2025-26 North Carolina FCS Football Transfer Portal Tracker

The NCAA transfer portal opened officially on Jan. 2, 2026, and scores of FCS college football players from the Old North State are expected to seek transfer opportunities in the days and weeks to come.

This tracker will follow:

• North Carolina FCS players planning to enter the portal
• Incoming transfers to NC FCS programs (added once movement starts)

This is a living page and will be updated regularly leading up to the 2026 season.

More Transfer Portal Content

🔗 North Carolina FBS Transfer Portal Tracker
🔗 North Carolina D2 Transfer Portal Tracker
🔗 Tiered NC Transfer Portal Rankings and ACC Transfer Portal Coverage (from NC Sports Network)

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🏫 School-By-School Out-Going Transfer Portal

These are names of players who have announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal.

Campbell Fighting Camels

ATH Marion Turner: All-purpose standout at Rolesville High played in two games as a freshman in 2025
DL Raymond Macias: Redshirt sophomore recorded 22 tackles, including 5 vs. Bryant
TE Trevor Wilson: Redshirt junior caught 22 passes for 193 yards and one TD in 2025
WR Randall King: Freshman All-American in 2024, 59 catches, 689 yards, 5 TDs in 2025

Davidson Wildcats

LB Landon Smart: Graduate transfer played in 26 games from 2023-25, earning 30 tackles this past season
OL Tom Luther: Two-year starter for the Wildcats will have one more year of eligibility
QB Coulter Cleland: Threw for 2,117 yards and 11 TDs as Wildcats’ starter after missing much of 2024 due to injury
WR Ivan Hoyt V: First-team all-conference performer and the Wildcats’ top pass-catcher for 2025: 60 catches, 842 yards, 10 TDs

Elon Phoenix

DB Brycen Scott: Sophomore started eight games and broke up seven passes
DL Kahmari Brown: Major disruptor led the CAA and broke an Elon record with 12 sacks this season
QB Landen Clark: Dynamic dual-threat quarterback named CAA Rookie of the Week three times, finished as conference Co-Rookie of the Year
RB TJ Thomas: Rushed for 972 yards and 11 scores in two seasons with Phoenix

Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs

DB Ross Coppock: Appeared in nine games in ‘25, recording six tackles
DL De’Arieun Hicks: Redshirt sophomore recorded 4.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks and 21 total tackles in 2025
EDGE Antonio O’Berry: First-team all-conference pick earned 10.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks → Kentucky
LB Jamari Young: Logged 51 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks as a starter in 2025
LB Luke Gilbertson: Finished with 18 tackles and 4.5 TFLs, including a six-tackle game against Lindenwood
LS Kevin Faye: Started 24 collegiate games, boasts 77.5 PFF grade
OL Aaron McIver: Second-team OVC/Big South performer in 2025
OL Luke Rector: Honorable mention OVC/Big South all-conference road grader up front
P Brady Braun: Averaged 48.1 yards per punt in 2025, one of the best averages in FCS football; boomed 13 punts 50 yards or more
PK Charlie Viorel: Earned OVC/Big South special teams honors four times this season
QB NaCari McFarland: 6-foot-7 freshman did not see the field in 2025.
S Josiah Harris: Second-team All-OVC/Big South defensive back picked off five passes, including three vs. Tennessee State
WR Chris Lofton: One of the state’s top receivers finished with 934 receiving yards and 5 TDs for a 7-5 team

North Carolina A&T Aggies

DB Daniel Coles: Logged 11 tackles in six game appearances in 2025
DB Khristian Tyson: Grimsley High product did not see the field in 2025, has three years of eligibility remaining
DL Christopher Allen Jr.: Played in 22 games for Aggies, recording 48 tackles, 3 TFLs from 2023-25
DL Marquis Hood: Recorded 13.0 TFLs, 8.5 sacks in 2025 with 44 tackles
DT Sidiq Cabaniss-Ali: Freshman recorded 29 tackles, 3 TFLs and 3 sacks to earn HBCU recognition.
LB Joshua Iseah: 2023 Freshman All-American recorded 83 tackles, 2 INTs this season
OL Sterling Wiggins: 6-6, 310-pounder has two years of eligibility remaining
QB Nelson Layne: Promising freshman has dual-threat potential.

North Carolina Central Eagles

EDGE Thomas Johnson: FCS All-American had 18 TFLs and 12 sacks during monster 2025 campaign
K Kaleb Robison: Made 18 FGs and hit all 45 PATs in 2025, earning 99 kicker points.
OL Trevon Humphrey: First-team All-MEAC lineman has been key piece on Eagles’ line for three seasons
OL Ja’Quan Sprinkle: All-conference performer started 27 games at either guard or tackle
WR Mehki Wall: Led MEAC in kick-return average, caught four TD passes

Western Carolina Catamounts

CB Hasaan Sykes: 3 INTs, 49 tackles, 8 PBUs in 2025
DB Bo Simpson-Nealy: 7 tackles-for-loss and 54 total tackles in 2025
DB Ken Moore Jr.: 8 INTs, 2 pick-sixes, 10.5 TFLs in three seasons at WCU
DE Justin Wallace: 30 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 4 sacks this past season
OL Evan Carney: Third-team all-SoCon lineman, per Phil Steele
OL Elijah Collins: Saw action in eight games after transferring in from West Virginia Wesleyan last spring.
OL Manasseh Ripert: Logged 800+ snaps at the collegiate level
QB Taron Dickens: 3,508 yards, 38 TD (SoCon single-season record), only 2 INT in 2025
RB Markel Townsend: Multi-dimensional player logged 70 carries for 322 yards, 6 TDs and caught 26 passes for 173 yards in 2025.
WR Jai Boyd: 21 career receptions, 1 TD over 14 games in 2024-25
WR James Tyre: Second-leading receiver for the Catamounts in 2025, made 68 catches for 832 yards, 11 TDs; 1,051 all-purpose yards
WR Malik Knight: 72 career catches, 1,186 yards, 8 TDs in 28 games from 2022-25.

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🏫 School-By-School Incoming Transfers

We’ll post lists of incoming transfers to North Carolina FCS programs from the 2025-26 cycle as names become available.

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🔁 December 30, 2025 Updates

Elon defensive back Brycen Scott announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal. He started eight games and broke up seven passes. 

A pair of North Carolina A&T defensive lineman, Marquis Hood and Christopher Allen Jr., plan to transfer. Hood recorded 13 tackles-for-loss and 8.5 sacks in 2025. Allen played in 22 games across three seasons for the Aggies.

Gardner-Webb punter Brady Braun had one of the top averages in FCS football, 48.1-yards-per punt.

🔁 December 13, 2025 Updates

After two seasons with Elon, running back TJ Thomas has announced plans to enter the transfer portal in January. Thomas earned FCS Freshman All-American honors in 2024. The sophomore from Thomasville, Ga., earned 384 yards and six touchdowns in 2025.  He ran for 972 yards with 11 scores in his Elon career. 

Nelson Layne showed promise at quarterback for North Carolina A&T while getting playing time in three November games. Layne, a freshman from Highland Springs, Va., announced his intentions to enter the portal, though. Layne passed for 160 yards and two TDs in the season finale vs. Elon, while also ripping off a 49-yard run.

🔁 December 11, 2025 Updates

After three years at North Carolina A&T, linebacker Joshua Iseah has announced plans to enter the portal. Iseah had a big 2025 season for first-year coach Shawn Gibbs, recording 83 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, two interceptions and four pass breakups. Iseah was a freshman All-American in 2023.

North Carolina Central wide receiver Mehki Wall will enter the portal after leading the MEAC in kick return average (26.2 yards/return) and finishing seventh in receiving yards (28 catches, 510 yards, 4 TDs). 

🔁 December 2, 2025 Updates

Elon quarterback Landen Clark announced through social media that he intends to enter the portal after a breakout redshirt freshman season. Clark amassed 2,935 yards of total offense, accounted for 29 TDs, earned CAA Co-Rookie of the Year honors and was named a Jerry Rice finalist.

A second offensive lineman from NCCU announced intentions to transfer: Ja’Quan Sprinkle, who made 27 starts at tackle and/or guard. Sprinkle will have two years of eligibility remaining.

🔁 December 1, 2025 Updates

Trevon Humphrey, a three-year starter and three-time all-conference performer on North Carolina Central’s offensive line, announced his intentions to transfer for his final college season. Humphrey played at Dudley High in Greensboro before joining the Eagles for three winning seasons.

After spending one season at Campbell, tight end Trevor Wilson appears on the move again. Wilson, who joined the Camels in 2025 after three seasons at Robert Morris, caught 22 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown.

Aaron McIver earned second-team OVC/Big South all-conference status this past season for Gardner-Webb. He started at center in 2024 and guard this season, allowing just one sack over 24 games.

🔁 November 25, 2025 Updates

Gardner-Webb kicker Charlie Viorel has indicated on social media he intends to explore portal options. Viorel made 15-of-21 field goals for the season, including five from 40+ yards. The former Laney High (Wilmington) standout earned conference special teams player of the week honors four times in 2025.

🔁 November 24, 2025 Updates

Elon’s defensive superstar Kahmari Brown has announced plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, becoming one of the biggest defensive names in North Carolina to test the market this offseason. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound edge rusher from Jacksonville totaled 99 tackles, 25 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks across his freshman and sophomore seasons and was a 2024 Freshman All-American (Stats Perform, Phil Steele, FCS Football Central). 👉 Read our full story on Kahmari Brown’s decision here.

Another top caliber wide receiver has indicated he plans to explore transfer options: Chris Lofton caught 56 passes for 934 yards and five touchdowns for Gardner-Webb in 2025. The season finale was his most prolific stat performance: 11 catches for 169 yards and a score against Western Illinois.

🔁 November 23, 2025 Updates

The biggest North Carolina FCS name to announce intentions to enter the portal was one of the first: quarterback Taron Dickens, who has been Western Carolina’s starter since midseason 2024. Dickens will be in the running for national honors this season despite playing in just nine games.

Dickens’ career stat line in 18 total games, dating back to a few brief appearances in 2023: 402-of-543 passing for 5,063 yards, 51 touchdowns, 5 interceptions. He’s averaged 281.3 yards per game, completing 74 percent of his throws.

One of Dickens’ top targets also has announced intentions to transfer, per reports from Matt Zenitz (CBS Sports): wide receiver Malik Knight, a redshirt junior from Fort Lauderdale, FL. Knight caught 47 passes for 774 yards and seven TDs this season.

247Sports reported Nov. 23 that Western Carolina CB Hasaan Sykes plans to enter the portal. Sykes made 49 tackles with three interceptions and eight pass breakups in 2025.

One of Campbell’s top playmakers, wide receiver Randall King, told 247Sports on Saturday, Nov. 22, he intends to enter the transfer portal. King, a freshman All-American in 2024, caught 59 balls this season for 689 yards and five touchdowns.

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❓ FCS Transfer Portal: Frequently Asked Questions

When does the NCAA transfer portal open for FCS players?

Beginning in 2026, the NCAA officially moved the transfer portal window for college football from December to January 2-16. This 15-day period is now the only regular transfer window for all FBS and FCS players.

Can FCS players enter the transfer portal before January 2?

Players may announce their intentions at any time, but they cannot officially enter the transfer portal or contact other schools until January 2. Schools also may not legally initiate contact with players before that date.

Why did the NCAA move the portal window to January?

The Division I Administrative Committee approved the change to reduce roster chaos during bowl season and the FCS playoffs. Moving the window to January allows most athletes to finish the season with their teams and provides more structure for coaches trying to manage rosters and scholarships.

What happened to the December portal window?

The NCAA eliminated the traditional December window entirely. The sport now has one transfer period for undergraduates — January 2-16.

Is there still a spring transfer window for FCS football?

No. The 15-day spring window was eliminated after the 2025 transfer cycle. Football now operates on a single offseason transfer window.

How many FCS players entered the portal this past year?

Per ESPN reporting, more than 3,200 FCS players entered the transfer portal heading into this past season — a record total. Combined with FBS players, more than 8,000 Division I athletes entered the portal.

When can graduate transfers enter the portal?

Graduate transfers used to be able to enter at any time. Under the new rules, graduate students must also wait until January 2-16 to officially enter their names.

What happens if a head coach leaves a school or is fired?

If a program undergoes a head coaching change, players receive a special 15-day transfer window that starts five days after the new head coach is hired or officially announced. This replaces the old system where athletes received a 30-day window, which often caused mass departures before a replacement coach had arrived.

Why did the NCAA change the coaching-change window?

Student-athlete feedback suggested that a 10-day window was too short, per ESPN. The oversight committees recommended increasing it to 15 days to give players more realistic time to explore options without completely gutting a roster.

Does the new January window apply to all D1 football players?

Yes — the January 2-16 window covers all FBS and FCS programs beginning with the 2025–26 cycle.