2025-26 North Carolina FCS Football Transfer Portal Tracker

The FCS football regular season wrapped up Saturday, Nov. 22 for North Carolina teams, and plans for roster movement have already been set in motion. Though the NCAA transfer portal does not officially open until January 2, 2026, many players have started to announce their intentions publicly on social media or through national recruiting outlets.

This tracker will follow:

• North Carolina FCS players planning to enter the portal
• Players receiving FBS/FCS offers
• 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.

📝 NORTH CAROLINA D2 TRANSFER PORTAL UPDATES: Tracking portal entrants, roster moves and recruiting buzz from NC’s NCAA Division II schools.

---

🏫 School-By-School Transfer Portal Entrants

These are names of players who, for now, have announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal when it opens Jan. 2, 2026.

Campbell Fighting Camels

– WR Randall King: Freshman All-American in 2024, 59 catches, 689 yards, 5 TDs in 2025

Davidson Wildcats

None reported

Elon Phoenix

None reported

Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs

None reported

North Carolina A&T Aggies

None reported

North Carolina Central Eagles

None reported

Western Carolina Catamounts

– CB Hasaan Sykes: 3 INTs, 49 tackles, 8 PBUs in 2025
– QB Taron Dickens: 3,508 yards, 38 TD (SoCon single-season record), only 2 INT in 2025
– WR Malik Knight: 72 career catches, 1,186 yards, 8 TDs in 28 games from 2022-25.

---

🔁 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.

---

❓ 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.