FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (March 16, 2026) – Northern Arizona head football coach
Brian Wright announced the Lumberjacks' 2026 transfer portal class on Monday. The class is the No. 3 ranked class in the FCS by 247Sports.
"This class was built very intentionally by targeting young men who had opportunities to leave Arizona out of high school, but chose to come back home," Wright said. "We also took a systematic approach to finding the best fits at every level, signing players from the NAIA, Division II, FCS and FBS ranks. This group brings size, athleticism and speed to our program, while continuing to elevate our impact in the community. Even in their short time here, each of these young men has already become active in our community service efforts."
With their third-ranked transfer portal class, the Lumberjacks are the only FCS team with both a top three transfer and high school signing class. NAU's high school signing class is ranked No. 2 in the FCS by 247Sports.
During the transfer portal window, the Lumberjacks added 23 student-athletes with nine on the offensive side of the ball and 14 on the defensive side. NAU emphasized the offensive and defensive lines with 11 of the 23 additions in the trenches.
The Lumberjacks also brought in a significant amount of Arizona products, with 10 of the 23 previously playing at in-state high schools. Of the 10, six arrive via FBS programs.
All 23 portal additions are currently enrolled for the spring 2026 semester and are joined by five early enrollees from NAU's December signing class to make up the new faces in Flagstaff. The Lumberjacks begin their spring practice schedule next Tuesday, March 24.
NAU's transfer portal signees are below, listed in alphabetical order.
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2026 NAU Football Transfer Portal Class
Shoes Brinkley
5-9 –193 – Safety
Philadelphia, Pa./Mater Dei HS (CA)/Delaware/East L.A. College/McNeese
Spent the last two seasons at McNeese…Started all 12 games at free safety in 2025…Earned Phil Steele Southland All-Conference Third Team…Led team with 81 total tackles…Also recorded 4.5 tackles-for-loss, a sack and three interceptions…Spent 2023 season at East Los Angeles College…Appeared in 11 games as a true freshman at Delaware in 2022…Second Team All-State as senior at Mater Dei HS…Helped Mater Dei to No. 1 national ranking.
KT Carter
6-4 – 285 – Offensive Line
Laveen, Ariz./Desert Edge HS/Hawai'i
Spent the last three seasons at Hawai'i…Appeared in five games in 2025…Did not appear in any games during first two seasons…Was fourth-rated offensive tackle in Arizona coming out of Desert Edge HS.
Jonathan Coar
5-11 – 205 – Running Back
Colorado Springs, Colo./Bishop Gorman HS (NV)/San Bernardino Valley College
Played 10 games in 2025 during lone season at San Bernadino Valley College…Ran for 865 yards and six touchdowns…Ranked second in the league in rushing yards…Unanimous selection to SCFA Pacific League First Team…All-California IV First Team…Led Bishop Gorman HS with 648 rushing yards during senior year…Played first three high school seasons at Pine Creek HS in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Matthew Cooks
6-3 – 215 – Linebacker
Bryan, Texas/Bryan HS/Tyler JC/Texas Southern
Played 11 games in 2025 during lone season at Texas Southern…Ranked second on the team with 75 tackles…Also recorded 4.5 tackles-for-loss, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry…Ranked seventh in the SWAC with 6.8 tackles per game…Played two seasons at Tyler JC to start collegiate career…Played safety and cornerback at Bryan HS.
Nijrell Eason II
5-11 – 185 – Defensive Back
Gilbert, Ariz./Higley HS/UNLV
Spent the last two seasons at UNLV…Appeared in two games in 2025 and one game in 2024…Ranked among top seven at his position in Arizona by 247Sports, ESPN and On3 coming out of Higley HS…Helped team win 5A State Championship as a senior…Two-time 5A All-Conference and All-Region First Team in final two high school seasons.
David Eberhard
6-4 – 235 – Defensive Line
Queen Creek, Ariz./Queen Creek HS
Played on both sides of the ball at Queen Creek HS…Recorded 42 tackles, 7.0 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 sacks as a senior…Caught 22 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns…6A East Valley All-Region Second Team as defensive utility/flex player.
Deliyon Freeman
5-11 – 180 – Defensive Back
Sharpsburg, Ga./East Coweta HS/Hawai'i
Spent the last three seasons at Hawai'i…Played in six games in 2025 and recorded five tackles…Appeared in all 12 games and earned two starts in 2024…Recorded 18 tackles in 18 career games…Redshirted in 2023…Two-time All-Region at East Coweta HS…Played on both sides of the ball…Two-time All-County First Team as defensive back.
Aundre Gibson
5-10 – 188 – Defensive Back
Goodyear, Ariz./Desert Edge HS/Kansas
Spent the last two seasons at Kansas…Played in one game in 2025…Redshirted and did not see game action in 2024…Three-time 5A All-Conference and 5A Desert West All-Region First Team at Desert Edge HS…Recorded 92 tackles and six interceptions in career…Also returned five kickoffs for touchdowns…Helped team to 5A State runner-up finish as a senior.
Darius Haskin
6-1 – 171 – Wide Receiver
Buckeye, Ariz./Buckeye HS/Rocky Mountain College
Spent the last two seasons at Rocky Mountain College…Recorded 45 receptions, 861 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in only seven games in 2025…Led Frontier Conference in receiving yards per game and ranked second in receiving yards…One of two freshmen to earn First Team All-Frontier Conference honors in the East Division…Played two games in 2024 and recorded six receptions for 75 yards and two touchdowns…Two-time 4A All-Conference and 4A West Valley Region First Team at Buckeye HS…Recorded a pair of 1,000-yard receiving seasons as junior and senior…Had 28 total touchdowns during senior season.
Bryce Hevesy
6-5 – 290 – Offensive Line
Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS
Spent the 2025 season at the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School in West Point, N.Y….Played three seasons at Desert Mountain HS…5A All-Conference and 5A Northeast Valley All-Region First Team as a senior…Helped team qualify for Arizona Open State Championship bracket in 2023 and 2024.
Josh Hopphaus
6-0 – 215 – Linebacker
Surprise, Ariz./Desert Edge HS/Western New Mexico
Played in 10 games during lone season at Western New Mexico…Ranked fourth on the team with 40 tackles…Also recorded 2.0 tackles-for-loss, a sack, two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry…2024 Arizona 5A Conference and 5A Desert West Region Defensive Player of the Year at Desert Edge HS…Three-time 5A Desert West Region First Team…Helped team win 2025 5A State Championship…Recorded 136 tackles and 24.0 tackles-for-loss as a senior.
Camden Jury
6-7 – 310 – Offensive Line
Gilbert, Ariz./Casteel HS/Utah State
Spent the last two seasons at Utah State…Appeared in seven games in 2025…Redshirted and did not appear in a game in 2024…Arizona 6A Premier Region and Chandler Unified School District First Team as a senior at Casteel HS…Started at left tackle on teams that reached 6A quarterfinals in 2023 and 6A semifinals in 2022.
Carter Lavrusky
6-6 – 320 – Offensive Line
Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon HS/Kansas
Spent the last two seasons at Kansas…Appeared in two games in 2025…Redshirted and did not appear in a game in 2024…District Offensive Player of the Year as a senior at Horizon HS…5A All-Conference First Team and 5A Northeast Valley Region First Team in 2023…One of seven finalists for Offensive Lineman of the Year…Helped team reach 5A State semifinals as a senior.
Ziggy Loa
6-3 – 255 – Defensive Line
Tacoma, Wash./Mount Tahoma HS/Tyler JC/Louisiana Monroe
Played 10 games in 2025 during lone season at Louisiana Monroe…Recorded six tackles and a sack…Appeared in 20 games across two seasons at Tyler JC…Recorded 58 tackles, 10.0 tackles-for-loss and 7.5 sacks…Totaled 40 tackles and 5.0 sacks in 2024…Recorded 33 tackles, 7.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks as a senior at Mount Tahoma HS.
Jackson Murray
6-1 – 275 – Defensive Line
Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon HS/Colorado State
Appeared in one game and redshirted in 2025 during lone season at Colorado State…Arizona 5A Northeast Valley Region Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at Horizon HS…Two-time 5A All-Conference and Northeast Valley Region First Team…Totaled 51 tackles, 9.0 tackles-for-loss and 3.0 sacks as a senior…Helped team qualify for Arizona Open State Championship bracket in 2024.
Diego Oliver
6-0 – 189 – Defensive Back
Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy/Eastern Illinois/Missouri Southern
Spent the last two seasons at Missouri Southern…Recorded 48 tackles and two forced fumbles in 2025…Recorded 64 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and an interception in 2024…Started collegiate career with two seasons at Eastern Illinois…Appeared in final three games as true freshman in 2022 and redshirted…All-City and All-Chicago Public League Illini (Red Bird) Conference as a senior at Kenwood Academy…Helped team win first-ever Chicago City Championship.
Erimi Oshewa
6-3 – 260 – Defensive Line
San Ramon, Calif./Dougherty Valley HS/Diablo Valley College
Spent the last two seasons at Diablo Valley College…Recorded 40 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss and 4.0 sacks in 16 career games…Recorded 19 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2025…Helped team advance to Northern California Regional Semifinals in 2025…Played football and lacrosse at Dougherty Valley HS.
Sione Perkins
6-9 – 315 – Offensive Line
Eagle, Idaho/Eagle HS/Iowa State
Redshirted and did not appear in a game in 2025 during lone season at Iowa State…Rated as No. 2 player in Idaho by 247Sports out of Eagle HS…First Team All-Conference as a senior…Helped team to Idaho Class 6A state runner-up finish in 2024.
Jordan Pigram
6-3 – 261 – Defensive Line
Jonesboro, Ark./Nettleton HS/Northwest Missouri State
Spent the last three seasons at Northwest Missouri State…All-MIAA Third Team in 2025…Recorded 18 tackles and ranked second on the team with 6.5 sacks…Also had 7.0 tackles-for-loss and an interception…Played in one game in 2024…Did not appear in a game and redshirted in 2023…Two-time All-State at Nettleton HS…Recorded 143 tackles, 48.0 tackles-for-loss, 11.5 sacks and five fumble recoveries in his high school career.
Bryson Torrie
6-2 – 210 – Linebacker
Denver, Colo./Vista Peak HS/CSU Pueblo
Spent the last four seasons at CSU Pueblo…All-RMAC Honorable Mention in 2025…Also named to All-Colorado Second Team by NFF Colorado Chapter…Led team with 81 tackles…Also had 4.0 tackles-for-loss, 2.0 sacks and three interceptions…Scored three defensive touchdowns in 2025…Became only the fourth Division II player since the mid-1970s to score two defensive touchdowns in the same game…Recorded 23 total tackles in 19 games in 2023 and 2024…Redshirted in 2022…All-Conference at Vista Peak HS.
Nikhil Webb-Walker
6-6 – 275 – Defensive Line
Trelawny, Jamaica/Ipswich HS (MA)/New Mexico State/Colorado
Spent the last two seasons at Colorado…Recorded three tackles and a half tackle-for-loss in six games in 2025…Appeared in first five games in 2024 before missing final eight games following diagnosis with lymphoma…Colorado nominee for Disney Spirit Award…Began collegiate career with two seasons at New Mexico State…Played in 12 games and earned four starts in 2023…Recorded 25 tackles, 5.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks…Appeared in five games in 2022…Played high school football at Ipswich HS.
Jaxon Williams
5-10 – 175 – Wide Receiver
Dothan, Ala./Headland HS/Benedict College
Spent the last two seasons at Benedict College…Two-time HBCU All-American honorable mention…Two-time SIAC All-Conference First Team as a kick returner…D2CCA All-Region Second Team…Ran back four kickoff returns for touchdowns in two seasons…Averaged 37.6 yards per kick return…Also recorded 20 receptions for 351 yards and three touchdowns in 2025…Caught three passes for 44 yards and a touchdown in 2024…Played quarterback and wide receiver at Headland HS.
Deuce Zimmerman
6-2 – 195 – Wide Receiver
Anchorage, Alaska/East Anchorage HS/Western New Mexico
Spent the last four seasons at Western New Mexico…Two-time Lone Star Conference First Team…Recorded 44 receptions for 676 yards and 10 touchdowns in only six games in 2025…Posted at least 90 receiving yards, with four 100-yard games, in all six games…Totaled 104 receptions, 1,611 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns in three seasons between 2023-25…Redshirted in 2022…All-State First Team as a wide receiver and defensive back at East Anchorage HS…Part of three state championship teams.
