The spring window of the college football transfer portal opened Wednesday, April 16 and closed Friday, April 25. Players who intend to transfer must enter their names into the portal before the window closes, but do not need to have selected their next school by then.
Here is a summary of which players have committed to UNC out of the portal:
LB Jonathan Agumadu
Jonathan Agumadu spent his freshman season at Oklahoma State, where he redshirted after appearing in the Cowboys’ final four games of the season. He had a decorated high school career in Dallas, with ESPN ranking him as the No. 62 linebacker prospect in his class. He will have four years of eligibility with UNC.
TE Shamar Easter
Easter arrives at UNC after spending his first two seasons with Arkansas. The consensus No. 1 overall player in his class from the state of Arkansas, Easter redshirted his first year with the Razorbacks in 2023 and played sparingly in 2024, recording one catch. Now, Easter comes to UNC with three years of eligibility remaining.
DB Gregory Smith III
Image via Florida Athletics/Jordan Herald
Smith played his true freshman season at Florida, where he played in five games (including the Gator’s bowl game) and retained a redshirt. Smith saw the most action in the season finale at Florida State, when he played 49 snaps and finished with three total tackles. He will have a full four years of eligibility with UNC.
DB Khristian Dunbar-Hawkins
Image via UCLA Athletics /Nate Donleay
Dunbar-Hawkins comes to UNC from UCLA, where he spent his freshman season but did not play. He signed with the Bruins ranked by Rivals as the No. 26 overall prospect in the state of California. Dunbar-Hawkins has familial ties to UNC, as defensive backs coach Armond Hawkins is his older brother. Dunbar-Hawkins will have four years of eligibility with the Tar Heels.
OL Jakai Moore
A veteran in the trenches, the 2025 season will be Moore’s seventh year of college football. At South Carolina, he redshirted his true freshman season in 2019, then redshirted what would have been his “COVID season” in 2024 after undergoing shoulder surgery. His petition for a medical redshirt was granted, and he will spend his final season with the Tar Heels. Moore has appeared in 44 games and made 28 starts.
LS Gannon Burt
Image via Florida Athletics/Jay Metz
A long snapper who spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Florida, Burt appeared in two games for the Gators in 2024 with 15 total snaps. He was named to the SEC’s All-Freshman team and its Academic Honor Roll. A rising redshirt sophomore, Burt will have three seasons of eligibility with the Tar Heels.
OL Will O’Steen
A multi-year starter at Jacksonville State, O’Steen earned an honorable mention All-Conference USA nod as a redshirt junior in 2023 along with a spot on the Conference USA All-Academic team. He started every game at left tackle for a Gamecock offense which ranked fifth in all of FBS in rushing offense. He will have one year of eligibility with UNC.
DL Isaiah Johnson
Image via Arizona Athletics/Marison Bilagody
Johnson comes to UNC by way of Arizona, where he spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career. The rising redshirt junior appeared in 10 games in 2024, finishing with nine total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He will have two seasons of eligibility as a Tar Heel.
DL D’Antre Robinson
Image via Florida Athletics/Catherine McCarthy
A former four-star recruit, Robinson played in 11 games and started one as a freshman at Florida in 2024. He made an early impact, recording 17 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. His play increased late in the season, as he played a season-high 27 snaps in the season finale and started Florida’s bowl game. Robinson was also named to the SEC’s Fall Academic Honor Roll. He will have three seasons of eligibility with the Tar Heels.
DL Joseph Mupoyi
Mupoyi comes to UNC by way of Penn State, where he spent the first two seasons of his career. The rising redshirt sophomore played in two games during the 2024 season after not playing at all as a true freshman. He will have three years of eligibility remaining with the Tar Heels.
OL Jordan Hall
Hall’s physical traits leap off the page: the rising redshirt sophomore from UAB measures in at six-foot-eight and weighs 310 pounds. The big man played in all 12 of the Blazers’ games in 2024 and started one. UAB’s offense averaged nearly 400 yards per game last season, including more than 130 yards per game on the ground.
WR Dayton Sneed
KNOXVILLE, TN – September 09, 2023 – Wide receiver Dayton Sneed #82 of the Tennessee Volunteers before the game between the Austin Peay Governors and the Tennessee Volunteers at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics
Dayton Sneed comes to UNC after spending his first two seasons and the 2025 spring practice season at Tennessee. As a Volunteer, he caught two passes for 19 yards. The rising redshirt sophomore will have three years of eligibility with UNC.
RB Benjamin Hall
A true freshman on Michigan’s national championship team in 2023, Hall appeared in 11 games across his two years as a Wolverine. He carried the ball a total of 44 times for 141 yards. Now, Hall is headed to Chapel Hill with three years of eligibility remaining.
QB Gio Lopez
Image via South Alabama Athletics
Lopez represents a key pickup for UNC’s roster, considering quarterbacks Jacolby Criswell and Conner Harrell departed the Tar Heel program in the winter and Purdue transfer Ryan Browne entered the portal in the first day of the spring window. After leading South Alabama to a bowl victory to end his freshman season — in which he only played four games — Lopez earned the full-time starting role in 2024 and finished with 2,559 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions. The former three-star recruit from Madison, AL also ran the ball for 463 yards and seven touchdowns.
As a rising redshirt sophomore, Lopez will have three seasons of eligibility with the Tar Heels.
K Rece Verhoff
Verhoff spent the first three seasons of his career with Marshall, where he finished 38-57 (66.7 percent) on field goals and 105-107 (98.1 percent) on extra points. His final season with the Thundering Herd was his best, as Verhoff was a perfect 40-40 on extra points and 14-19 (73.7 percent) on field goals. He will have one year of eligibility remaining at UNC.
P Jacob Horvath
Horvath, originally from Australia, comes to UNC via Eastern Illinois, where he spent two seasons as the starter and was named second team All-Big South/OVC in 2024. As a sophomore, Horvath ranked 13th in all of FCS football in punting average and booted 15 kicks of 50 or more yards, including a 76-yarder which ranks as the fifth-longest punt in Eastern Illinois program history.
WR Adrian Wilson
Despite being only a freshman, Wilson has already been committed to four schools before playing a single snap: TCU, Oregon, Arizona State and, most recently, Colorado. Wilson spent the spring with the Buffaloes but entered the transfer portal shortly after it opened. On3 Sports ranks the Texas native as a four-star prospect and the No. 308 overall player in his class.
LB Mikai Gbayor
Image via Nebraska Athletics/Scott Bruhn
Gbayor’s move to UNC marked his second foray into the transfer portal in less than a year. He spent four seasons at Nebraska, redshirting in 2021 and 2022. He began to carve out a role on the Huskers’ defense in 2023, appearing in all 12 of the team’s games and starting four. Gbayor then made 11 starts in 2024, finishing with 49 total tackles, six tackles for loss, three pass break-ups, two fumble recoveries and a sack. Gbayor earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in both 2023 and 2024. He will have two seasons of eligibility with UNC.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines