With the transfer portal opening on Jan. 2, several USF players with remaining eligibility have elected to enter the portal rather than stay for the start of the Brian Hartline era.
Nine USF players have entered the transfer portal thus far. But the biggest name has been the face of USF football over the last three seasons: quarterback Byrum Brown. Right after Brown announced that he would enter the transfer portal, he left this message on X.
Brown announced that he will enter the transfer portal, and rumors are flying around that he will end up at North Carolina. Brown is from North Carolina and may plan to enter dental school there. Some other schools that will definitely contact Brown include Miami, Florida, Florida State, LSU, and Tennessee, among others, to gauge Brown’s interest. Auburn is another option, given that former USF head coach Alex Golesh is now there.
It stings a little to lose Brown with a year of eligibility remaining. But this is not a time for USF fans to vent their emotions on social media. We should all be thankful that we got to witness the best quarterback in USF history, and he has now put himself in a position for a big payday.
Evaluating Brown as an NFL quarterback—he needs to play against better competition so any scout can see him play against top-notch competition. If the NFL draft were held today, Brown would at best be a late-round draft pick. If he can translate the success he had at USF to a marquee program like Auburn, Miami, or Florida, that would dramatically improve his draft status.
Brown owns at least 15 school records. He is fourth in rushing yards all-time with 2,265, fifth in passing yards with 7,690, third in rushing touchdowns with 31, and third in passing touchdowns with 61.
With Gaston Moore out of eligibility, and Brown entering the transfer portal, that leaves sophomore Locklan Hewlett as the only quarterback on the USF roster.
New coach Brian Hartline will need to lean on the transfer portal to add at least three or maybe four quarterbacks to the roster.
Other transfers:
WR Chas Nimrod– Nimrod had 23 catches for 466 yards and three touchdowns.
RB Alvon Issac- Isaac ran for 350 yards, averaging 4.8 yards a carry.
S Fred Gaskin- Gaskin played in all 13 games, recording 55 tackles, four sacks, and two interceptions.
DL Traevon Mitchell- Mitchell had 29 tackles and two sacks on the season, playing in 11 games.
CB Jarvis Lee- Lee had 55 tackles and four sacks, along with two interceptions.
CB Jonas Duclona- Duclona had 35 tackles and one interception this season. Prior to USF, he played at Wisconsin.
OL Cole Skinner
K Adam Zouagui
*This is the most comprehensive list as of December 29, 2025.