USC redshirt sophomore tight end Walker Lyons plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to CBS Sports.
Lyons spent three seasons with the Trojans after signing with Lincoln Riley and Co. as a member of the Class of 2023. He sat out his first season in Los Angeles as he recovered from a knee injury suffered during his senior season at Folsom High (Calif.).
He returned in 2024, appearing in 11 games while catching six passes for 36 yards as a reserve behind starter Lake McRee. Lyons took on a more prominent role during his third season, hauling in 20 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns while splitting reps with McRee across 12 games.
However, with only two seasons of eligibility left and the Trojans bringing in five-star tight end Mark Bowman from the high school ranks, he has decided to move on.
Lyons himself was the No. 119 overall prospect and No. 7 tight end in his class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services. A longtime Stanford commit, he flipped to the Trojans late in the process and handed Riley a win in-state recruiting win.
Lots of eyes will be on BYU as a potential destination, with Lyons’ younger brother Ryder signing with the Cougars earlier this month. Both brothers are part of the LDS church, and Ryder will spend the next year on a mission before joining the program in 2027.
BYU is set to likely to lose starting tight end Carsen Ryan to graduation. As a senior this fall, he was the team’s third-leading receiver with 37 catches for 500 yards and three touchdowns.