Hilltopper football offseason update – 12/31/2025
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – It’s the last day of 2025, which means everyone is hours away from turning the page and starting off fresh, including the Western Kentucky University football team.
The everchanging landscape of college athletics has brought about an annual roster refresh for many mid-major programs, including WKU, and the NCAA transfer portal provides athletes with an opportunity to see what opportunities they have both at their current school and at other schools across the nation.
In recent history, WKU saw the 2025 team lose a majority of production from the prior season and add 61 new faces to the sideline, something that might just be the new normal.
The portal will officially be open on Jan. 2 and players can enter anytime from then until Jan. 16, but there’s already been a wide selection of Hilltoppers who have shared their intentions to test the transfer waters when those dates arrive.
Here’s a breakdown of which Tops will likely be in the upcoming portal, per their own indications, along with a few names that are looking to make it at the next level and have declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.
*This list is subject to change as time passes*
Declared for NFL Draft:
- DB Demarko Williams
- WR Matthew Henry
- DL Jayden Gray
- DL Jaden Hardy
Likely to enter NCAA transfer portal:
- DB Virgil Marshall
- DE Harper Holloman
- DB Nazir Ward
- OL Caleb Nitta
- WR Damari Jefferson
- OL Melvin Collins Jr.
- QB Tucker Parks
- DB Dylan Flowers
- WR Marvin Sims
- K Konner Olson
- RB La’Vell Wright
- RB Corey Landers
- LB Kennon Loftin
- RB Javon McMahan
- TE Noah Meyers
- LB Koron Hayward
- RB Donovan Jones
- RB Marvis Parrish
- WR Moussa Barry
The extent to which the Hilltoppers will change isn’t limited to just players, though, as there have been a few key staffing moves that leave open spots to be filled in the coming months.
Notably, it’s the second consecutive year where WKU will lose both an offensive and defensive coordinator, two of the more prominent roles on the gridiron under head coach Tyson Helton.
Here’s a brief look at which staff members are reportedly onto new schools.
*This list is also subject to include more names as time passes*
Staffing moves:
- Defensive tackles coach Kali James –> James Madison University
- Director of recruiting Nick Lamattina –> University of Cincinnati
- Co-Defensive Coordinator/defensive backs coach Da’Von Brown –> University of California, Berkeley
- Offensive Coordinator/quarterbacks coach Rick Bowie –>University of Texas at San Antonio
