 60.8% of his passes. He also rushed for eight touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. His departure follows head coach Matt Campbell leaving Iowa State for Penn State after 10 seasons.
Missouri QB Beau Pribula is entering the portal after one season under center for the Tigers. He started 10 games in 2025 and missed two due to an ankle injury. Pribula finished with 1,941 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 134.6 passer rating, completing 67.4% of his passes. He also rushed for 297 yards and six touchdowns. Pribula spent the first two seasons of his college career at Penn State (2023–24) as Drew Allar’s backup.
North Texas QB Chandler Mestemaker is expected to enter the portal, according to multiple reports. A redshirt freshman and former walk-on at UNT, Mestemaker led the nation with 4,129 passing yards in 2025, making him one of the most productive quarterbacks in the country. His expected departure aligns with head coach Eric Morris leaving to become Oklahoma State’s head coach.
Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola intends to enter the portal, according to a report. Raiola has stood out in his first two seasons in Lincoln and helped Nebraska become bowl-eligible for the first time in several years. He missed the final month of the 2025 season due to a leg injury and has two years of eligibility remaining.
Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby intends to enter the portal but is also weighing the possibility of the 2026 NFL Draft, according to a report. He guided Cincinnati to a 7–1 start before the Bearcats finished 7–5 and totaled 36 touchdowns in 2025 as a dual-threat quarterback.
Michigan State QB Aidan Chiles told a report he is entering the portal with one season of eligibility left. He was a highly touted 2023 recruit who committed to Oregon State and transferred to Michigan State when Jonathan Smith became head coach in 2024.
Florida QB DJ Lagway intends to enter the portal, according to a report. Lagway was ranked as the third-best overall prospect in the 2024 class (per 247 Sports) and went 6–1 as a starter as a freshman. Florida went 4–8 in 2025, and head coach Billy Napier was fired in October. Lagway threw 14 interceptions, the most by any SEC quarterback.
Notre Dame QB Steve Minchey will enter the portal when it opens in January, according to a report. He backed up CJ Carr in 2025 after finishing second in their quarterback competition. Minchey has two years of eligibility remaining.
Boston College QB Lonergan has announced he will enter the portal. The redshirt sophomore transferred from Alabama last offseason and started for most of Boston College’s 2025 season. He was a four-star recruit in 2023.
Harvard QB Craig intends to enter the portal and is expected to be one of the top FCS players available. He set Harvard records for career passing yards (6,074) and touchdowns (52) and has one season of eligibility remaining.
Gunnar Finley announced he intends to enter the transfer portal for a sixth time and is seeking a seventh year of eligibility. His college path has included LSU, Auburn, Texas State, Western Kentucky and GSU, plus a transfer to Tulane after WKU where he did not play after being suspended before the season. In 2025, he totaled 1,244 passing yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions while going 1–6. He will look to add to career totals of 7,342 yards, 43 touchdowns and 27 interceptions.
Running backs: Texas sees multiple declarations
Texas is expected to have notable turnover at running back, with multiple players indicating they plan to enter the portal.
Jadon Wisner, the Longhorns’ leading rusher in each of the past two seasons, is set to enter the portal when it opens. In nine games as a junior in 2025, he rushed for 597 yards and added 146 receiving yards. In 2024, he rushed for 1,064 yards and five touchdowns on 226 attempts over 15 games, totaling 1,375 yards from scrimmage.
CJ Baxter Jr., the 2023 Big 12 offensive newcomer of the year, is among the Texas backs who have declared their intention to enter. Baxter tore his ACL ahead of the 2024 season and played in just eight games in 2025 due to injury. Before college, he was rated the No. 1 running back recruit in the Class of 2023 (per 247 Sports).
Wisner is the fourth Texas running back mentioned as planning to enter, alongside Jerrick Gibson, Rickey Stewart Jr. and Baxter.
Wide receiver: Michigan State’s Antonio Marsh
Michigan State wide receiver Antonio Marsh is also expected to be a notable name. According to a report via his agent, Marsh plans to enter the portal. A sophomore, he has 100 receptions for 1,311 receiving yards and nine touchdowns across two seasons in East Lansing, and he developed a strong connection with quarterback Aidan Chiles.
Other notable entries and injury notes
Edwards is expected to enter the portal after being limited to four games in 2025 due to injury. He has 14 touchdowns in 28 career games.
What to watch as Jan. 2 approaches
With the portal window set for Jan. 2 through Jan. 16, the next steps will come quickly once entries become official. Coaching changes, injuries and depth-chart competition have already shaped the early list of expected portal players, and several of the names above bring either proven production (including national-leading passing numbers) or remaining eligibility that could make them particularly attractive options during the window.
