Minnesotans Entering the Transfer Portal 2024

The NCAA's 20-day winter transfer portal window closed last weekend, and in unsurprising fashion, it was chaotic. According to<a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/college-football/news/college-football-2025-transfer-portal-tracker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> NBC Sports</a>, the number of players in the portal across all levels of college football has surpassed 11,000, making up more than 50% of all transfers across college athletics in 2024. In this most recent window, according to The Athletic's Sam Khan Jr., more than 3,000 D1 scholarship players entered the portal this winter window, which includes undergrads and grad transfers, as well as players who were at a school where the coach left. Here's where things get interesting (data still from The Athletic), of the 1,940 FBS players who entered the portal, only 775 were signed by the time the portal closed. Of the 1,135 FCS players transferring, only 213 have signed so far. Just wanted to put those numbers out there without any further context. Of course, of these transfers, more than a few were from Minnesota, and PrepRedzoneMN is here to give you a quick rundown of some of the biggest Minnesota-born-and-bred names hitting the portal. Obviously, not all of these dudes are D1 transfers, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve attention. Dig in!   --   Biggest Moves & Best Narratives   Ismael Kante (Park Center) LB. 6'2, 225 lbs. Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Iowa Central Community College (JUCO) to the University of Illinois (P4)   Previous Transfers: Northern State University (DII) to Iowa Central Community College (JUCO)   Notes: Three-year starter at Park Center who totaled 157 career tackles, 13 TFLs, 10 PBUs, and two INTs. Was named All-District, All-Area. Signed with NSU out of high school. Redshirted in 2022 and appeared in 11 games in 2024, notching 16 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, two sacks, and two hurries. Transferred to junior college Iowa Central and had a spectacular sophomore season. Named the #1 JUCO LB by 247Sports and the #21 overall JUCO player. Earned offers from Utah State, UMass, Northern Iowa, Temple, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Eastern Michigan, Illinois, Kansas State, and Cal-Berkeley. Committed to Illinois on December 1st!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/IsmaelKante5/status/1863283260509352364 </div></figure>   Trent Jones II (Eden Prairie) DL. 6'3, 285 lbs. One Year of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Iowa State (P4) to UConn (FBS)   Notes: A former walk-on at Iowa State coming out of Eden Prairie, Jones II had a very nice career in Ames. After redshirting in 2021, he played five games in 2022 as a RS frosh and recorded his first career tackle against Oklahoma. Then, in 2023 as a RS soph, Jones II was placed on scholarship before the season began. He then posted 19 tackles, four QB hurries, three sacks, and a forced fumble. In 2024 he played in six games and finished with six tackles and a TFL. At Eden Prairie, Jones II posted 40 tackles 4 TFLs, a sack, and a fumble recovery as a senior. In his junior season, he totaled 40 tackles, a FF, and a pick-six.   Mason Wilson (Stillwater) DL. 6'4, 260 lbs. Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Minnesota-Duluth (DII) to North Dakota State (FCS)   Notes: Personally, this is my favorite Minnesota-related portal story of 2024. Wilson, an undisputed stud since his prep days, used his DII success to bump up a level of competition and committed to one of the nation's top programs, regardless of competition level. A now-6'4, 260 lb. DE, Wilson was a 3-year starter at Stilly who was named team MVP, captain, All-Conference (twice), First Team All-State, and Suburban East Conference Defensive MVP as a prep. It's easy to toot our own horn retroactively, but Wilson was also an awesome PrepRedzoneMN Showcase veteran and MVP, and we remember thinking at the time that Wilson didn't go FCS out of high school. UMD got a monster either way, and in his college career, which was spent over 2023 and 2024 after redshirting in 2022, Wilson posted 28 total tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 6 sacks, and a fumble recovery. Wilson hit the portal in mid-November, earned offers from Long Island, Montana, Mercer, and eventually NDSU, where he committed to six days ago. Can't wait to watch this kid in Fargo.   Maxwell Woods (Chanhassen) RB. 5'10, 185 lbs. - Four Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: South Dakota State   Notes: College football coaching can be a carousel, and after a more than stellar freshman season with the 2x national champion Jackrabbits, Minnesota's Mr. Football, AP POY, and 2023 5A state champion Woods is in the portal due to reasons outside of his control. Jacks' former head coach Jimmy Rogers is moving on to Washington State, taking a host of Jackrabbit talent and creating a bit of chaos in the FCS heavyweight's program. Looks like Woods has decided to hit the portal, and after posting 29 rushes for 176 yards and a TD in his redshirt season, I'd expect him to grab some attention.   Bryce Hawthorne (Osseo) DL. 6'3, 285 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: South Dakota State   Notes: Another excellent Minnesotan on one of the FCS' best rosters in 2024. With the upheaval of the Jackrabbits program, Hawthorne has chosen to hit the portal, and with the success he found at SDSU, I'd expect him to find a new home easier than most. Hawthorne was an All-Conference pick in 2022 as a senior with Osseo and also scored five TDs on offense as a TE/HB. He redshirted in 2023 but still posted five tackles and a TFL, and in 2024 he added 22 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, and an impressive 4.5 sacks throughout the 2024 season. That sack number, as well as the three years left of eligibility, should strengthen Hawthorne's resume in the portal.   Isaac Folland (Kittson County Central) OG. 6'3, 330 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: North Dakota to Mayville State (NAIA)   Notes: Love this portal story because it's a massive pickup for Mayville State, and I love that staff. The FCS transfer was a big name in what has been a sneaky good recent lineage of Kittson County Central prospects - a 9man program - to head to Grand Forks to find glory. Folland was a decorated prep with two-way experience who was a 3x All-District and All-Conference selection who led the way for 3,578 rushing yards and 676 passing yards in 2022 as a senior. He also posted an impressive 201 tackles, 32 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, and one FF/recovery throughout his defensive career. Also made 59 PATs for the Bearcats! Folland reported an FBS offer, two FCS offers, 12 D2 offers, and 16 D3 offers after entering the portal, but chose to head 45 minutes south to Mayville to play for the NAIA Comets and Head Coach Rocky Larson. Can't wait to watch this kid in the Frontier Conference.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/isaac_folland/status/1873888054110544249 </div></figure>   Chase Carter (SMB) DL. 6'5, 255 lbs. Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Incarnate Word (FCS) to Memphis (FBS)   Previous Transfers: Michigan State to Incarnate Word   Notes: A big-time prep prospect who was rated as a 4-star by ON3, Carter is another former PrepRedzoneMN Showcase standout on the hunt in the portal, and he won out. Carter, a Michigan State signee out of the 2022 class, redshirted during the Spartans 2022 season and played in a game vs. Akron, but took his talents to FCS heavyweight Incarnate Word before the Michigan State scandal hit full swing, landing with FCS heavyweight Incarnate Word in San Antonio. In his redshirt freshman season in 2023, Carter posted 20 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 3 sacks, and 3 QB hurries and was named to the Phil Steele FCS 2023 Freshman All-American Third Team, as well as the Southland 2023 All-Conference Fourth Team. IN 2024, he posted 30 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 4 INTs (!), two QB hurries, and a blocked kick. After entering the portal, Carter was offered by Western Kentucky, Old Dominion, Memphis, UTEP, Coastal Carolina, Western Michigan, and Miami (OH). He visited Memphis and committed on Christmas. Back to the FBS ranks goes the Minnehaha product!   Emmanuel Olagbaju (Osseo) DL. 6'2, 300 lbs. - Three/Four Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: St. Thomas to North Dakota   Notes: Another interesting portal story coming from another Osseo Oriole, Olagbaju is moving from the non-scholarship to scholarship ranks of the FCS as moves from the Pioneer League to the Missouri Valley. It's hard to find big bodies on the interior in the Midwest, and Olagbaju is an athlete with good size to clog up the middle of a defense. He registered six tackles as a true freshman on his redshirt, as well as half a tackle for loss, for the Tommies in 2024. Good initial find and evaluation by the UST staff first and foremost. Not sure if Olagbaju has three or four years left of eligibility, but we shall see.   Max Mogelson (Two Rivers) DL. 6'3, 290 lbs. - Four Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: University of Nevada - Las Vegas   Previous Transfers: One of the undisputed big dogs and best players in the 2024 class, Mogelson hit the portal despite UNLV's success this season and without registering a snap for the Rebels in 2024. I'm very interested to see where Mogelson bounced back to, as he's an animal on the interior. Iowa Western has a great history with Minnesota DL just like the Two Rivers product....   Trevon Howard (SMB/IMG Academy) DB. 6'1, 210 lbs. Two years of eligibility and potentially two medical redshirt seasons remaining.   Transferring from: Iowa State to Arkansas State   Notes: A standout safety who transferred from Minnehaha Academy at the height of their roster talent, Howard found success at IMG Academy down in Bradenton on their national team. Howard played in four games as a true freshman with the Cyclones, maintaining his redshirt, and then suffered two back-to-back season-ending injuries in 2023 and 2024 after playing in four games both years. Finished his career with 26 tackles and a PBU. Excited to see Howard compete in the Sun Belt.   Rashad McKinley (Hill-Murray) DB. 6', 185 lbs. Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: New Mexico State   Notes: I was pumped to see under-rated Hill-Murray Pioneer athlete Rashad McKinley end up at an FBS spot post-high school, but after three seasons down in the Land of Enchantment, McKinley is parting ways with New Mexico State. After a redshirt season in 2022, McKinley posted two tackles in the ensuing two seasons. With the Pioneers, the 651 standout was named Metro East All-Conference and was a dynamic two-way threat. McKinley earned an offer from Minnesota State-Mankato while in the portal so far.   Jaylen Boehm-Peterson (Holy Angels) DB. 6'3, 190 lbs.   Transferring from: Iowa Western Community College to Texas State (FBS)   Notes: PrepRedzoneMN had a good feeling about Holy Angels DB Jaylen Boehm-Peterson when he committed to JUCO powerhouse Iowa Western out of high school, as his length and athleticism at a premier position was sure to attract D1 attention, even if it wasn't at the prep level. Boehm-Peterson went to a program known for developing and churning out Minnesota talent into the next level, and it paid off. Posted 25 tackles and an INT in 2024. After earning offers from East Tennessee State, Nicholls State, and Indiana State, JBP committed to the Sun Belt competitor this week.   Kristen Hoskins (Alexandria) WR. 5'9, 170 lbs. Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: University of Minnesota   Notes: One of the most athletic and explosive players I've seen out of Outstate Minnesota, Hoskins was a Mr. Football Finalist who caught 83 balls for 1,185 yards and 15 TDs in 11 games for the Cards as a senior, adding three kickoff returns for TDs as well. The speedster redshirted in 2022 with the Gophs, didn't see any game action in 2023, and posted one rush for two yards against Maryland as a RS soph in 2024. Going to be an awesome pickup for whoever nabs him.   More Transfers   Marcus Hansen (Waseca) DL. 5'11, 240 lbs. One Year of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Bemidji State (DII) to Harding University (DII)   Note: An AP DII Second Team All-American and the NSIC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Waseca's own Marcus Hansen is a certified monster, and he started all 14 games for the Beavers in 2024, tallying 61 tackles, 14.5 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks, as well as 3 PBUs and a forced fumble. Hansen was a Mr. Football Finalist in 2020 who was also named Minnesota Vikings All-State, AP All-State Second Team, and Waseca County News All-Area Player of the Year. He's Waseca's all-time sack leader and helped the Blue Jays to three Section 1AAA championships in 2018, 2019, and 2020. He was also the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year in Track & Field thanks to his shot-put and throwing prowess. Hansen was a DII star once his redshirt sophomore season got going, earning a Don Hansen All-America HM nod, a D2football.com Elite 100 Squad pick, and an AP All-America Second Team selection, along with NSIC First Team, NSIC DPOY, and D2CCA All-Super Region 4 First Team honors. After entering the portal, Hansen landed with Harding University, another NCAA DII national quarterfinalist in 2024.   Trey Feeney (Moorhead) QB. 6'3, 205 lbs. Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: University of North Dakota   Notes: One of the better QB prospects out of Minnesota in the last decade, Moorhead standout Feeney stepped away from the team in late August after failing to earn the starting job and entered his name in the portal in December. The former PrepRedzoneMN Player of the Year, Gatorade Player of the Year, and Mr. Football Finalist threw for 6,900 yards and 85 TDs to just 15 INTs in his prep career, along with a host of additional accolades. AT UND, he redshirted in 2021 but played against Drake, and in 2022 as a RS freshman he saw action against Missouri State. In 2023 as a RS soph, Feeney appeared in 7 games and went 15-20 for 222 yards and a TD. I'm excited to see where the talented signal-caller lands. Someone is going to get a stud.   Joseph Randle (St. Anthony Village) WR. 6'3, 205 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: South Dakota State   Notes: The former big-bodied St. Anthony Village wideout and D1 walk-on at the powerhouse hit the portal around Christmas. Randle caught 53 passes for 1,003 yards and 18 TDs as a senior with the Huskies and earned PWOs from SDSU and UNI as well as some scholarship offers Northern State, Winona State, and MSU-Mankato, plus roster spots from Luther and St. John's. Since entering the portal, Randle received offers from Ellsworth Community College, Dodge City Community College, and Dakota State. Upper Iowa has also reached out.   Jay Travis (Osseo) P. 6'4, 235 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: UM-Morris (DIII) to Minnesota-Duluth (DII)   Notes: A standout specialist with great size, Jaymeson Travis had a PWO from South Dakota coming out of high school and committed to UMAC heavyweight UM-Morris. Travis handled punts and kickoffs and was 0-1 on FGs in 2024. He punted 29 times for 1,095 yards, with a 62-yard long, 8 punts inside the 20, and and 4 punts over 50 yards. He also booted 44 kickoffs for 2,355 yards as well. He earned UMD and MSU-Mankato offers after entering the portal and committed to UMD before Christmas. Nice little move up for the former DIII specialist.   Blake Whaley (Prior Lake) DL. 6'4, 265 lbs. - One Year of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Northern State   Notes: A former heavyweight prep prospect who was a three-year starter at Prior Lake, Whaley went the JUCO route and balled out at Iowa Central Community College. He then committed to Northern State, tallying 17 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and a QB hurry in 2023 as a junior. Looks like he didn't play football in 2024 and has one year of eligibility remaining. Someone get at him!   Ridge Flatness (Blackduck) LB. 6'1, 225 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Bemidji State   Notes: Not a lot of info on Flatness' prep career, but the Blackduck product took a redshirt year in 2023 and appeared in two games for the Beavers in 2024, recording one solo tackle.   Peyton Rogers (SMB) DL. 6'3, 280 lbs. - Four Years of Eligibility.   Transferring from: Howard University (FCS)   Notes: A one-time St. Olaf College commit, Rogers got a late FCS PWO offer from the prestigious Howard University. Rogers didn't record any statistics in 2024 and hit the portal in early December. Out of high school, he held offers from Augsburg, St. Olaf, UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, Concordia-St. Paul, and Southwest Minnesota State.   Bennett Ellsworth (Rochester Mayo) QB. 6'2, 205 lbs. Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Truman State (DII)   Notes: The 507 product hit the portal after a couple seasons in Missouri with DII Truman State. He was a sophomore squad member in 2022 and got snaps at QB in 2023, appearing in two games and attempting a pass. In 2024, Ellsworth rushed four times for 12 yards and passed 11 times, completing 7 tosses for 73 yards.   Finn McElroy (Edina) QB. 6'2, 205 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining and a Redshirt.   Transferring from: Wisconsin-Platteville   Notes: I remember liking McElroy out of Edina. Platteville had a crazy successful year in 2024, and it looks like the former standout is looking for a new home.   Cedric Wall (Rosemount) WR. Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: North Dakota State to Bemidji State   Notes: A PWO to the mighty Bison out of Rosemount High School, who has been good to NDSU, Wall spent three seasons in Fargo and announced on his Twitter profile that he has committed to Bemidji State. Great pickup for the Beavers.   Mason Kolling (Kingsland) TE. 6'4, 235 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Winona State   Notes: A former multi-sport standout and decorated two-sport captain from 9-man Kingsland, Kolling played in two games and totaled a tackle and a catch for five yards. He's earned an offer from Southwest Minnesota State since entering the portal.   Logan Bunker (Elk River) RB/LB. 6'1, 200 lbs. Four Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Wisconsin-River Falls   Notes: A former decorated prep at 5A powerhouse Elk River, Bunker hit the portal after only a year with WIAC heavyweight UWRF, recording no statistics in 2024. Bunker was an All-Everything pick with the Elks, finishing his career with 242 carries for 2,143 yards and 28 TDs and added 74 tackles, 13 PBUs, 4 FFs, and 3 INTs on the defensive side of the ball.   Foster Mulvehill (Irondale) LB. 6', 215 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Wisconsin-Whitewater to Augsburg University   Previous Transfers: Bemidji State to UW-Whitewater   Notes: Posted two tackles while at Bemidji State.   Nicholas Joseph (Champlin Park) DL. 6'3, 275 lbs. Four Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Drake University (FCS)   Notes: With Drake's head coach moving to the Missouri Valley to coach Northern Iowa there has been some upheaval in the Bulldogs roster. Joseph has earned offers from Valley City State and Bemidji State since entering the portal.   Noah Smith (Rochester Mayo) RB. 6'1, 200 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Northern State to Winona State   Kale Mensink (Kingsland) OLB. 5'11, 200 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Southwest Minnesota State   Notes: Former standout at 9-man Kingsland. Missed most of his senior season due to injury, totaled 8 INTs in his career.   Mark Rogalski (St. Thomas Academy) DB. 6', 205 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Wake Forest   Previous Transfers: P4 PWO who played a couple of seasons at prestigious Wake Forest. He was a PRzMN Preseason 5A All-State pick who switched from OLB to CB as a senior. He redshirted in 2023 and did not record any statistics in 2024. Kid could lay the wood in high school and only allowed four receptions on his as a senior.   Love Adebayo (St. Thomas Academy) RB. 5'8, 215 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: St. Thomas to Ventura Community College   Notes: Getting his Associates Degree in the fall of 2025 and will have two years of eligibility remaining after next fall. Appeared in two games in 2023 with the Tommies.   Jacory Bates (Eden Prairie) DB. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Minnesota State-Mankato   Notes: Former standout two-sporter at Eden Prairie who was a beast of a wrestler as well as a strong DB for the Eagles. Posted no statistics with the Mavs in two seasons.   Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman (Robbinsdale Armstrong) WR. 6'1, 200 lbs. Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Rice University   Previous Transfers: Independence CC to the University of Florida   Notes: Armstrong product who spent a year at St. Thomas More prep school before heading to Independence CC and then the University of Florida. Played over 200 reps on offense and special teams with the Gators.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ThaiBow4909/status/1871243516854366334 </div></figure>   Antonio Fondren Jr. (Benilde-St. Margaret's/Osseo) DL. - Four Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Tennessee State (FBS)   Notes: Looking to play at a JUCO preferably. Standout recruit in the 2023 class who reported offers from Eastern Kentucky, Florida A&M, Hawaii, Jacksonville State, Louisville, Missouri State, New Hampshire, Northwestern State, Old Dominion, Rhode Island, Richmond, San Jose State, South Alabama, Tennessee Tech   Landon Tonsager (Eagan) WR. 6', 200 lbs. - Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Wisconsin-Eau Claire (DIII) to Valparaiso (FCS)   Notes: Played 10 games for the Blugolds in 2023, recording 40 catches for 527 yards and a TD. In 2024 he posted 25 catches for 271 yards and returned five kicks for 92 yards. Will head to Valparaiso, who competes in the non-scholarship FCS Pioneer League, where St. Thomas also plays. Eagan alum.   Caden Tonsager (Eagan) DB. 6'1, 195 lbs. Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Wisconsin-Eau Claire (DIII) to Valparaiso (FCS)   Notes: All-WIAC Honorable Mention pick in 2024 who posted 43 tackles, half a TFL, half a sack, an INT, 6 PBUs, and a blocked kick. In 2023, as a freshman, Tonsager played in 10 games, recording 31 tackles, 5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 4 PBUs, and 3 INTs. Will head to Valpo with his brother to play some FCS ball. Earned a PWO from Richmond, as well as South Dakota Mines and Southwest Minnesota State while in the portal. Had a Minnesota State-Moorhead offer out of high school as well.   Deshawn Ricks (Osseo) DL. 6'3, 235 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Augsburg University   Notes: Ideally looking to play at a JUCO. In seven games of action in 2023 with the Auggies, Ricks posted 15 tackles, 4 TFLs, a sack, a FF, and a QB hurry.   Marcus Freeman (Park Center) QB. 6'1, 200 lbs.Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Augsburg University   Previous Transfers: South Carolina State to Augsburg University   Notes: Went 94-156 for 1,124 yards and 9 TDs to 8 INTs in 2024 with the Auggies.   John Barrow III (St. Louis Park/Robbinsdale Cooper) DT. 6'1, 300 lbs. Four Years of Eligibility,   Transferring from: Minnesota-Duluth   Notes: A four-year starter at DT, Barrow III was a 2x All-District pick and 2022 Minnesota High School All-Star Game selection. Played in one game and assisted on a tackle in 2023 with the Bulldogs and didn't post any statistics in 2024. Has earned offers from Winona State, Concordia-St. Paul, Iowa Western, Bemidji State, and Upper Iowa since entering the portal.   Erik Vedoy (Spring Lake Park) TE. 6'5, 255 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Southwest Minnesota State (DII) to MSU-Mankato (DII)   Notes: Big-bodied TE with great size at around 6'5, 250. Helped team advance to section championship as a senior. Redshirted in 2023 with SMSU and played in 11 games in 2924, catching 5 passes for 29 yards. Earned an offer and committed to MSU-Mankato a couple weeks after entering the portal.   DaNari Connors (Robbinsdale Cooper) RB. 5'9, 180 lbs. Three Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Southwest Minnesota State to Concordia-St. Paul   Notes: Team captain, team offensive MVP, and All-District with Cooper. Totaled 1,400 rushing yards and 15 TDs as a senior. Redshirted in 2023 but played in three games. Played in 6 games in 2024 and posted 25 rushes for 83 yards and a TD. Also caught 2 passes for 5 yards. Picked up offers from Concordia-St. Paul and Augsburg in the portal.   Tanner Schmidt (Stillwater) WR. 5'11, 185 lbs. Four Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Minnesota-Duluth   Notes: 2x All-conference and Metro East Offensive MVP as a senior. School receiving TD record. MN All-Star as a senior. Played in four games in 2024 and caught one pass for a 30 yard TD. Someone is going to get a stud.   Zach Ladu (Rochester John Marshall) DB. 6'4, 175 lbs. Four Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Augustana University   Notes: Didn't make it through his first fall camp with the Vikings. Strong prep career on both sides of the ball and premier size for the DB position. All four years remaining.   Craig McDonald (SMB) DB. 6'2, 210 lbs. One or Two Years of Eligibility Remaining.   Transferring from: Minnesota   Previous Transfers: Iowa State to Auburn

The NCAA's 20-day winter transfer portal window closed last weekend, and in unsurprising fashion, it was chaotic. According to NBC Sports, the number of players in the portal across all levels of college football has surpassed 11,000, making up more than 50% of all transfers across college athletics in 2024. In this most recent window, according to The Athletic's Sam Khan Jr., more than 3,000 D1 scholarship players entered the portal this winter window, which includes undergrads and grad transfers, as well as players who were at a school where the coach left. Here's where things get interesting (data still from The Athletic), of the 1,940 FBS players who entered the portal, only 775 were signed by the time the portal closed. Of the 1,135 FCS players transferring, only 213 have signed so far. Just wanted to put those numbers out there without any further context. Of course, of these transfers, more than a few were from Minnesota, and PrepRedzoneMN is here to give you a quick rundown of some of the biggest Minnesota-born-and-bred names hitting the portal. Obviously, not all of these dudes are D1 transfers, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve attention. Dig in!