The transfer portal has become a hot topic across the realm of college football and that has been no different at West Virginia.
Several players have inserted their names into the portal, which is a database that allows other schools to contact them regarding a transfer, and WVSports.com will track it. It's important to note that because a player is listed in the portal does not mean that they have to transfer out of the program, just that schools can contact them.
Here is a list of the Mountaineers that are currently in the portal exploring the possibility to transfer as well as who has transferred into the program and what it could mean to the current West Virginia football team.
For the purpose of this we will focus mainly on scholarship football players.
TRANSFERRED TO WEST VIRGINIA:
Games: 10
Crandall spent only one season at Colorado State where he recorded 19 tackles and an interception. The Washington native entered into the transfer portal and collected a long list of offers before narrowing down his list to West Virginia and UCLA. Took an official visit to both programs before announcing his commitment to the Mountaineers. The Washington native will step into a major role from the jump at cornerback and will have three full seasons of eligibility remaining in his career.
Games: 41
French had a monster career at the FCS level where he compiled 239 tackles, 34.5 sacks and 61 tackles for loss to go along with an interception. He recorded at least 8.5 sacks in three of his four seasons on the field. The Georgia native has one year left and should step into an immediate role as an edge rusher for the Mountaineers. A multi-time FCS all-American that brings experience and production to the program.
Games: 25
Bray spent three seasons in Stillwater and was in the rotation as a true freshman with 13 catches for 250 yards and a pair of touchdowns before seeing action in just three games in 2022 resulting in a redshirt. This past season Bray had his most productive year with 30 catches for 382 yards and 2 touchdowns. A big wide receiver that has shown big play ability down the field, Bray has two years of eligibility remaining in his career in Morgantown. He is a native of Norman, Oklahoma. He should step into a role immediately with the Mountaineers at wide receiver.
Games: 36
Jackson spent three years with the Trojans where he recorded 94 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. A first-team all-Sun Belt selection in 2022, Jackson recorded 8 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. A versatile defensive lineman that can play all three downs and West Virginia offered just hours after entering the portal and was able to get him to campus first for an official visit. Selected the Mountaineers over offers from Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Houston, among others. The Alabama native has one year left in his career and will step into an immediate role on the defensive line.
Games: 26
Hollis spent four seasons at Northwestern but made his biggest impact in his final season with the program. He started all 13 games during the 2023 season and turned that into a productive year with 49 tackles, 3 passes defended and an interception at the cornerback position. A big-bodied cornerback option, Hollis has experience at the power four level with over 1,000 snaps under his belt and will have one season of eligibility remaining in his career after the Tennessee native committed to the Mountaineers.
Games: 11
Bausley started 11 games this past season at right tackle for Jacksonville State where he earned all-freshmen Conference USA honors. An in-state native that played his high school football at South Charleston, Bausley received a number of scholarship offers upon entering the transfer portal including Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Arizona State, UCF and California outside of West Virginia. Took official visits to West Virginia, Kentucky and Pittsburgh before committing to the Mountaineers. Bausley will have three years left in his career.
Games: 22
Garnes had 51 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions and a sack this past year for the Dukes and has two years of eligibility left in his career. He is a native of Philadelphia and the Mountaineers got a look at him in person this past year where he recorded 4 tackles and did not allow a completion in his coverage. The FCS transfer an official Dec. 8 to Morgantown after previously visiting Cincinnati and committed to the Mountaineers giving them a versatile piece in the secondary.
Games: 25
Joseph spent four seasons at Northwestern but had his most productive in his final year playing 357 snaps and being productive in the process with 24 tackles and 3 interceptions on the season. A native of Miami, West Virginia offered Joseph just a few days after entering the transfer portal and he would commit to the program not that long after. The versatile defensive back could see time at various spots in the secondary but spent the majority of this past year at free safety. He has two seasons of eligibility left in his career and will step in to contribute immediately.
Games: 12
Fagan spent one season at Charlotte where he started nine games and recorded 21 tackles, 5 passes defended and an interception across 623 defensive snaps. The Oklahoma native spent one season at the junior college level prior to that and three more at Central Oklahoma. Fagan allowed just 18 of 33 passes thrown in his direction to be completed for 397 yards and a 2 touchdowns in 2023. The transfer entered the portal in late April and took a quick official visit to West Virginia where he would commit to the Big 12 Conference program at the end of the trip. Fagan has one year left.
Games: 13
Tarnue spent only one season with the Gamecocks but was highly productive recording 53 tackles and 3 interceptions to go along with 7 passes defended. The Liberia native played 628 snaps and graded out strong in coverage permitting just 26 of 45 passes to be completed for 263 yards and zero touchdowns. Prior to that Tarnue spent two seasons at Rochester Community and Technical College in Minnesota where he recorded 11 interceptions to go along with four interceptions for touchdowns. Tarnue is slated to play cat safety for the Mountaineers and will have one season left.
Games: 31
Robinson started his career at Georgia where he spent two seasons before transferring to Mississippi State. During his two seasons with the Bulldogs, Robinson hauled in 51 passes for 583 yards and 3 touchdowns as a big outside pass catcher. The Georgia native is a talented prospect that was highly recruited out of high school and fills a need for the Mountaineers on the outside as an option with experience. One year left.
Games: 21
Carrico spent three seasons at Ohio State where he was primarily used on special teams and as a reserve linebacker recording five tackles. The Ironton native will have two years of eligibility remaining and a was a four-star prospect out of high school. Will have the opportunity to compete for a much larger role in Morgantown.
Games: 0
Burton spent one season at BYU where he did not see the field but as a high school senior tossed for 21 touchdowns and 1,972 yards. The Utah native entered the transfer portal April 30 and will have all four years of eligibility remaining in his career.
IN TRANSFER PORTAL:
Games: 28
Johnson spent three seasons with the West Virginia football program where he served as primarily a backup although he did have opportunities to make his mark. Over his three seasons, Johnson rushed for 670 yards and 4 touchdowns, while hauling in 12 passes for 59 yards and a score. He will have one year left at his next stop.
Games: 42
Malashevich came to West Virginia as a walk-on and earned a scholarship in 2021. The Spring Valley product caught one pass for 30-yards during his career but was primarily used on a variety of special teams. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.
Games: 0
Boyle redshirted during his first season with West Virginia and then left the program after the following spring. The North Carolina native will have all four years left.
Games: 2
Katarincic spent two seasons with West Virginia where he appeared in only two games during his redshirt freshman campaign. The Pittsburgh prospect then elected to leave the Mountaineers football program in the winter and will add his name to the transfer portal once the underclassman window opens in April. He will have three seasons of eligibility remaining and could play multiple positions up front.
HAS TRANSFERRED ELSEWHERE:
Games: 13
Durojaiye only played one season at Kentucky but was a key target for West Virginia the year prior on the recruiting trail. Once he entered into the transfer portal, he became a top target for the program and the Mountaineers were able to get him to campus on an official visit. Durojaiye is a true defensive end that played only 22 snaps in his lone year in Lexington but made an impact in his only year in Morgantown with 23 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks but elected to enter the transfer portal yet again and eventually committed to Florida State with three years left.
Games: 24
Lockhart spent two seasons with the West Virginia football program after transferring in from Georgia Tech. Over those two years he piled up 34 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He saw his role increase drastically in his second year where he played 409 snaps while recording 21 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. The nose guard will have one year of eligibility remaining after he committed to SMU.
Games: 1
Miller spent one season at West Virginia and was limited to just one game after being injured in the season opener against Penn State. He was granted a medical redshirt and able to return for the 2024 season but only stuck with the program through spring ball before electing to enter the transfer portal with one year remaining. After taking several official visits, Miller committed to Mississippi State.
Games: 50
Bartlett started 24 games during his five years with the West Virginia football program. The Miami native recorded 134 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 14 sacks serving as a key cog in the Mountaineers defense on the edge. This past season Bartlett recorded 49 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks while starting every game. Left the program in good faith and will have one season left in his career after committing to Cincinnati.
Games: 23
McLaurin spent two years with the West Virginia football program where he played a key role on defense at different times during that span. He finished with 89 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks playing both safety and spear during his time with the Mountaineers. Will have one year left in his career after committing to Houston.
Games: 3
Heard only saw action in three game during his true freshman season but the expectation was that his best football would be ahead of him in Morgantown. But he entered the transfer portal at the end of the year and will have four years at his next stop in his career. The pass rusher committed to Syracuse.
Games: 11
Horton transferred into West Virginia last off-season and recorded 10 catches for 201 yards and a score across 165 snaps. The speedster started his career at Marshall but elected to reenter the transfer portal at the end of spring ball with one year left and committed to FAU.
Games: 25
Wilson-Lamp spent three years with the program where he appeared in a total of 25 games mostly as a reserve cornerback and on special teams. Wilson-Lamp recorded 14 tackles and 3 passes defended and got a crack at starting the 2023 season with the first team defense before moving to the bench. Will have two years left after he committed to East Carolina.
Games: 15
Aaron was brought to West Virginia to provide some veteran leadership but saw action in only 15 games during his time in Morgantown and turned that into 13 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown. Left after playing in four games this past season and committed to North Texas for his two final years of eligibility.
Games: 15
Braham was another veteran presence on the roster that West Virginia brought in from the junior college ranks to help round out a young wide receiver room. But it never clicked in Morgantown and he elected to enter the transfer portal just four games into this past season. He finished his career over his two years with 17 grabs for 164 yards. Committed to Nevada for his final season.
Games: 1
Poke was recruited to bring speed to the return game for West Virginia but only managed to see the field in one game. Entered the transfer portal after the season and will have one year of eligibility left in his career at his next stop San Diego State.
Games: 14
Mallinger came into the program as a speedy athlete and started on the defensive side of the ball although he was never really able to find his footing. He finished with 28 tackles and a pair of sacks before moving to offense at wide receiver. Decided to leave the program after not seeing the field in 2023 and committed to Nevada
Games: 25
Dixon spent three years with West Virginia where he racked up 72 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss during that time bouncing back and forth between linebacker and spear. Dixon came to Morgantown from Penn State but never was able to find his footing as an impact player before being off the team after the Houston game. Has one year remaining after committing to Toledo.
Games: 12
Austin-Cave arrived at West Virginia as a transfer from Miami but never was able to make a major dent in the depth chart appearing in just 12 games over two seasons. Injuries were a reason in the second year, but he wrapped up his career in Morgantown with just 4 total tackles and half a tackle for loss. The New Jersey native will have two years of eligibility left in his career and committed to New Mexico.
Games: 2
Cobb transferred into West Virginia after a productive stint at Buffalo but struggled during his appearances on the field and then was lost for the season due to injury. Elected to enter the transfer portal and will have one season left after committing to Nevada.
Games: 3
Dudley spent three seasons with West Virginia where he saw the field in limited action during that time with just a total of 21 snaps during the three games he played. He recorded three total tackles and now has two years left after committing to Mercer.
Games: 4
Stokes came in the 2022 class but was limited to essentially reserve duties over his limited time on the field with the program. Entered the transfer portal with three years remaining after recording just 3 tackles and 0.5 tackle for loss. Committed to Findlay.
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