Transfer portal · 2026
Northwestern Wildcats
Both windowsProjected two-deep impacti
+18
Projected two-deep roles added · 2026 arrivals
Northwestern added 18 transfers projected into the two-deep (7 as starters) against 8 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.
19
Arrivals
+11
8
Departures
0.86
Avg rating in
-0.01
0.88
Avg rating out
18
Proj two-deep in
—
—
Out roles untracked
10 of 19
’25 production in
—
6 of 8
’25 production out
How the roster changed
27 moves · 12 rooms touchediOffense+5 net players
Upgraded+2 players
QB
+2 in · −0 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
No departures
Aidan Chiles in from Michigan State drives the room.
Replaced+1 player
RB
+2 in · −1 out
InOut
Gavin Sawchuk in from Florida State drives the room.
Replaced+1 player
TE
+2 in · −1 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
Hunter Welcing out to Ohio State drives the room.
Upgraded+1 player
OL
+3 in · −2 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
?
Grant Seagren in from Oklahoma State drives the room.
No movement—
WR
+0 in · −0 out
InOutNo arrivalsNo departures
No portal movement in this room.
Defense+4 net players
Upgraded+2 players
DL
+2 in · −0 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
No departures
Glory Stephen-Wangboje in from Sacred Heart drives the room.
Replaced+1 player
EDGE
+2 in · −1 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
Anto Saka out to Texas A&M drives the room.
Upgraded+1 player
LB
+1 in · −0 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
No departures
Kobie McKinzie in from Oklahoma drives the room.
Replaced+1 player
CB
+2 in · −1 out
InOut
Brenden Deasfernandes in from Central Michigan drives the room.
Unresolved-1 player
S
+0 in · −1 out
InOut
No arrivals
Dillon Tatum out to Miami (OH) drives the room.
Specialists+2 net players
Replaced+1 player
P
+1 in · −0 out
InOutNo departures
D
Marko Dubak in from DuPage / Florida A&M / Indiana State / Mississippi Valley State drives the room.
Replaced+1 player
LS
+1 in · −0 out
InOut
No departures
Evan Boutorwick in from Michigan drives the room.
Replaced—
K
+1 in · −1 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
Jack Olsen out to Miami 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 Northwestern replace what it lost?
Role slots, not player-for-playerReplaced3 chains
TE
Starting slot
Out · to Ohio State
Hunter Welcing
rating 0.91 · 5% ’25 usage · 28 rec · 296 yds · 2 TD
Replaced
Medium confidence
In · from Minnesota Duluth
Luke Dehnicke
rating 0.88 · te1 starter
Jan 9
▾ Detail
OL
Starting slot
Out · to Houston
Hayden Wright
no ’25 production record
Replaced
Low confidence
In · from Oklahoma State
Grant Seagren
rating 0.86 · lt1 starter
Jan 8
▾ Detail
K
Starting slot
Out · to Miami
Jack Olsen
rating 0.85 · 18/20 FG · 76 pts
Upgrade
High confidence
In · from Bowling Green
Jackson Kleather
19/22 FG · 83 pts · pk1 starter
Jan 10
▾ Detail
Partially replaced3 chains
RB
Rotation slot
Out · to UConn
Dashun Reeder
rating 0.84 · 6% ’25 usage · 222 rush yds · 10.1 ypc · 1 TD
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Florida State
Gavin Sawchuk
rating 0.86 · 15% ’25 usage · 486 rush yds · 4.5 ypc · 8 TD · 13 rec · rb2 rotation
Jan 19
▾ Detail
EDGE
Starting slot
Out · to Texas A&M
Anto Saka
rating 0.92 · 13 tkl · 4 TFL · 3 sk
Partial replacement
High confidence
In · from UCF
Jamaal Johnson
rating 0.84 · 24 tkl · 1.5 TFL · rde1 starter
Jan 6
▾ Detail
CB
Rotation slot
Out · to Duke
Evan Smith
rating 0.86 · 6 tkl · 1 PD
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Central Michigan
Brenden Deasfernandes
rating 0.87 · 25 tkl · 2 INT · 8 PD · lcb2 rotation
Jan 6
▾ Detail
Not replaced1 chain
S
Production lost
Out · to Miami (OH)
Dillon Tatum
16 tkl · 1 PD
Unresolved
Loss not replaced
In
No portal addition
Jan 6
▾ Detail
Quality vs experience
Portal rating
0.750.800.850.900.951.00
No ’25 usage recordHigh-upside betProven impactDevelopmentalExperienced depthChilesMarchiolReederMcKinzie
0%20%40%60%
’25 usage share of previous team’s snapsets
7 unrated moves not plotted — see the ledger
How much Northwestern depends on transfers
Projected 2026 two-deep · 54 slotsQuarterback100%
2
Skill (RB/WR/TE)40%
6
1
3
Offensive line33%
6
3
Front seven (EDGE/DL/LB)58%
5
2
5
Secondary (CB/S)22%
7
2
Specialists42%
7
2
3
Returning signeesPrior-cycle transfers2026 transfers
43%
Projected two-deep from transfers
23 of 54 two-deep slots
9 of 28
Projected starters from transfers
7 from the 2026 cycle, 2 held over
47th
Big Ten percentile · transfer share
10th-most transfer-dependent two-deep of 18 Big Ten teams
Returning portal corePrior-cycle transfers still in the two-deep
Nigel Glover
LB · from Ohio State · 2024 cycle · MLB2 rotation
4 tkl
’25 · Northwestern
Chase Farrell
WR · from Stanford · 2025 cycle · KR2 rotation
3%
’25 usage · Northwestern
Griffin Wilde
WR · from South Dakota State · 2025 cycle · Z1 starter
12%
’25 usage · Northwestern
Jack Sadowsky V
LB · from Iowa State · 2025 cycle · WLB2 rotation
6 tkl
’25 · Northwestern
Where Northwestern’s transfers came from — and where they went
Sources · 19 arrivals8 departures · destinations
Non-FBS
4 players
Mid-American
3 players
Big 12
3 players
Big Ten
3 players
SEC
2 players
Independent
1 player
Other
3 players
+
ACC
2 players
Big 12
1 player
Mid-American
1 player
SEC
1 player
+
Unannounced
1 player
Big Ten
1 player
+
Other
1 player
Northwestern
+11 net moves
Arrived from · 19
Non-FBS
4 players
Mid-American
3 players
Big 12
3 players
Big Ten
3 players
SEC
2 players
Independent
1 player
+
Other
3 players
Departed to · 8
ACC
2 players
Big 12
1 player
Mid-American
1 player
SEC
1 player
+
Unannounced
1 player
Big Ten
1 player
+
Other
1 player
4arrivals came from Non-FBS programs — the single largest source.
18arrivals are projected straight into the two-deep (9 of 19 arrivals came from P4 leagues).
1departure stayed inside the Big Ten.
How the window developed
Cumulative net moves · in − out2 undated moves not plotted
All portal moves
27 of 27 moves match · 25 shownShow
Role in
Sort
PlayerPosDirectionOrigin / destinationRating’25 productionEligProjected roleDate
KM
Winter window · 4★
AC
Winter window · 4★
LD
Winter window · 3★
BD
Winter window · 3★
GS
Winter window · 3★
AH
Winter window · 3★
AA
Winter window · 3★
GS
Winter window · 3★
DK
Winter window · 3★
NM
Winter window · 3★
MP
Winter window · 3★
MP
Winter window · 3★
GS
Winter window · 3★
DA
Winter window · 3★
JJ
Winter window · 3★
NH
Winter window · 3★
?
—Immediate—Jan 8EB
Winter window
JK
Winter window · 2★