It’s transfer portal season! The Dukes went 8-4 in the 2024 regular season, and they’ll hope to build on their successes in 2025. A big 2025 season will come down largely to roster management. Can the Dukes retain their best players? Can they add new contributors? 

Let’s track the portal. 

Transfer Additions

Lacota Dippre, DE (6’3 and 255 lbs), Charlotte – 24/7 Sports reported that Lacota Dippre is joining JMU. The defensive end had 25 tackles for Charlotte last season, including three tackles for loss. He has three years of eligibility left, and he helps fill a need at a position losing Eric O’Neill, Lloyd Summerall, and Khairi Manns.

Landon Ellis, WR (6’2, 185 lbs), Richmond – The Dukes added a star WR from the area. Ellis caught 50 passes for over 500 yards and 4 TDs in 2024, posting a 69.2 grade on PFF. That would’ve been the highest of any JMU wide receiver in 2024. Ellis is likely an immediate contributor, and with two years of eligibility left, he could become a Sun Belt star. Ellis stands at 6’2, giving him better size than most of the Dukes’ returning receivers.

Lexington “Kick-Fil-A” Matthews, P (6’5, 200 lbs), Savannah State – The D2 punter told JMU Sports News he’s joining the Dukes and will be enrolled for the spring semester. Matthews had 10 punts of 50+ yards in 2024, including a 70-yard boot. He’s a likely replacement for Ryan Hanson, who is graduating. Matthews has three years of eligibility left.

Transfer Departures

Tyshawn Wyatt, LT – Wyatt is the second LT to enter the portal after Jesse Ramil entered earlier this offseason. Wyatt was a three year starter and an all conference caliber player. He missed all of 2024 while rehabbing an injury suffered near the end of the 2023 season. He has one year of eligibility remaining. 

Eric O’Neill, DE – By far the biggest loss in this portal cycle, Eric O’Neill was a dominant defensive end. He had 13 sacks for the Dukes this fall, earning a PFF grade over 90. He graded out as a top-10 DE in the entire FBS, per PFF. He’ll draw significant P4 interest.

Darold DeNgohe, DT, Rutgers – This one stings. DeNgohe, a redshirt freshman, tallied 28 tackles and six tackles for loss in 2024. He’s a rising star at the position, and he’ll play in the Big Ten for Rutgers in 2025.

Jesse Ramil, OL, Mississippi State – JMU’s starting left tackle is headed to the SEC. Ramil came to JMU from St. Francis and was highly productive in his first FBS season. Joseph Simmons and Tyshawn Wyatt (if Wyatt returns) are internal candidates to start at LT in 2025.

Ke’Marion Baldwin, RB – The redshirt freshman announced on Instagram that he is entering the portal. He played in 6 games across two years and redshirted in 2023. He will have three years of eligibility. 

Maxwell Moss, WR – Moss played two seasons for the Dukes, recording three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown. There were hopes he would blossom into an impact player, but Moss struggled to earn playing time in a crowded receiving room.

Chris Lofton, WR – The wide receiver came to JMU with high expectations (he was a highly regarded prospect from South Carolina), but he never received significant playing time. He’ll look for a spot where he can see the field more regularly.

Erick Harris, WR – Like Moss and Lofton, Harris will likely seek increased playing time elsewhere. 

Andrew VanSlyke, P – The Dukes backup punter hopped in the portal prior to the Dukes’ bowl win.

Transfer Portal Targets

These are players JMU has offered in the transfer portal. These aren’t additions, but rather players JMU is looking to add. We’ll try to update this list daily, at a minimum.

Chantz Harley, CB (6’1, 190 lbs), Maryland – Harley was one of the few positives at DB for Maryland in 2024, earning a 66.8 PFF grade in 185 snaps. He began his career at Villanova before spending three seasons with the Terps, who went bowling in two of those three years. He’s a potential starter at JMU.

Blaine Spires, DE (6’3, 230 lbs), Utah State – The Dukes offered Spires, according to The Portal Report. Spires started his career at Bowling Green before moving to Utah State. He had five sacks in 2023 and one sack in just four games in 2024. He was second on the team with 27 pressures in 2023.

Jamir Conn, CB (6’0, 190 lbs), Southern Illinois – Conn had 57 tackles and six pass breakups in 2024. He received a solid PFF grade of 74.5 in 2024, and with two years of eligibility left he’s a fantastic potential addition.

Cedric Woods, CB (5’11, 185 lbs), Louisiana Tech – There aren’t many CBs in the portal with Woods’ experience. He’s played 2,481 snaps over five seasons with Louisiana Tech, but he’s redshirted once and 2020 doesn’t count against his eligibility, so he still has one year left. He has 112 career tackles and four INTs over 46 career games. 

Za’Ron Collins, WR (6’2, 185 lbs), Tusculum – The Dukes added a Tusculum (DII) transfer last season in CB Jordan Taylor. Could they add another? Collins played just four games for Tusculum in 2024, but made a big impact. He caught 10 passes for 228 yards, averaging more than 20 yards per catch. He’s been offered by multiple G5 teams, including Western Kentucky and Coastal Carolina.

Denzel Lowry, DT (6’1, 280 lbs), ODU – The interior defensive lineman earned Sun Belt Honorable Mention in 2023 and 2024. He finished with a whopping 51 tackles in 2024.

Simeon Evans, WR (6’1, 200 lbs), Sam Houston – Evans caught 43 passes for 474 yards and five touchdowns in 2024. He’s a potential impact player at WR.

Lacota Dippre, DE (6’3, 255 lbs), Charlotte – Dippre had 25 tackles in 2024, and he has three years of eligibility remaining. He plans to visit JMU, he told us.

Curtis Harris-Lopez, S (6’1, 205 lbs), Holy Cross – The Holy Cross product tallied 56 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss to go with two interceptions in 2024. A team captain, Harris-Lopez posted a 72.3 PFF grade in 2024, well above average. He played well in the team’s lone FBS matchup, posting six tackles and two tackles for loss against a nine-win Syracuse team. He also returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the Crusaders. Given his connections to Chesney and the JMU coaching staff, the graduate transfer is a likely JMU commit. 

Sam Phillips, WR (5’9, 185 lbs), Chattanooga – Phillips is one of the best FCS wide receivers in the portal, as he averaged 82.3 receiving yards per game last season. He’s a potential impact player.

Isaiah Wadsworth, CB (6’0, 190 lbs), Wofford – With 39 games played, Wadsworth would be a huge addition. He recorded 38 tackles, four tackles for loss, and one interception in 2024. He posted an incredible 85.9 PFF grade in 2024 across over 600 snaps. He’s an All-Sun Belt caliber player.

Colin Weber, TE (6’4, 255 lbs), Charlotte – A productive tight end with over 500 receiving yards across the last two seasons, Weber posted an 81.2 PFF grade in 2023 before a dip in 2024. He’s a super talented tight end who could replace Taylor Thompson.

Levi Wentz, WR (6’2, 205 lbs), Albany – The grad transfer out of Albany had 72.4 receiving grade for the Great Danes this past season, the best mark of all players. Wentz began his career at ODU and had 866 receiving yards the last two years with Albany.

Parker Jenkins, RB (5’11, 200 lbs), Houston – The Houston native ran for 464 yards and three touchdowns in 2023 before seeing a reduced role under a new coaching staff in 2024. Would add RB depth for 2025, if he commits to JMU.

Jalen Emery, DB (5’9, 180 lbs), Houston – Emery recorded 26 tackles and seven pass breakups in 2022 before seeing a reduced role for the Cougars in 2023 and 2024 when they moved to the Big 12. He’s a potential G5 starter.

Melvin Siani, OT (6’6, 300 lbs), Temple – One of the best players JMU has offered, Siani has three years of eligibility remaining and is being courted by P4 teams, including Oklahoma State. Siani posted a 76.9 pass blocking grade in 2024, one of the top marks in the AAC. He could immediately play at LT or RT for JMU.

Cody Sigler, DT (6’3, 285 lbs), West Alabama – Sigler dominated at the Division II level, recording 37 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and six sacks for a 9-2 program. He’s been offered by a bunch of good G5 teams.

Kells Bush, DT (6’3, 310 lbs), Louisiana Tech – Bush began his career at LSU before moving to the G5. Liberty and WKU are also recruiting the defensive tackle. He needs to improve his consistency — he was the lowest-graded defender on Louisiana Tech’s team, per PFF — but his talent and size (6’3 and 310 lbs) make him an interesting developmental prospect. He’ll visit JMU, he tells JMUSN.

Sterling Berkhalter, WR (6’4, 200 lbs), Cincinnati – Berkhalter caught 11 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown in 2024. Prior to playing for Cincinnati, Berkhalter played for NC A&T. He has elite size, standing at 6’4. 

Zach Greenberg, OL (6’4, 300 lbs), UNC – An interior offensive linemen from UNC, Greenberg began his career at the D3 level. He played in four games for the Tar Heels, posting a PFF grade above 75. He’s a potential starting center or guard for any G5 team in 2025.

Malachi Hosley, RB (5’10, 205 lbs), Penn – This guy is a stud, rushing for over 1,000 yards in just 10 games in 2024. He’s visiting Georgia Tech, Cincinnati, and UVA in mid-December, suggesting he might be bound for a P4 program. 

DJ Black, WR (6’3, 195 lbs), Limestone – The D2 prospect began his career as a walk-on at South Carolina before moving to the D2 ranks. He’s a productve WR, as he recorded 939 receiving yards and 11 TDs in 2024 at the D2 level. 

Dejuan Lacy, RB (5’9, 200 lbs), Garden City CC – The JUCO prospect has received interest from multiple G5 teams, including JMU, Wyoming, and Texas State.

Dawan Martin, DE (6’4, 250 lbs), Youngstown State – Martin has posted PFF grades over 70 in three consecutive seasons. He’d add depth and talent at the edge position, if he ends up at JMU.

Former Portal Targets

These players were offered by JMU but will play elsewhere in 2025.

Parker Mitchell, OL (6’4, 280 lbs), Richmond to Memphis – The Spiders’ starting right tackle has played over 1,000 career snaps and is a big get for the Tigers.

Chuck Nnaeto, DT (6’2, 295 lbs), Elon to Boston College – An interior defensive lineman, Nnaeto posted a 73.6 PFF grade for the Phoenix in 2024 across 409 snaps. He’s joining an ACC program.

Austin Gentle, OL (6’3, 295 lbs), Harvard to Memphis – With over 30 career starts, Gentle is a significant pickup for the Tigers.

Jude McCoskey, OT (6’8, 300 lbs), Indiana State to Tulane – Was one of the top blockers for Indiana State last season. He had an average PFF grade of 67.3 this season. The rising junior has two years of eligibility remaining for the Green Wave.

Jaylen Bowden, CB, NC Central to Minnesota – One of the best FCS defenders in 2024, Bowden posted an 81.1 PFF grade this season. He’s Big Ten bound.

VJ “Rocket” Wilkins, WR, Campbell to Boston College – The Dukes lost a competitive recruiting battle to a P4 foe.

Chrishon McCray, WR, Kent State to Michigan State – McCray caught 40 passes for 705 yards and nine TDs in the MAC in 2024. He’ll play for the Spartans in 2025.

Nevaeh Sanders, DE, NIU to Mississippi State – Sanders is a pass-rushing specialist, recording 4.5 sacks in just 96 snaps this season. He’s headed to the SEC.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications