Transfer portal · 2026
Buffalo Bulls
Both windowsProjected two-deep impacti
+22
Projected two-deep roles added · 2026 arrivals
Buffalo added 22 transfers projected into the two-deep (11 as starters) against 15 departures whose next roles aren’t tracked here. Every number on this page is counted, not modelled — no composite portal grade is published because no defensible one exists yet.
25
Arrivals
+10
15
Departures
0.83
Avg rating in
-0.02
0.85
Avg rating out
22
Proj two-deep in
—
—
Out roles untracked
1 of 25
’25 production in
—
13 of 15
’25 production out
How the roster changed
40 moves · 13 rooms touchediOffense+4 net players
Replaced+3 players
OL
+4 in · −1 out · 4 proj starters in
InOut
Henry Tabansi out to UCF drives the room.
Replaced+1 player
QB
+1 in · −0 out
InOut
No departures
Elijah Holmes in from Wingate drives the room.
Replaced+1 player
TE
+1 in · −0 out
InOutNo departures
D
Clint Walker in from Davenport drives the room.
Replaced—
WR
+2 in · −2 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
E
Victor Snow out to NC State drives the room.
Unresolved-1 player
RB
+0 in · −1 out
InOut
No arrivals
Lamar Sperling out to UTEP drives the room.
Defense+2 net players
Replaced+3 players
LB
+4 in · −1 out · 2 proj starters in
InOut
A
Dion Crawford out to Michigan State drives the room.
Replaced+1 player
EDGE
+3 in · −2 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
Demetrius Ballard out to Boston College drives the room.
Replaced—
S
+1 in · −1 out
InOut
Jalen McNair out to Virginia drives the room.
Replaced-1 player
DL
+2 in · −3 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
?
Junior Poyser out to Wisconsin drives the room.
Replaced-1 player
CB
+2 in · −3 out
InOut
?
Sayre Smothers in from The Citadel drives the room.
Specialists+4 net players
Upgraded+2 players
LS
+2 in · −0 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
No departures
E
Joseph Stoever in from Georgia Tech drives the room.
Replaced+1 player
K
+1 in · −0 out
InOutNo departures
S
Zach McGowan in from SUNY Brockport drives the room.
Upgraded+1 player
P
+2 in · −1 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
Andrew VanSlyke in from James Madison drives the room.
ArrivalDepartureHeavy ring · proj starter inThin ring · rotation inDotted · depth role or no ’25 recordMarker size = ’25 usage share (smallest = none recorded)
Did Buffalo replace what it lost?
Role slots, not player-for-playerReplaced1 chain
WR
Starting slot
Out · to Kansas
Nik McMillan
rating 0.85 · 10% ’25 usage · 61 rec · 975 yds · 3 TD
Replaced
Medium confidence
In · from Louisville
Chance Morrow
no ’25 production record · x1 starter
—
▾ Detail
Partially replaced9 chains
OL
Starting slot
Out · to UCF
Henry Tabansi
rating 0.86
Partial replacement
Low confidence
In · from Baylor
Joe Crocker
rating 0.84 · rg1 starter
Jan 11
▾ Detail
EDGE
Starting slot
Out · to Boston College
Demetrius Ballard
rating 0.85 · 13 tkl · 2.5 TFL · 1.5 sk
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Wofford
Caleb Oliver
rating 0.83 · rde1 starter
Jan 10
▾ Detail
EDGE
Rotation slot
Out · to UConn
Shamar Riser-Pressley
rating 0.85 · 3 tkl
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Indiana-Pennsylvania
Logan Goodwin
rating 0.84 · lde2 rotation
Jan 17
▾ Detail
DL
Starting slot
Out · to Wisconsin
Junior Poyser
rating 0.86 · 30 tkl · 5 TFL · 4 sk
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Florida A&M
Stantavious Smith
rating 0.84 · rdt1 starter
Jan 18
▾ Detail
DL
Rotation slot
Out · to Kennesaw State
Devin Morgan
rating 0.83 · 22 tkl · 5.5 TFL · 3.5 sk
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Saginaw Valley State
Mason Nickel
rating 0.82 · ldt2 rotation
Jan 12
▾ Detail
LB
Starting slot
Out · to Michigan State
Dion Crawford
rating 0.85 · 79 tkl · 5 TFL · 3.5 sk
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Cornell
Joey Cheshire
rating 0.84 · mlb1 starter
Jan 19
▾ Detail
CB
Rotation slot
Out · to unannounced
?
Marquis Cooper
30 tkl · 0.5 TFL · 4 PD
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Morehead State
Drayson Crane
no ’25 production record · lcb2 rotation
—
▾ Detail
S
Rotation slot
Out · to Virginia
Jalen McNair
rating 0.85 · 50 tkl · 2 TFL · 2 INT
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from West Virginia
Zae Jennings
3 tkl · 1 TFL · fs2 rotation
—
▾ Detail
P
Starting slot
Out · to Purdue
Dylan Drennan
64 punts · 44.8 yd avg
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from James Madison
Andrew VanSlyke
rating 0.80 · pt1 starter
Jan 17
▾ Detail
Not replaced3 chains
RB
Production lost
Out · to UTEP
Lamar Sperling
rating 0.83 · 7% ’25 usage · 234 rush yds · 6 ypc · 1 TD
Unresolved
Loss not replaced
In
No portal addition
Feb 3
▾ Detail
WR
Production lost
Out · to NC State
Victor Snow
rating 0.86 · 11% ’25 usage · 62 rec · 815 yds · 8 TD
Unresolved
Room restocked · slot open
In
No further two-deep addition
1 two-deep arrival answers other losses · 1 depth arrival in room
Jan 5
▾ Detail
CB
Production lost
Out · to Marshall
Charles McCartherens
9 tkl · 1 TFL · 1 sk
Unresolved
Room restocked · slot open
In
No further two-deep addition
1 two-deep arrival answers other losses · 1 depth arrival in room · 2 producing losses unanswered
Jan 10
▾ Detail
Quality vs experience
Portal rating
0.750.800.850.900.951.00
No ’25 usage recordHigh-upside betProven impactDevelopmentalExperienced depthSnowSmothers
0%20%40%60%
’25 usage share of previous team’s snapsets
17 unrated moves not plotted — see the ledger
How much Buffalo depends on transfers
Projected 2026 two-deep · 54 slotsQuarterback50%
1
1
Skill (RB/WR/TE)40%
6
2
2
Offensive line60%
4
2
4
Front seven (EDGE/DL/LB)67%
4
8
Secondary (CB/S)60%
4
4
2
Specialists60%
4
6
Returning signeesPrior-cycle transfers2026 transfers
57%
Projected two-deep from transfers
31 of 54 two-deep slots
16 of 27
Projected starters from transfers
11 from the 2026 cycle, 5 held over
83rd
Mid-American percentile · transfer share
3rd-most transfer-dependent two-deep of 13 Mid-American teams
Returning portal corePrior-cycle transfers still in the two-deep
SaVeon Brown
CB · from Western Michigan · 2024 cycle · NB1 starter
52 tkl
’25 · Buffalo
Oliver Bridges
CB · from Cincinnati · 2024 cycle · RCB2 rotation
12 tkl
’25 · Buffalo
Gabriel Arena
OL · from Virginia Tech · 2024 cycle · LT2 rotation
—
no ’25 record
Keontez Bradley
CB · from Arizona State · 2025 cycle · RCB1 starter
28 tkl
’25 · Buffalo
Miles Greer
S · from Shepherd · 2025 cycle · SS1 starter
74 tkl
’25 · Buffalo
Jacob Merritt
OL · from Michigan State · 2025 cycle · RT2 rotation
—
no ’25 record
Jasaiah Gathings
WR · from UConn · 2025 cycle · Z1 starter
9%
’25 usage · Buffalo
Trevor Wilson
TE · from Campbell · pre-2026 · TE1 starter
—
no ’25 record
Where Buffalo’s transfers came from — and where they went
Sources · 25 arrivals15 departures · destinations
Non-FBS
11 players
Unlisted
5 players
+
ACC
4 players
Big 12
2 players
Sun Belt
1 player
Mid-American
1 player
Other
1 player
+
ACC
3 players
Big Ten
3 players
+
Unannounced
2 players
Big 12
2 players
Sun Belt
2 players
Conference USA
1 player
+
Other
2 players
Buffalo
+10 net moves
Arrived from · 25
Non-FBS
11 players
+
Unlisted
5 players
ACC
4 players
Big 12
2 players
Sun Belt
1 player
Mid-American
1 player
+
Other
1 player
Departed to · 15
ACC
3 players
Big Ten
3 players
+
Unannounced
2 players
Big 12
2 players
Sun Belt
2 players
Conference USA
1 player
+
Other
2 players
11arrivals came from Non-FBS programs — the single largest source.
22arrivals are projected straight into the two-deep (6 of 25 arrivals came from P4 leagues).
0departures stayed inside the Mid-American.
How the window developed
Cumulative net moves · in − out10 undated moves not plotted
All portal moves
40 of 40 moves match · 25 shownShow
Role in
Sort
PlayerPosDirectionOrigin / destinationRating’25 productionEligProjected roleDate
SS
Winter window · 3★
JC
Winter window · 3★
LG
Winter window · 3★
SS
Winter window · 3★
JC
Winter window · 3★
NN
Winter window · 3★
NF
Winter window · 3★
EH
Winter window · 3★
CO
Winter window · 3★
ZB
Winter window · 3★
SB
Winter window · 3★
MN
Winter window · 3★
AV
Winter window · 3★
MC
Winter window
?
—Immediate—Dec 27MV
Winter window · 3★
?
—Immediate—Dec 31