Jeremy Harper Arkansas State Athletics, Coastal Carolina, Football, G5, James Madison University, Red Wolves, South Alabama, Sun Belt, Troy

How Many from the 2025 Senior Bowl 300 List are Group of Five Transfers?

Perhaps not as many as you might think. Or maybe more!

The Senior Bowl, the self describe “preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process,” announced its first-ever “Top 300 list,” which was predictably a Power Four orgy. Many on social media dimly noted the lack of Group of Five representation on the Senior Bowl’s list. The Bowl’s organizers had a ready excuses, sort of:

One notable storyline from the 2025 draft was the sharp decline in selections from outside the Power Five. Just 28 players from Group of Five conferences and lower were drafted in 2025, down from 49 in 2023. That trend is echoed in the Senior Bowl Top 300, which features only 24 players from non–Power Five programs.

One could argue that the Senior Bowl isn’t “echoing” trends from the NFL Draft so much as perpetuating it. We were curious how many from the Senior Bowl Top 300 originated from Group of Five programs. Our methodology was hardly scientific: we screened out the 19 G5 players named to the List, the 4 players named from FCS programs, and the 9 players who began their careers at FCS or JUCO. Furthermore, I newbie P4 members like Houston, UCF, Cincinnati and BYU were weighted as much as the Ohio States and Alabamas. Also, Washington State and Oregon State were considered P4 teams, but only because we don’t have the energy for the argument.

By our count, 36 players on the Senior Bowl 300 were recruited by and signed with Group of Five programs – seven from the Sun Belt, with a conference high three from Arkansas State. Overall, 13.4% of Senior Bowl 300 players were poached from the G5 to the Power 4. Whether that’s a large number is a matter of perspective. The majority of the 300 were members of their teams from start to finish. Yes, there were many P4-2-P4 transfers as well. However, its clear that a Power 4 team, with its power influence and power money, can afford to lose a transfer or two. The affect to G5 programs can be catastrophic.

EDIT

Here’s the list of athletes who went from the G5 to the P4 and the Senior Bowl 300:

  1. Reggie Virgal, Miami OH, Texas Tech
  2. Cashius Howell Bowling Green, Texas AM
  3. Trey Moore, UTSA, Texas
  4. Eric McAllister, Boise St. TCU
  5. Keyron Crawford, A-State, Auburn
  6. Dillon Wade, Tulsa, Auburn
  7. Isiah World, Nevada, Oregon
  8. Emmanuel Pregnon, Wyoming, Oregon
  9. Mahki Hughes, Tulane, Oregon
  10. Ethan Oianwa, Rice, Ohio State
  11. Daniel King, Troy, NC
  12. Justin Joly, UCONN, NCState
  13. Fernando Carmona, San Jose St, AR
  14. Tyalon Green, Boise St, AR
  15. Will Whitson, Coastal, Miss St
  16. Seydou Traore, A-State, Miss St
  17. Dominic Zvada, A-State, Michigan
  18. Keyshaun Elliott, New Mexico St., AZ St
  19. A.J. Haulcy, New Mexico, LSU
  20. Caulin Lacy, S Bama, Louisville 
  21. Kam Olds, Buffalo, Kentucky
  22. Tre Smith, San Jose St., AZ
  23. Ka’ena Decambra, Hawaii, AZ
  24. Aiden Fischer, James Madison, Indiana
  25. Elijah Sarratt, James Madison, Indiana
  26. JC Davis, New Mexico, Illinois
  27. Tanner Koziol, Ball St., Houston
  28. Keylan Rutledge, Middle TN, Georgia Tech
  29. Jalen Huskey, Bowling Green, Maryland
  30. Will Ferrin, Utah State, BYU
  31. Weylin Lapuaho, Utah State, BYU
  32. Grayson James, FIU, BC
  33. Corey Walker, W. Michigan, Wisconsin
  34. Jimmori Robinson, UTSA, W. Virginia
  35. Jahmal Edrine, Florida Atlantic, Virginia
  36. Diego Pavia, New Mexico State, Vanderbilt

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