The Minnesota Golden Gophers’ 2025 transfer portal class has been a whirlwind. Nearly 20 scholarship players left ahead of the season.
Their departures hit in all kinds of ways—some players found new success, others faded into the background. Let’s take a look at where these former Gophers landed and how things shook out for them after leaving Minnesota.
If you want the full deep dive, the original article lives at 247Sports.
Quarterbacks on the Move
Quarterback transitions always leave a mark. The Gophers saw a pretty notable shift here.
Zach Pyron
*Zach Pyron, once Georgia Tech’s starter, came to Minnesota to compete with Drake Lindsey for the 2025 season. He left after spring ball, landed at South Alabama, but didn’t see the field for the Jaguars.*
Running Backs: Mixed Results
The running back room changed a lot, with some guys thriving and others barely making a dent.
Sieh Bangura
*Sieh Bangura, who transferred from Ohio, hoped to prove himself in the Big Ten. He got just four carries before heading back to Ohio for 2025, where he tore up the MAC—1,375 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 5.7 yards per carry. Not bad at all.*
Jordan Nubin
*Jordan Nubin, Tyler’s younger brother, left a memory with his 200-yard game against Michigan State. He transferred to Kent State to play for Mo Ibrahim, racking up 253 rushing yards in 2025.*
Jaydon Wright
*Jaydon Wright redshirted his first year, then hit the portal and went to Louisiana-Monroe. He played just two snaps on offense in 2025.*
Wide Receivers: Seeking Opportunities
Receivers bounced around a lot too. Some couldn’t quite find their footing.
Tyler Williams
*Tyler Williams, a four-star from Georgia, transferred to Minnesota for 2024 but played just three offensive snaps. He left for South Florida, didn’t play there either, and now isn’t on the 2026 roster.*
TJ McWilliams
*McWilliams saw nine offensive snaps in two years at Minnesota, then transferred to Louisville for 2025. He didn’t catch a pass, but did get some work as a punt returner.*
Kristen Hoskins
*Hoskins, from Alexandria, played four snaps as a Gopher before moving to North Dakota to play for Isaac Fruechte. He ended up with 19 touches for 125 yards and no touchdowns for the Fighting Hawks.*
Tight Ends and Offensive Linemen: New Beginnings
The tight end and O-line groups lost a few guys too, with mixed results wherever they ended up.
Nathan Jones
*Nathan Jones, a Texas native from the 2022 class, caught one pass in three years at Minnesota. He transferred to Abilene Christian, played 26 snaps, and caught one pass there too.*
Martes Lewis
*Martes Lewis, from Indiana, played over 750 snaps in three years for the Gophers. He transferred to Northwestern, started against Minnesota, and held down right tackle for most of the season with a 64.2 PFF grade.*
Phillip Daniels
*Phillip Daniels might sting the most. He finished 2024 as Minnesota’s starting right tackle as a redshirt freshman, then went back home to Ohio when the Buckeyes called. He started every game at right tackle for Ohio State as a redshirt sophomore, finishing with a 66.1 PFF grade.*
Defensive Linemen: Finding New Roles
The defensive line saw quite a few departures, and some of these guys finally got a shot somewhere else.
Martin Owusu
*Martin Owusu, from Prior Lake, played three snaps for Minnesota before joining Matt Entz at Fresno State. He started nine games, made 22 tackles, knocked down two passes, and had one tackle for loss.*
Hayden Schwartz
*Hayden Schwartz, a Florida native, played 11 defensive snaps at Minnesota and never found his spot. He transferred to Montana, played 349 snaps, and tallied 27 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks.*
Luther McCoy
*Luther McCoy, another Florida product, battled injuries as a Gopher before heading to Hawaii. He finally got some run in the Mountain West—246 snaps, 22 tackles, and 2.5 tackles for loss.*
Linebackers: New Horizons
Linebacker departures brought both fresh starts and setbacks for these guys.
Tyler Stolsky
*Tyler Stolsky, a Michigan walk-on, got playing time in 2023 when injuries hit the linebacker room. He transferred to Florida Atlantic, posted 90 tackles last fall, then hit the portal again and will now be at West Virginia.*
Alex Elliott
*Alex Elliott, from Hutchinson, didn’t play a game for the Gophers. He transferred to Fargo but suffered an injury and missed all of 2025.*
David Amaliri
*David Amaliri, from Canada, left Minnesota early and ended up at Lindenwood in Missouri. He played just five defensive snaps last fall.*
Safeties: New Challenges
The safety group lost a few as well, and their new chapters have been a mixed bag.
Coleman Bryson
*Coleman Bryson, the Pinstripe Bowl MVP, saw the safety room get crowded and headed home to North Carolina. He played defensive snaps in all 12 games for the Tar Heels—225 snaps, 17 tackles—and finished with a 60.0 PFF grade.*
Craig McDonald
*Craig McDonald, a former Cyclone defender, took a winding road. He went to Auburn, then Minnesota, before transferring to Utah State.*
*He didn’t play that fall, though. Sometimes things just don’t work out the way you plan, right?*
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Curious for more? You can find all the details over at 247Sports.
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