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2026 UTEP football transfer portal tracker. Who's on the way out?
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- 2026 UTEP football transfer portal tracker. Who's on the way out?
The transfer portal carousel has swung wide open, and UTEP has already lost its two top receivers, its top running back and both starting quarterbacks from last year, as well as a portion of its offensive line.
The portal opened Jan. 2 and stays open until Jan. 16, with exceptions for players who have coaching changes at their school, as well as players participating in the college football playoffs. Neither of those categories includes UTEP.
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As of Jan. 18, UTEP has 14 players enter the portal, most notably receivers Kenny Odom and Wondame Davis, running back Ashten Emory (he has committed to Cal) and quarterbacks Skyler Locklear and Malachi Nelson .
UTEP’s Kenny Odom (6) runs the ball during the annual I-10 rivalry football game against NMSU at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025.
More: Analysis: UTEP Miners football looks to be at dead end
UTEP players entering the portal
Kenny Odom
More: 'Speed, speed, speed': Kenny Odom's breakout season powers UTEP's offense
WR Kenny Odom (Sr., 5-10, 170)
Originally one of the transfers who arrived with coach Scotty Walden from Austin Peay in 2024, Odom was UTEP's best offensive player by some margin. He was a second-team all-Conference USA selection this year after leading the league with 62 receptions. He had 582 receiving yards and six touchdowns this past year. He was also the team's leading receiver last year as a sophomore.
RB Ashten Emory (So., 5-11, 203)
He played most of his freshman year with a cast on his arm and still led the team in rushing with 588 yards on 119 carries (4.8 yards per carry) with four touchdowns. He had 181 rushing yards in Week 11 against New Mexico State .
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More: Where did UTEP football RB Ashten Emory's big game come from? Can he do it again?
WR Wondame Davis Jr. (So., 6-1, 180)
A member of the CUSA All-Freshman team, Davis had 26 catches for 610 yards and six touchdowns.
DE Elijah Baldwin (So. 6-7, 230)
Baldwin had 25 tackles, four sacks, four pass breakups blocked a kick as a redshirt freshman.
OL Tyron McDuffie (Jr., 6-4, 314)
The Parkland graduate was in the offensive line rotation this season, often brought out in short-yardage packages as an extra lineman.
OL Jake Utley (Jr. 6-6, 315)
Utley started the first four games this year as a sophomore right guard. He appeared in 10 games this year and was a hand on special team.
OL Jake Riggs (So. 6-3, 295)
UTEP's backup center did not play this year as a redshirt freshman.
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LB Stratton Shufelt (Jr. 6-2, 230)
A special teams captain, Shufelt started the final game of the season and recorded seven of his 18 tackles. He played in 11 games.
G James Williams (Jr. 6-3, 325)
Williams started every game at left guard in his first year with the program after transferring from Northeast Oklahoma A&M.
TE Josh Schuchts (So., 6-3, 210)
The freshman tight end, a converted receiver, caught 21 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns. He had 13 catches for 189 yards in the last five games.
LB Trace Meadows (So. 6-0, 210)
Meadows played in two games this year without registering a stat. He played in three games last year.
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Mark Robinson (Jr. 6-5, 320)
Robinson started every game this season at left tackle after transferring from Southeastern (Okla.) University.
QB Skyler Locklear (Sr. 5-11, 195)
Locklear took over as starting quarterback in Week 6 after holding that position most of last year. He was 117-of-211 passing for 1,418 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
QB Malachi Nelson (Jr., 6-3, 193)
A former five-star recruit, the transfer from Boise started the first six games. He finished the year 104-for-190 passing with 1,163 yards, nine interceptions and eight touchdowns. UTEP was 1-5 with him as a starter.
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Coaches leaving
OL Ryan Stanchek
The co-offensive line coach was with UTEP for two seasons.
RB Jourdan McNeill
The running backs coach/offensive recruiting coordinator was with UTEP for two seasons.
TE Josh Eargle
Eargle was hired to be head coach of the Division II start-up program Texas A&M-Texarkana. The program begins play in the fall of 2027.
GM Gino Gigliotti
Gigliotti was with the program one year.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @BrMTbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: 2026 UTEP football transfer portal tracker. Who's going to go in it?
