Houston football transfer portal tracker: additions, departures

With the NCAA transfer portal now open from Jan. 2-16, Houston football will have many new faces in the coming weeks.

On the other hand, it will also lose several players due to the portal.

Coach Willie Fritz brought in 30 transfers last season, and they helped lead the team to a 10-3 turnaround season.

With the new era of NIL and the transfer portal, Fritz and staff will try to replicate last year’s plan and assemble another team to compete at the top of the Big 12 conference.

Transfer portal additions

Makhi Hughes: Former Tulane and Oregon running back Makhi Hughes announced his commitment to the Cougars on Sunday. The junior running back decided to redshirt this season at Oregon, and he will have two years of eligibility once he is on campus. Most of his production came from his two years with Tulane, where he totaled 2,779 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Shadre Hurst: Tulane junior offensive lineman Shadre Hurst was another priority for Houston, and he also announced his commitment on Sunday. The all-conference pass/run blocker has a 90.5 PFF grade across 36 career starts. Hurst ranked as the No. 6 overall interior offensive lineman in the portal, according to On3 Sports. 

Drew Terrill: Miami (Ohio) junior offensive tackle Drew Terrill is another player that could provide an instant impact for Houston. Terrill started 12 games at right tackle and played over 700 snaps for the Redhawks this season. He also earned second-team All-MAC honors.

Jalen Mayo: Former SFA Lumberjack cornerback Jalen Mayo locked in his commitment with the Cougars on Sunday afternoon. The 6-foot-3 playmaker already had the chance to check out the University of Houston in this year’s season opener, where the Cougars cruised to a 27-0 victory. Mayo was SFA’s top corner, and his size makes him able to match up well with almost any receiver.

Hayden Wright: Wright announced on Jan. 5 that he would be transferring to Houston, after spending one season at Northwestern as a redshirt freshman. He is the third offensive lineman acquired by Fritz and his staff in the transfer portal, further bolstering depth in the position group. He attended Kingwood High School in Kingwood, Texas, roughly 30 miles northeast of TDECU Stadium.

Anthony Boswell: Toledo transfer offensive lineman Anthony Boswell announced his commitment to the University of Houston on Tuesday, Jan. 6. The redshirt sophomore stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 293 pounds, and he is the fourth offensive lineman to join the Cougars this offseason. Boswell made a name for himself in 2025 as he was named a freshman All-American and first-team ALL-MAC. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Javion White: Late on Tuesday night, the Cougars signed former Tulane defensive back Javion White. The all-conference transfer finished the 2025 season with 50 tackles and three interceptions. White is the seventh commit for Houston this offseason, and he is the second defensive player signed so far.

Trent Walker: On Jan. 7, Walker committed to Houston, after having previously spending five seasons with Oregon State. In his last two seasons, Walker totaled 149 receptions for 1,724 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

De’Marion Thomas: Shortly after Walker announced his commitment to Houston, Thomas also made it official that he was joining the Cougars for the upcoming season. The big 6-foot-2, 340-pound junior defensive lineman will have an immediate impact in the trenches. Before joining Houston, he spent two seasons at Vanderbilt and one year at Oklahoma State, where he totaled 54 tackles and one sack in his career.

Patrick Overmyer: That same day, Overmyer, a tight end transfer from UTSA, announced his commitment to play for the Cougars. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound sophomore recorded 58 receptions for 627 yards and eight touchdowns in his three years with the Roadrunners.

Ejiroghene Egodogbare: Egodogbare entered the transfer portal on Dec. 19, and capped off Jan. 7 as the fourth and final signee of the day for Houston. He previously spent his first four seasons with Yale, earning All-Ivy First Team honors in 2024 before missing all of 2025 with injury. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive lineman will have one year of eligibility remaining.

Tyson Turner: Turner, a former freshman Texas Tech wide receiver, announced his commitment to the University of Houston on Jan. 10, which adds depth to the Cougars’ receiving core. He is a former 3-star prospect from Bryan, Texas, and Fritz and staff were able to keep the young pass catcher close to home.

Jaden Yates: Yates continued Houston’s momentum on Jan. 10 when he announced his commitment in the afternoon. He is a junior, and a former linebacker for the Ole Miss Rebels. This season, he totaled 50 tackles and was limited in snaps with other players surpassing him in the depth chart. However, Yates was a standout player at Marshall, where he had 115 tackles in 2024.

Luke Carney: Houston landed a commitment on Jan. 12 from Carney, a freshman quarterback from Syracuse, who will provide competition for both junior quarterback Conner Weigman and incoming freshman quarterback Keisean Henderson. He ranks as a 3-star transfer, and the young quarterback appeared in four games for Syracuse this season.

Evan Noel: Noel also committed to the Cougars on Jan. 12. He is a freshman kicker from the University of Florida, and he ranked as the No. 1 kicker in the 2025 class.

Miller Malone: To round out Jan. 12, Malone announced his pledge to the University of Houston. Malone is a sophomore linebacker from Western Kentucky University where he totaled 37 tackles this season. His father, Micah Malone, played at Houston from 1996-99.

Muizz Tounkara: Houston signed Tounkara on Jan. 15 after he had spent his true freshman season at Florida. The 6-foot-3 wide receiver caught two passes for 12 yards in 2025. He is from the Houston area, having played at Clear Springs High School, where recorded 455 yards with five touchdowns as a senior on 30 receptions.

Ashton Porter: On Jan. 15 the Cougars welcomed edge rusher Porter from Oregon, where he totaled 20 tackles and a sack in 2025. The Cypress, Texas native played at Cy Ranch High School and has two years of eligibility remaining.

Jack Carson-Wentz: On Jan. 22, Carson-Wentz announced his commitment to Houston on social media. He previously spent time at Florida A&M and Michigan State. Carson-Wentz went 100% on long and short snaps, and has played 20 career games.

Departures 

Phillips Ojo: Freshman defensive lineman Phillips Ojo was a former walk-on, and he did not see the field in his one season as a Cougar.

Cayden Bowie: Freshman offensive lineman Cayden Bowie committed to the University of Houston out of Port Arthur Memorial High School. He appeared in a total of 10 games in his three years with the Cougars.

J’Marion Burnette: Sophomore running back J’Marion Burnette tallied 28 carries for 82 yards in the 2025 season for Houston.

Corey Platt Jr.: Sophomore linebacker Corey Platt Jr. was a surprise name that hit the portal as he totaled 41 total tackles, three sacks and a fumble in 2025. 

Derek Joiner: Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Derek Joiner had flipped his commitment from Tulane to Houston in 2023. He saw the field in two games in 2024, and 11 games in 2025 as a Cougar.

Zeon Chriss-Gremillion: Junior quarterback Zeon Chriss-Gremillion had his shot with Houston in 2024 and won several games for the Cougars. This season, junior quarterback Conner Weigman was announced as the starter, leaving very little playing time for Chriss-Gremillion. The quarterback totaled 3,255 yards and 27 touchdowns across his four years at Louisiana and Houston.

Austin Carlisle: Freshman quarterback Austin Carlisle was an exciting recruit as he showcased his speed and agility in his limited snaps this season. The first-year quarterback showed versatility, playing at wide receiver sparingly throughout the season.

Zavian Tibbs: Junior defensive lineman Zavian Tibbs spent three seasons at the University of Houston and totaled 11 tackles.

Joshua Donald: Junior defensive lineman Joshua Donald committed to Houston in January of 2025. He did not play in his lone year with the Cougars, and entered his name into the portal.

Jesus Machado: Midseason, it was announced that senior linebacker Jesus Machado would no longer be with the team, for undisclosed reasons. He recorded seven tackles across four games this season.

Demetrius Hunter: Junior offensive lineman Demetrius Hunter was Houston’s starting center this year and played three seasons for the Cougars. He officially entered the transfer portal on Jan. 2.

Devan Williams: Junior wide receiver Devan Williams totaled 40 catches for 526 yards in first two seasons across Tulane and Houston, however he saw limited action in 2025 as a result of nagging injuries.

Marquis Shoulders Jr.: Junior wide receiver Marquis Shoulders Jr. transferred to Houston for the 2024 season and caught five passes for 43 yards. He saw limited action in 2025, only appearing in three games.

Reshad Sterling: Freshman defensive lineman Reshad Sterling totaled three tackles for Houston in the 2025 season.

David Ndukwe: Senior offensive lineman David Ndukwe was a key recruit from Western Kentucky in last year’s portal cycle. This year, he played several games for Houston before suffering a season-ending injury.

Zion Taylor: Freshman linebacker Zion Taylor decided to part ways with Houston and enter the portal. He did not see the field in 2025.

Cavan Tuley: Junior JACK who spent four seasons with Houston, Tuley played a career-high 11 games in 2024, appearing in 18 games total in his time with the Cougars. He did not see the field in 2025.