Colorado State football transfer portal tracker following 2023 season
The transfer portal and NIL era means every college football offseason is busy.
The transfer portal for FBS college football players has been cooking.
There is another portal window in the spring.
Here is a look at the players leaving the CSU football program and those who will join via transfer.
This list will be updated through the offseason as players leave and join the Rams.
Players transferring to CSU
DONOVAN OLLIE
Position: Receiver
Notable: Ollie transfers from Cincinnati, where he played in 2023. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound Ollie was at Washington State prior and had seven catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns against CSU in 2022. He has 72 catches for 856 yards and four touchdowns over three seasons. Ollie has one season to play.
ISAIAH ESSISSIMA
Position: Cornerback
Notable: The Nevada transfer never publicly announced his move to CSU but he's enrolled in school and a source confirmed he'll join the team. He started his career at Wake Forest. The 5-foot-10 Essissima played in 26 games at Nevada and 16 at Wake Forest. He redshirted after the first four games of last season. He has 59 total tackles, 12 pass deflections and three interceptions in his career.
ELIAS LARRY
Position: Cornerback
Notable: The Navy transfer 26 total games over three seasons at Navy. He has 40 total tackles, five PBUs and two interceptions in his career.
ALEX FOSTER
Position: Offensive line
Notable: The 6-foot-5, 278-pound Foster comes to CSU from Utah Tech, which played a game at CSU in 2023. He started all 11 games last season.
CHANDLER BROWN
Position: Offensive line
Notable: The 6-foot-5, 303 pound Brown transfers from the Division II level to add more depth and competition to CSU's line.
CSU players entering transfer portal
CLAY MILLEN
Position: Quarterback
Notable: The redshirt sophomore was CSU's starter in 2022 and to begin the 2023 season. He set CSU’s single-season completion percentage record (72.2) in 2022 but amassed fewer than 2,000 pass yards and was the nation's most-sacked QB. He lost his job after the 2023 opener and didn't play another game. The former Nevada player can now transfer and play in 2024 as a two-time transfer due to recent NCAA changes. Millen has committed to Florida.
ASHTON WOLFF
Position: Kicker
Notable: The sophomore served as a kickoff specialist.
GRADY KELLY
Position: Defensive line
Notable: The redshirt sophomore interior defensive lineman was a freshman All-American in 2022 and in 26 career games at CSU has 79 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Kelly has committed to Florida State.
LOUIS BROWN
Position: Receiver
Notable: Brown had a big sophomore jump in 2023. He was third on the team with 47 catches and fourth with 481 yards. His five receiving touchdowns were also third for the Rams. Brown has committed to San Diego State.
CLAY NANKE
Position: Tight end/defensive end
Notable: The 6-foot-6 redshirt sophomore spent time at both defensive end and tight end in his time at CSU. He appeared in five games over two seasons, mostly on special teams.
MYCHAI WILLIAMS
Position: Defensive back
Notable: The 6-foot, 180-pound redshirt freshman joined the team as a walk-on in 2022 and did not appear in any games in two seasons as a Ram.
TRAMAYNE MEJIA-PASTER
Position: Linebacker
Notable: The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Paster joined the Rams before the 2023 season as a grad transfer from Cal. He played in 11 games in 2023 and recorded 10 tackles. Update: Mejia-Paster has committed to Bethune-Cookman.
TJ CRANDALL
Position: Cornerback
Notable: The 6-foot-1, 185-pound DB from Sammamish, Washington, started five games and played in 10 in 2023 as a true freshman, recording 19 tackles, an interception and three passes defended. He was a three-star recruit out of high school who chose the Rams over Arizona State and Army, among others. Crandall has three seasons of eligibility remaining and can play right away next season via the one-time transfer rule. Update: Crandall has committed to West Virginia.
JACKSON STRATTON
Position: Quarterback
Notable: The 6-foot-5 Stratton appeared in four games and threw 17 passes as a true freshman in 2022 with the Rams. He didn't see the field in 2023. A three-star recruit out of high school, he chose the Rams over Washington and Florida International, among others. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining and can play right away next season via the one-time transfer rule.
Position: Offensive line
Notable: The 6-foot-2, 280-pound Erickson joined the Rams from Chaffey College prior to the 2023 season. He 2023 Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championships in the U120 division. He battled injury during the season and never appeared in a game for the Rams.
Coaching changes
This is also the time of year when coaching staff shuffling goes on. CSU kept the same staff Year 1 to Year 2 of the Jay Norvell era, a rarity for a Group of 5 these days. It won't be the same in Year 3. Changes will be updated here.
CHUKA NDULUE
Position: Defensive line coach
Notable: Ndulue replaces Buddha Williams (more on him below). Ndulue was in the same position the last two seasons at New Mexico State. NMSU had a strong defensive line under Ndulue, who was a star in college at Oklahoma.
BUDDHA WILLIAMS
Position: Defensive line coach
Notable: FootballScoop first reported on Dec. 3 and it's been confirmed that Williams will take the defensive ends job at Indiana. His Twitter bio reflected the move by the evening of Dec. 3. He joined the Rams for the 2021 season leaving North Dakota State. He was key in Mohamed Kamara winning the Mountain West defensive Player of the Year award as well as development of young players like Nuer Gatkuoth and Marshon Oxley.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado State football transfer portal tracker following 2023 season
