JMU football’s transfer portal haul looks strong on paper. The Dukes have a roster capable of contending for the Sun Belt and potentially a College Football Playoff spot.

Our full transfer tracker can be found here and interviews with transfers are available on our YouTube channel, but here’s a look at five of the biggest offseason additions for the Dukes and five of the biggest offseason departures.

The 5 most important additions

Nick DeGennaro, WR, Richmond

He didn’t drop a pass in 63 targets in 2024, per PFF. DeGennaro joins a JMU roster plagued by drops in 2024, and he should be JMU’s most targeted WR in 2025, if he’s fully healthy.

At Richmond, DeGennaro racked up 2,002 receiving yards in 35 games (57.2) per game in three seasons. He has reliable hands, but he can also take the top off a defense and make big plays in the vertical passing game. He was about as complete a WR as you’ll find at the FCS ranks, and his game will immediately translate to the Sun Belt.

When targeted 20+ yards downfield over the past two seasons (41 total targets), DeGennaro has 11 touchdowns. Essentially, one out of every four times Richmond threw DeGennaro a deep ball in 2023 and 2024 he ended up in the end zone. That’s bonkers. He’s a stud in the intermediate passing game, but he might also be the team’s best deep threat alongside Isaiah Alston.

Matthew Sluka, QB, Holy Cross/UNLV

Even if Camden Coleman wins the starting QB job, Sluka is going to see the field in 2025. His passing ability is above average (he’s not as accurate as Coleman, but he rarely throws interceptions and is a great deep-ball thrower). He’s perhaps the best Group of Five rushing quarterback not named Blake Horvath (Navy).

Sluka has two seasons with 1,000+ rushing yards, and he averaged 6.5 yards per carry in four games with UNLV. He’s a fast, physical runner who should add a dynamic to JMU’s rushing attack that the Dukes haven’t had since Vad Lee.

Camden Coleman, QB, Richmond

Likewise, even if Sluka wins the starting gig, Coleman’s addition is massive. He’s a dual-threat quarterback with starting experience over two seasons at Richmond, and he’s one of the FCS’ most efficient signal callers over those years.

Coleman completed about 65% of his passes at Richmond, and he didn’t throw an interception in seven of his 11 appearances in 2024. He takes care of the football, runs well, and has great size (6’3 and 220 lbs).

If Sluka is the starter, his physical rushing ability makes him an injury risk. There isn’t a more qualified G5 backup than Coleman, if that’s the role he earns. He’d be a high-level SBC starter, if he wins the job. JMU has two elite G5 quarterbacks (three, if you count Alonza Barnett when he returns to full health).

Xavier Holmes, DE, Maine

His snap count at Maine was absurd. Holmes played 704 snaps in 2024, grading out at 74.9 on PFF in the process. He tallied 72 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, and 6 sacks this past season, making him one of the most productive defenders in the CAA.

Don’t expect JMU to play Holmes 700+ snaps in 2025, which should allow him to play fresher. If he graded out above 70 in the CAA while playing over 700 snaps along the defensive line, Holmes should be a Sun Belt standout with closer to 400 snaps over 12 games.

Curtis Harris-Lopez, S, Holy Cross

There’s value in adding experience via the portal, and Harris-Lopez gives Jacob Thomas a running mate. The Holy Cross transfer had 56 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, two interceptions, and two touchdowns (one INT return and one kickoff return) this past season. His 71.3 PFF grade is a solid mark, and he played nearly 700 snaps in 2024.

He’s a solid special teams contributor and a likely starter at safety. He adds experience to JMU’s defensive backfield, giving the Dukes a top safety tandem in the Sun Belt. He’s likely JMU’s most underrated addition during the offseason portal cycle. 

The 5 most important departures

Eric O’Neill, DE, Rutgers

O’Neill isn’t just expected to be a solid Big Ten player, but I view him as a future NFL draft pick. He ranked 11th nationally among edge rushers in overall PFF grade, earning a 90.2 season-long mark. He narrowly outperformed Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku, who became a second-round draft pick in 2025.

O’Neill is borderline irreplaceable, and his loss will be felt. JMU added well at defensive end in the portal, but the Dukes don’t have a clear 1-for-1 replacement for the Rutgers edge rusher.

Yamir Knight, WR, SMU

JMU’s wide receivers had drop problems in 2024. Yamir Knight was the exception to that rule.

The slot receiver had no drops in 2024, according to PFF. He led the Dukes with 53 receptions and amassed 605 receiving yards. Knight was expected to play a big role in 2025, and his departure is a loss for the Dukes.

Noe Ruelas, K, UCF

Another likely NFL player, Ruelas can legitimately hit from 60 yards. He has an NFL caliber leg, and he made 80% of his field goals for the Dukes last fall, with two of his four misses being blocked. He’s one of the top kickers in college football. UCF got a steal — quite literally, as they might have tampered to bring Ruelas to town.

Tyshawn Wyatt, OL, UVA

Wyatt didn’t play for the Dukes in 2024 because of injury, but his experience, size, and versatility make his loss meaningful. Wyatt has started 19 games at left tackle and 14 at left guard in his career, and a healthy Wyatt is an elite Sun Belt lineman.

He should earn playing time at Virginia, which is trying to make a bowl game for the first time under Tony Elliott.

Darold DeNgohe, DT, Rutgers

The Dukes did well to replace DeNgohe with players like Andrew Taddeo (Colgate) and William Robinson (Holy Cross), but he was turning into a G5 star by the end of 2024. DeNgohe had 28 tackles, including six tackles for loss, as a redshirt freshman this past season. He was ready to take on a major role in 2025, but instead he’ll try to carve out a role for an improving Big Ten program alongside O’Neill.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications