Eight transferred MAC stars selected at 2026 NFL Draft

Well north of 3,000 scholarship college football players entered the transfer portal this offseason.

That being said, in the modern era of college football, sometimes it's impossible to define a player by a single school. While one college is credited on the bottom line when a player is selected at the NFL Draft, the journey is often far more complex. Many draft picks, including No. 1 overall selection Fernando Mendoza, shined at different programs before earning that coveted spot at the professional level.

The Mid-American Conference is one league particularly affected by the transfer portal. Each offseason in the 2020s, the All-MAC teams essentially become shopping lists for other programs willing to spend on already-developed talent. The results of that show in the NFL Draft.

In 2026, the MAC produced four draft selections — Toledo free safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Miami (OH) inside linebacker Jackson Kuwatch, Toledo cornerback Andre Fuller, and Buffalo inside linebacker Red Murdock.

However, there were eight additional NFL Draft selections with MAC experience. Here are the prospects that made it to the league by way of the MAC, even if the conference wasn't the final destination:

EDGE Cashius Howell

Bowling Green (2021-23), Texas A&M (2024-25)

Drafted: #41 overall in second round by Cincinnati Bengals

Howell spent his first three seasons at Bowling Green, witnessing a notable breakthrough in 2023 when he produced 9.5 sacks to lead the MAC. He earned third-team all-MAC honors and transferred to Texas A&M, where he unearthed a new level of his game. In 2025, Howell won SEC Defensive Player of the Year behind 11.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and six pass batdowns — causing frequent havoc at the line of scrimmage. His signature moment on a College Football Playoff caliber defense included an unthinkable sequence where he sacked Utah State three times in three plays last September.

TE Will Kacmarek

Ohio (2021-23), Ohio State (2024-25)

Drafted: #87 overall in third round by Miami Dolphins

Kacmarek suited up for Ohio during the beginning stages of the Tim Albin era, right as the Bobcats entered their glory days. He caught 20 passes for 264 yards on a 2022 Ohio team that qualified for the MAC title game and then added another 22 receptions for 243 yards in 2023. Upon arriving at Ohio State in 2024, Kacmarek primarily held a reserve role but played a role in all four Buckeye playoff wins, resulting in a national championship. He moved to the starting lineup in 2025, securing 15 catches for 168 yards. However, Kacmarek's signature is his ability in the world of run blocking, which warranted him a day two pick.

FS Jalen Huskey

Bowling Green (2022-23), Maryland (2024-25)

Drafted: #100 overall in third round by Jacksonville Jaguars

Huskey onboarded as a reserve safety at Bowling Green in 2022. But in 2023, he took off to another level, earning First Team All-MAC honors in a season featuring 52 tackles, six pass breakups, and four interceptions — leading the Falcon defense to its first winning season since 2015. The Maryland native then transferred to Big Ten country in a move back to his home state. As a Terrapin, Huskey recorded 117 tackles and seven interceptions across two seasons, concluding his career as a Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2025.

HB Mike Washington Jr.

Buffalo (2021-23), New Mexico State (2024), Arkansas (2025)

Drafted: #122 overall in fourth round by Las Vegas Raiders

Washington posted a 9.88 Relative Athletic Score, testing as one of the best running backs in NFL Combine history with a 4.33-second 40 time, a 39-inch vertical, a 10-foot-8-inch broad jump, and quality size measurements. Before becoming a Combine legend, Washington operated in split backfields at Buffalo, forming a thunder and lightning duo with Ron Cook Jr. His best season in the MAC transpired in 2022 when he attained 625 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. However, his production skyrocketed after transferring, compiling 725 rushing yards at New Mexico State in 2024 and 1,070 at Arkansas in 2025.

WR Reggie Virgil

Miami (OH) (2022-24), Texas Tech (2025)

Drafted: #143 overall in fifth round by Arizona Cardinals

Virgil corralled just two receptions in his first two years at Miami. But in 2024, the vertical threat receiver exploded onto the scene to take the MAC by storm. He recorded 41 receptions for 816 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging a spectacular 19.9 yards per catch. After three 100-yard showings and a second-team all-MAC nod, Virgil transferred to Texas Tech where he won his second conference championship — this time as a member of the Big 12. He ranked first on the playoff-bound Red Raiders in receptions (57) and second in yards (705) before landing in the fifth round of the 2026 draft.

EDGE George Gumbs

Northern Illinois (2021-23), Florida (2024-25)

Drafted: #156 overall in fifth round by Indianapolis Colts

Gumbs is one of the more intriguing stories in this batch of players, arriving to DeKalb as a receiver prospect before bulking up and playing as a blocking tight end for his first two seasons. Gumbs would then make the conversion to defense in an effort to see the field more and it worked, collecting 32 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks over 12 games as part of the EDGE rotation. Gumbs took a chance on himself and transferred out in 2024, arriving at Florida. In two years with the Gators, Gumbs picked up 66 tackles, including 14.5 TFLs, 7.5 sacks and two each of pass break-ups and fumble recoveries. Gumbs earned a starting role in 2025, and was named to the East-West Shrine Bowl after earning a reputation as one of the SEC's better run defenders. His 9.19 Relative Athletic Score will certainly be a fit with the Colts.

TE Tanner Koziol

Ball State (2022-24), Houston (2025)

Drafted: #164 overall in fifth round by Jacksonville Jaguars

Koziol caught more passes than any college football tight end over the last two seasons. He was the focal point of Ball State's offense in 2024, securing 94 receptions (sixth in the entire FBS) for 839 yards and three touchdowns. Koziol caught at least nine passes in seven of 12 contests that season as a second-team all-MAC selection. The Ball State standout then transferred to Houston and ranked atop the entire FBS in tight end receptions in 2025 with 74. The 6'7", 247 lb. tight end presents an impressive catch radius which earned him first-team all-Big 12 honors in his lone season with the Cougars.

DT Skyler Gill-Howard

Upper Iowa [Division II] (2021), Northern Illinois (2022-24), Texas Tech (2025)

Drafted: #205 overall in sixth round by Detroit Lions

Gill-Howard was the second MAC star-turned-Red Raider chosen at the 2026 NFL Draft. He originated as a Division II prospect before onboarding with the Huskies in 2022. Interestingly enough, Gill-Howard never earned full-time starting status at NIU — only making one start in 24 games. Still, he earned second-team all-MAC honors in 2024 as a valuable rotation piece with five sacks and eight tackles for loss, delivering some impressive tape in NIU's landmark upset over Notre Dame. Texas Tech took a flier on Gill-Howard who wreaked havoc on the defensive line before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in October.