College football transfer portal 2025: Live updates, spring tracker, rankings as Nico Iamaleava headlines

Live updates and analysis as the transfer portal opens on Wednesday

The NCAA spring transfer portal cycle for the 2025 college football season officially opens on Wednesday and will remain open through Friday, April 25. Though some players announced their intentions to transfer prior to Wednesday, they cannot officially enter the portal until it opened.

Given that thousands of FBS players enter the portal each cycle and NIL — as well as the upcoming House v. NCAA settlement — has become a differentiating factor in player acquisition, expect to see plenty of movement this offseason in what has become one of the most important periods on the college football calendar.

In addition to the notable transfer players that will be listed below as the process continues over the next month, keep it locked here as CBS Sports and 247Sports cover the transfer portal window from top to bottom with a live tracker, updated rankings and much more. Hit the key links below and keep scrolling for live updates.

NCAA transfer portal via 247Sports: Latest portal additions | Team transfer rankings 

Most notable players in transfer portal 2025

• Nico Iamaleava | QB | Tennessee
• Julian Neal | CB | Stanford
• Joe Cotton | T | South Dakota
• Mikai Gbayor | LB | Missouri
• Jaden Rashada | QB | Georgia
• Johntay Cook | WR | Washington
• Jaydn Ott | RB | Cal (Signed with Oklahoma)
  

[Apr 17, 2025 at 4:03 pm ET · Richard Johnson]

What sources say is happening at Cal

Cal losing five running backs this week alone set off alarms and I followed it up with some reporting to see what the heck's going on. 

Sources tell CBS Sports that part of Ott's departure traces back to significant turnover on the offensive staff. Cal replaced its entire offensive coaching group this offseason, including running backs coach Aristotle Thompson, who left for the same job at Northwestern and was replaced by Julian Griffin. Offensive coordinator Mike Bloesch was fired from his role. 

Multiple sources suggested new OC Bryan Harsin hasn't exactly been a culture fit. Harsin, who flamed out at Auburn in just two years as head coach, hasn't won over the locker room. Some close to the program believe his presence has accelerated the team's unraveling rather than stabilizing it. Nick Rolovich, who was fired by Washington State in 2021 for refusing to comply with the state's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, joined Cal's staff as a senior offensive analyst. 

I've got much more on Cal here:

The unraveling of Cal: Star exodus, a donor ultimatum and a football program running out of runway

Richard Johnson