LSU WR Jelani Watkins intends to enter the transfer portal

LSU wide receiver Jelani Watkins intends to enter the transfer portal, per Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett. 

This season, Watkins saw action in three games (Southeastern, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma). He tallied two catches in the game against Southeastern, totaling 21 yards receiving. Watkins redshirted in 2024, appearing in just two games (Nicholls and South Carolina). He did not register any stats. 

Watkins is also a track star and joined the LSU track team in January of 2025 as a dual-sport athlete for the Tigers. He made an immediate impact on the track, earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors in just his second meet, running the 60 and 200 meters indoors. He was clocked at 6.63 in the 60-meter at the New Mexico Collegiate, which tied for the seventh-fastest time in school history. Watkins also turned in a 20.85 time in the 200 meters at the same meet. 

A native of Houston, Texas, Watkins was rated as a four-star recruit out of Atascocita High School. His recruitment came down to LSU and Texas A&M, where he eventually committed to the Tigers. He was rated as a top 80 wide receiver in the country and a top 220 player in the nation per the Rivals Industry Ranking.

As a redshirt freshman, Watkins will have three years of eligibility remaining. 

Updated Rules for the Transfer Portal

The NCAA Division I Administrative Committee passed dates for the one-time-only college football transfer portal back in October. The 2025-26 college football transfer portal will last 15 days, spanning from Jan. 2 to Jan. 16, the NCAA announced.

Moving forward, the entire Division I football notification of transfer windows will be Jan 2-16. As has been the previous standard, athletes on College Football Playoff teams still playing would have 5 days beginning the day after their team’s final game to enter the transfer portal.

Players have 15 days to enter the portal, but are not under a deadline to commit when they enter. Traditionally, the deadline for committing is how late a school can enroll a player through admissions.

If a head coach is fired, the transfer portal will not open for players immediately. The NCAA announced on Tuesday that moving forward, players will only have 15 days to enter the portal after a coaching change instead of 30 days. Players will also have to wait five days after a new coach is hired or announced. 

Graduate transfers also cannot enter the transfer portal until Jan. 2 with the new one-time-only portal window.