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Memphis football transfer portal live updates tracker for Charles Huff, 2026 roster
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- Memphis football transfer portal live updates tracker for Charles Huff, 2026 roster
Reinforcements are about to be on the way for Memphis football .
The college football transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2. While dozens of Tigers have already announced their intentions to transfer, they can't actually enter the portal (and choose a new school) until Jan. 2.
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Memphis' roster has undergone major changes since the regular season ended, but that was expected after coach Ryan Silverfield left for Arkansas. He was replaced by Southern Miss' Charles Huff, who will be tasked with immediately building a roster that can compete for the American Conference title in 2026.
The Tigers will have very few returning players. Most key players who still have eligibility remaining are expected to enter the portal.
Still, there's reason for Memphis fans to be optimistic. Huff built his reputation as one of the strongest recruiters in college football before he was a head coach, and he's pulled off quick turnarounds before. In his lone season as Southern Miss' head coach, Huff turned a 1-11 team into a 7-5 team.
Where does Memphis need to add in transfer portal?
In short? Everywhere. It's entirely possible that every single player who starts for Memphis at the beginning of next season isn't currently on the roster.
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The rebuild will obviously start at quarterback. 2025 starter Brendon Lewis is out of eligibility, and backups Arrington Maiden and A.J. Hill are both headed to the portal. It's likely Huff will look for someone who has starter experience, but the Tigers obviously need multiple quarterbacks to fill out the room.
Huff said multiple times at his introductory press conference that he wanted a mobile quarterback.
Potential portal QB options for Memphis
While plenty of players announced ahead of Jan. 2 that they planned to enter the portal, others are likely to make that decision now that the portal is actually open.
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There are already some options out there for Memphis. Old Dominion's Colton Joseph is an obvious target because Memphis' new offensive coordinator is former ODU OC Kevin Decker. But Joseph will be highly-coveted and could end up at a power conference school.
Arkansas State's Jaylon Raynor wouldn't have to move far, and he's been productive in the Sun Belt since becoming a starter in 2023. Amari Odom led Kennesaw State to the Conference USA championship in 2025.
At lower levels, West Florida's Marcus Stokes was one of the top Division II players in 2025 and is reportedly set to visit Memphis. Harvard's Jaden Craig was a standout at the FCS level and could draw power conference interest as well.
Memphis could also target quarterbacks that don't have significant starter experience but have played at power conference schools, especially as Huff and Decker look to fill out the room.
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Who is joining Memphis football from the transfer portal?
WR Tychaun Chapman
Chapman followed Huff from Marshall to Southern Miss, and now he's following him to Memphis as well. He had 25 catches for 448 yards and three touchdowns in 2025 and has one season of eligibility remaining.
CB Darius Malcolm Jr.
Malcolm was an FCS freshman All-American at Wofford in 2025. He totaled 74 tackles in 2025.
RB Jaylin Carter
Carter had 166 rushing yards and 133 receiving yards as a freshman at Southern Miss in 2025. He also followed Huff from Hattiesburg.
DL Jaden McKinney
McKinney is a Collierville alum who started his collegiate career at Austin Peay. He was also at Southern Miss in 2025 and made 27 tackles on the season.
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Who is in the transfer portal from Memphis?
The list of Memphis players headed to the transfer portal includes:
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QB AJ Hill
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DB Shannon Blair
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DB Chris Bracy
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RB Sutton Smith
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QB Arrington Maiden
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WR Jamari Hawkins
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TE Christian Ross
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DB Jaylen Thompson
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QB Ty Collins
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RB Makari Bodiford
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DL Kamore Harris
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RB Amir Thomas
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P Lachlan Carrigan
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DB DeMarco Ward
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WR Marcello Bussey
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LB Gabriel Cepicky
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LS Jonathan Zarut
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LB Nate Thomason
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K Gianni Spetic
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DL Le'Kell McGowan
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LS Luke Grant
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OL Taccofah Lewis
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DL Joshua White
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LB Ian Rembert
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DL Lamar Fairfax Jr.
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OL Ethan Newman
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OL Josiah Clemons
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OL Malachi Breland
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TE Matt Adcock
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LB Everett Roussaw Jr.
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OL Parker Peterson
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WR TJ Holmes
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TE Luke Logan
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WR Nahmier Robinson
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DL Mond Cole
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DL Jalen Charles
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DL Kavion Benton
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DL Donovan Nevils
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DL Jayden Marable
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WR CJ Smith
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DB Samson Israel
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OL Sean Dugery
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DB Jeremiah Jordan
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RB Khyair Spain
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LB Kenyon Rivera
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DL Chase Carter
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RB Mario Robinson
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OL Will French
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WR Xavier Johnson
When does the transfer portal open and close?
The portal opens on Jan. 2 and will be open until Jan. 16. Unlike previous years, there will not be a spring portal window.
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis football transfer portal live tracker for 2026 roster
