Washington Huskies football: 3 takeaways from transfer portal window

It’s finally — mercifully — closed. At 11:59 p.m. Friday, the football transfer portal window slammed shut after a tumultuous 15-day period that saw more than 6,500 Division I football players depart their former programs in search of new opportunities. 

Washington was no exception. The Huskies briefly found themselves in the middle of a national conversation about the future of name, image and likeness (NIL) license contracts after quarterback Demond Williams Jr.’s 48-hour transfer portal saga.

And while Williams returned, UW still saw 19 other scholarship players announce their exits along with a host of walk-ons. The Huskies have also welcomed nine transfer additions, with coach Jedd Fisch noting they’d like to bring in six more players. 

As a reminder, the transfer portal closing means only that players cannot add their names. Players who’ve already entered are still free to sign anywhere at any time. Additionally, there may be some paperwork hangover for the next few days, meaning players may still be announcing their portal entrance because they chose to enter shortly before the window closed. 

“We’ve had 61 players we’ve re-signed on our roster,” Fisch said Wednesday. “That’s a huge number and a big deal for us and for our program. We have not been overly aggressive in the transfer portal as we have spoken about throughout our time here together for three years.”

So here are three takeaways from UW’s 2026 transfer portal experience:

1. A defensive line makeover

No UW position group will look more different in 2026 than the defensive line. 

The Huskies already expected to lose several contributors. Edge rushers Zach Durfee and Deshawn Lynch, along with defensive tackles Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei, Logan Sagapolu and Simote Pepa exhausted their eligibility after the 2025 season. Defensive tackle Anterio Thompson announced he’d forgo a potential final season to declare for the NFL draft. 

But the transfer portal claimed the rest of UW’s defensive tackle depth. Bryce Butler, one of the team’s top-four interior linemen in 2025, departed for Texas Tech. Armon Parker, Jayvon Parker, Caleb Smith and Dominic Macon also entered the portal. Rising junior Elinneus Davis is the only returning defensive tackle on UW’s roster who played more than five snaps for the Huskies in 2025. 

So Washington addressed its defensive tackle needs in the transfer portal. Again.  

As of Friday, the Huskies and position coach Jason Kaufusi have added four defensive linemen from the portal: DeSean Watts, from Sacramento State; Darin Conley, out of Ball State; Kai McClendon, a former Mississippi State tackle coming off an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and Logan George, an edge rusher who spent 2025 at Ohio State after a breakout 2024 at FCS Idaho State. 

Fisch noted the Huskies are evaluating more portal defensive linemen, but said they feel confident about their current group that also includes five incoming freshmen: Derek Colman-Brusa, JD Hill, Tufanua Ionatana Umu-Cais, David Schwerzel and Ta’a Malu.

Washington will hope defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, Kaufusi and outside linebackers coach Aaron Van Horn can replicate their work from a season ago. UW’s run defense allowed 161.8 yards rushing in 2024, but gave up just 100.2 yards rushing per game in 2025, Walters’ first season, while leaning heavily on transfer portal additions Uiagalelei and Thompson.

But UW’s defensive line also has to improve its pass rush. Washington managed 24 sacks in 2025, ranking 12th in the Big Ten. Tied with Purdue. 

2. Maintaining portal philosophy

Through his first two seasons at Washington, Fisch has been adamant that his program will not be built through the transfer portal. He doubled down Wednesday. 

“I do not and will not subscribe to trying to build a football team through free agency,” he said. “Some people can do that. Good for them. That is not us.”

The Huskies signed 27 players during his first full recruiting cycle in 2025, then added 25 prospects in 2026. 

The emphasis on high-school recruiting meant Washington relied on freshmen to play early. Nine members of UW’s 2025 class — wide receivers Raiden Vines-Bright, Dezmen Roebuck and Chris Lawson, tight end Baron Naone, offensive lineman John Mills, linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, edge rusher Devin Hyde, cornerback Dylan Robinson and safety Rylon Dillard-Allen — burned their redshirts. 

But UW was unable to bring all of its young talent back for 2026. Five players from its 2025 class exited after just one season, most notably Vines-Bright. The Tempe, Ariz., native played in 12 games and made seven starts during his true freshman campaign, but will head to Arizona State for 2026. Smith, Macon, wide receiver Marcus Harris and local linebacker Jonathan Epperson Jr. also left. 

“To be able to build a program through recruiting is a big deal,” Fisch said. “Now, we’re not going to win on everyone. We’re not going to keep everyone. But that’s OK.”

Committing to the development of his young players, Fisch said, is also part of the reason Washington hasn’t pursued some of the portal’s top talents. He explained he’d rather give the young talent opportunities than recruiting transfers that will block the path to playing time. 

“To just go replace guys to have our name talked about in the portal is not for us,” Fisch said.

This approach is particularly interesting to watch because of UW’s wide receiver situation. The Huskies won’t have Vines-Bright or Denzel Boston, who declared for the NFL draft, for 2026 and haven’t added a portal receiver. UW signed nine high-school wideouts during the past two recruiting cycles, including four incoming freshmen. Adding another bigger receiver like Boston may be a portal priority, and Fisch said UW is still evaluating its options at the position.

But transfer portal players, particularly ones with proven high-level production, command the most in terms of NIL compensation, Fisch noted. UW prioritizes using its funds to reward players already on its roster before using it to make transfer portal additions, Fisch said.

Sponsored

However, Fisch added many top programs have an additional $10-12 million in third-party NIL funds on top of the $20.5 million athletic departments share directly with student-athletes. Washington, Fisch said, doesn’t have that level of third-party NIL support yet. 

3. Adam Mohammed’s exit

Sophomore Adam Mohammed was perhaps the most surprising portal departure for Washington — outside Williams brief exit. The 6-foot, 220-pound running back from Glendale, Ariz., rushed for 523 yards and five touchdowns in 2025 and was touted as Jonah Coleman’s replacement for 2026.

But Mohammed, who followed Fisch and running backs coach Scottie Graham from Arizona, announced intentions to enter the portal days after UW’s LA Bowl victory. He eventually transferred to California. 

“I’m not sure why he left,” Fisch said. “I don’t know that. So I wish him the best. I’ve known Adam since he was a junior in high school. Obviously, you’d love to be able to hold onto every player. But you can’t. Sometimes you don’t.”

Fisch added Mohammed indicated he was considering leaving during the final days of practice before the LA Bowl. He said Mohammed only got two carries in the game because Fisch wanted to give Coleman an opportunity to finish his UW career on a high note after a difficult, injury-filled season and wanted to give other tailbacks like Jordan Washington an opportunity.

Following Mohammed’s exit, UW landed former Lake Stevens High standout Jayden Limar from Oregon and will continue with Washington, redshirt freshmen Quaid Carr and Julian McMahan and incoming freshmen Brian Bonner and Ansu Sanoe.

“We’ll continue with our running back room,” Fisch said, “to just move forward.”