One impactful defensive transfer to watch for each MAC team in 2026

In 2026, the Mid-American Conference was undoubtedly a defensive-oriented league. The MAC produced three AP All-Americans, and all three were on the defensive side of the ball. The conference also generated four NFL Draft selections, and once again, all four resided on defense.

In fact, the MAC's MVP (Vern Smith Leadership Award) went to a defensive player for the fifth time in the award's 45-year history. The recipient was Western Michigan defensive end Nadame Tucker, a transfer from Houston who didn't experience significant playing time prior to 2025. Every MAC team hopes it found its version of Nadame Tucker in the portal this offseason. Here, we take a look at the defensive transfers slated to have the greatest impacts in the MAC this fall:

Akron Zips

OLB Dwight Nunoo — FIU

Dwight Nunoo starred at the JUCO level prior to onboarding at FIU. In two seasons at FIU, the 6'1", 230 pound outside linebacker only amassed 10 games of experience. Yet his impact was felt in those 10 contests as a reserve. Nunoo arrives to Akron with 19 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.0 sack at the FBS level. The Zips hope he'll be a perfect addition to a defense that returns three starters including edge rusher Cyrus Durham and defensive tackle Ronald Hull up front.

Ball State Cardinals

OLB Jared Badie — San Diego State

Ball State's best player in 2025 was undoubtedly Nathan Voorhis, who attained 12.0 sacks and 17.0 tackles for loss. Voorhis is currently testing the waters of the NFL as an undrafted free agent, and now there is a Voorhis-sized vacancy in the Ball State defense. The Cardinals need a new premier pass rusher, and San Diego State transfer Jared Badie will be called upon to be that player. The Aurora, IL native moves significantly closer to home after racking up 12 tackles and a share of a sack with the Aztecs.

Bowling Green Falcons

FS Mike Wright III — Florida Atlantic

Bowling Green's defense will look significantly different in 2026. The Falcons trotted out a solid aerial defense in year one of the Eddie George era, allowing just 202 passing yards per game on a 58.9 completion rate. The secondary needs reloading though, and Mike Wright III is one of the transfers that will take on that task. At Florida Atlantic, Wright appeared in 20 games and made one start. He collected 14 tackles and an interception and should see increased playing time as a junior in orange and brown.

Buffalo Bulls

ILB Stevie Bracey — Virginia

Buffalo is undoubtedly Linebacker U of the MAC in the 2020s, regularly trotting out First Team All-MAC talent like Red Murdock, Shaun Dolac, and James Patterson. After Murdock was drafted by the Denver Broncos in April, Buffalo needs a new leader of this esteemed linebacking corps. One candidate is Virginia transfer Stevie Bracey, who will don Murdock's signature No. 2 jersey. Bracey accrued valuable experience with the Cavaliers from 2022-25, generating 26 tackles in 20 games. Injuries largely kept him off the field the past two seasons, but now Buffalo presents the 6'0", 235 pound linebacker an opportunity at redemption with a clean slate.

Central Michigan Chippewas

FS Justin Taylor — Wyoming

Central Michigan lost nine defensive starters between year one and year two of the Matt Drinkall era. The Chippewas' portal additions are primarily from the FCS level, but they secured one transfer directly from another FBS program in Justin Taylor. The Chicago native free safety suited up in all 12 games at Wyoming last season, producing 19 tackles, one interception, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery. Prior to his days in the Mountain West, Taylor spent two seasons in Wisconsin. This fall, he'll be a valuable addition to a Central Michigan defense which lost the entirety of its starting secondary.

Eastern Michigan Eagles

DT Peyton Christian — Lamar (FCS)

Eastern Michigan was home to the nation's worst run defense in 2025, surrendering north of 232 rushing yards per game. The Eagles desperately need to offer resistance in the interior, and that's where the 6'1", 304 pound Peyton Christian enters the conversation. Christian was an all-conference honoree at Lamar last season with 38 tackles and 4.0 tackles for loss as a 13-game starter. Now he transitions from the FCS to the MAC, aiming to be the solution for the Eagles' struggle against the ground game.

Kent State Golden Flashes

ILB Rocco Nicholl — South Florida

Selecting a player that spent the majority of his snaps in a Kent State uniform may be cheating on this assignment. But after a one-year stint at South Florida, Rocco Nicholl is back at Kent State and ready to pick up where he left off. The 0-12 campaign in 2024 was one the Golden Flashes would like to forget, but Nicholl was one of the few bright spots that season. He rose into a starting role and contributed 61 tackles in eight contests before suffering a season-ending injury. Now he returns to a kent State roster ready to compete for bowl eligibility and should fit seamlessly in the linebacking corps.

Miami RedHawks

DE Mikah Coleman — Cincinnati

Miami lured in one of the top transfer portal classes in the MAC, with a slew of experienced defenders making the trek to Oxford, OH this spring. Among them is Mikah Coleman, who earned substantial playing time at Eastern Michigan and Cincinnati. In 2023 at Eastern Michigan, Coleman logged 38 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Then in 2025 at Cincinnati (after missing the entirety of 2024 due to injury), he totaled 33 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, and 2.0 sacks. Granted a cleaner slate of health this offseason, Coleman is ready to star in the RedHawks' pass rush, specifically as the replacement for First Team All-MAC defensive end Adam Trick, who transferred to Texas Tech.

Ohio Bobcats

DE Tyler Gillison — Michigan State

Ohio is undergoing a coaching change. However, the internal hire of defensive coordinator John Hauser allowed the Bobcats to retain five defensive starters from 2025. Thus, Hauser and his staff are using the portal more to fill in the gaps than overhaul the unit. One key addition from the portal is edge rusher Tyler Gillison, who had previous stops at Cincinnati (2022-23) and Michigan State (2024-25). Gillison has 18 collegiate tackles, including 15 as a Bearcat in the 2023 campaign. Ohio lost Jay Crable and Anas Lugman to the portal — the only two Bobcats to attain four sacks or more in 2025. That creates a golden opportunity for Gillison to step up in Athens.

Sacramento State Hornets

FS Amari Wallace — Miami (FL)

Sacramento State essentially landed a 4-star recruit out of high school. Amari Wallace was labeled the No. 26 safety in the class of 2025 by both 247Sports and ESPN. He spent one season at Miami (FL), although he did not accrue any playing time for the national runner-up. The Miami native had a laundry list of offers coming out of high school, ranging from Alabama to Oklahoma to Penn State. Instead, the safety will likely see his first snaps at Sacramento State as the prized transfer addition for the newest MAC program.

Toledo Rockets

DE Andrew Zock — Mercer (FCS)

After experiencing their first coaching change in a decade, the Rockets' roster is laden with transfers. There are 14 transfers on the roster that played under head coach Mike Jacobs at Mercer last season, and the biggest gem Toledo landed from the FCS program is Andrew Zock. Zock won the Buck Buchanan Award in 2025, which is handed to the best defensive player in the FCS. The star defensive end registered 46 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, and 23 QB pressures in 12 contests. Now he becomes the lead pass rusher for a Toledo program that has produced seven defensive draft picks in the last five seasons.

UMass Minutemen

CB Isaiah Reed — UCF

Isaiah Reed is back in the New England area. The sixth-year senior spent four seasons at FCS program Brown, becoming a decorated player with a First Team All-Ivy League selection and team captain status. Reed leveraged his stardom into a transfer to UCF, however, he only landed one tackle in four appearances with the Knights. Now he takes his seven career interceptions to a UMass team in desperate need of defensive stardom. The Minutemen only intercepted four passes in 12 games last year and allowed an FBS-high 38.6 points per game, and they hope an established cornerback can be part of the solution.

Western Michigan Broncos

DE Austin Alexander — North Carolina

Nadame Tucker won MAC Defensive Player of the Year and MVP honors in 2025, ranking atop the country with 14.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss. Before Tucker terrorized backfields on a MAC championship-winning defense, he was buried deep on the Houston depth chart. With the Broncos losing their entire defensive front, finding the next Tucker in the portal is a priority. One intriguing addition is Austin Alexander, a 6'3", 240 pound edge rusher with a build similar to Tucker. Alexander registered three tackles last season at North Carolina and eyes a breakout season for the reigning conference champions.

Also read: One impactful offensive transfer to watch for each MAC team in 2026