College football’s transfer portal doesn’t officially open until the new year. But that’s not stopping players and programs from making decisions about next year’s roster.
Players can enter the portal between Jan. 2 and Jan. 16. It is the only window for college football this offseason. The NCAA did away with the post-spring portal window.
Frequent movement has become a staple of the sport.
“I don’t look at as, ‘Oh, how many guys are leaving?’” UNC football general manager Michael Lombardi said on Dec. 3. “I think a lot of it is you have to grade your team after a season, and you have to value the player that you have on your team to a certain level and that value tells the player what the revenue is going to be.
“Just because a player stays doesn’t mean he’s really helping the team, right? If a guy’s not good enough and he stays, does that really help you? So you have to look at it that way. For you guys, it’s well, they’ve lost 20 guys. Well, maybe 20 guys weren’t good enough to play here or maybe we don’t want to lose.”
Updated: Dec. 4
North Carolina
LB Khmori House: House, a transfer from Washington, started all 12 games for the Tar Heels. He led the team with 78 tackles. House was non-committal about returning when asked after UNC’s season-ending loss at NC State. (Dec. 4)
WR Chris Culliver: Culliver played in six games in 2025 after appearing in 24 games in 2023 and 2024. He had five catches for 100 yards this season. (Nov. 30)
WR Jason Robinson, Jr.: Robinson didn’t play for the Tar Heels in 2025. He transferred from Washington where he redshirted in 2024. (Nov. 30)
OL William Boone: Boone started the first three games of the season before suffering an injury. Boone left the team at midseason. (Nov. 25)
WR Paul Billups: Billups left the team during the season. (Dec. 1)
TE Yasir Smith, OL Trevyon Green and WR Aziah Johnson left the team during the season.