10 p.m. UM update: Trader exits; Wilson commits; Pringle stays. Duke WR pursued
The Miami Hurricanes’ offseason is in full swing.
That means constant transfer portal updates and other news surfacing over the next few days.
The Miami Herald will have a daily live blog rounding up the news as it comes.
Here’s the latest:
Trader to portal
Receiver Jojo Trader, who went from a potential starter last April to no better than UM’s fourth receiver by the end of the season, entered the transfer portal on Thursday evening, CBS reported.
On Saturday, UM wide receivers coach Kevin Beard said based on his talks with Trader, “I have no doubt in my mind he will be back.”
But those comments were made before Duke receiver Cooper Barkate entered the transfer portal and Miami was immediately identified as the favorite to land a player who had 72 catches for 1,106 yards last season.
UM is hoping to pair Barkate with Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, who is expected to sign with UM if a judge allows it amid an ongoing legal dispute.
Barkate would be the third veteran receiver addition if he signs with the Canes; UM previously added South Carolina’s Vandrevius Jacobs and West Virginia’s Cam Vaughn.
And the Canes already have seven talented young receivers on the team: Malachi Toney, Joshua Moore, Daylyn Upshaw and freshmen Somourian Wingo, Vance Spafford, Milan Paris and Tyran Evans.
Trader had 13 catches for 178 yards this season and finishes his UM career with 19 catches for 269 yards and two touchdowns. He dealt with an injury during the spring and again early in the season and typically has been playing fewer than 12 offensive snaps per game.
“He had a rough beginning of the season from an injury and concussion situation,” Beard said Saturday. “He’s been working through it and getting himself back to where he knows and we know he can be. I’m confident he will be back and be everything we want him to be.”
Pringle not leaving after all
In less than 24 hours, Girard Pringle Jr. went from entering the transfer portal to staying at Miami after all.
On3 reported Thursday night that Pringle is no longer planning to enter the transfer portal one day after the freshman running back was set to enter.
Lofty TV ratings
UM’s championship game loss to Indiana drew 31.1 million viewers across ESPN platforms, making it the most-watched non-NFL sporting event on television since the Chicago Cubs beats Cleveland in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
UM-Indiana also was the second most-watched championship game in the playoff era, behind only the Ohio State-Oregon 2015 championship, which drew 33.9 million viewers. And it’s the fourth most-watched college football game on any network in the past 30 years.
It’s also the eighth most-watched program in ESPN history.
Among the 11 playoff games, UM’s game audiences ranked first, third (Ohio State), seventh (Mississippi semifinal) and ninth (the opener at Texas A&M). Ranking second on the list (between UM-Indiana and UM-Ohio State) was the Alabama-Indiana quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl.
Mauigoa goes pro
In a move that was widely expected, UM right tackle Francis Mauigoa, a first-team Associated Press All American, announced he’s entering the NFL Draft. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has him going third overall to the Arizona Cardinals in his latest mock draft.
“I have Francis as a top-three pick thanks to his mauling play style, experience (41 career starts) and overall consistency as a blocker,” Kiper said.
In a post on X, Mauigoa thanked UM “for giving me the best three years of my life.”
The 6-6, 315-pound junior allowed no sacks and just one quarterback hit in four playoff games, according to Pro Football Focus.
He was named first-team All-ACC and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, awarded to the conference’s top offensive lineman.
Damon Wilson commits
The Miami Hurricanes on Thursday landed a commitment from edge rusher Damon Wilson II, who had a breakout season with the Missouri Tigers and will provide a veteran presence at a position where UM is losing top-end talent.
Wilson, who is listed as the No. 8 overall prospect in the portal according to 247Sports and visited Miami on Tuesday, led Missouri last season with nine sacks, which ranked tied for third in the Southeastern Conference. He also had 54 quarterback pressures on the season according to Pro Football Focus.
Richard to portal
Cornerback Jadais Richard is entering the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.
Richard flashed potential as a junior in 2024 before sustaining a season-ending knee injury against Duke that limited his playing time in 2025.
Ahmad Moten slated to return
While the Hurricanes are losing a lot of talent either to the NFL Draft or the transfer portal, it looks like one key player who could have departed is set to stay for another season.
Defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. is poised to return for the 2026 season, according to 247Sports.
That’s big news for Miami, which is losing a lot of talent on the defensive line.
Moten had a breakout redshirt junior season, finishing the 2025 campaign with 31 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four-and-a-half sacks over 14 games (all starts).
He and rising junior Justin Scott are the early frontrunners to be Miami’s starting defensive tackles in 2026.
Could Hurricanes land top Duke receiver?
While the Hurricanes continue to pursue Duke quarterback Darian Mensah — whose status is being held in limbo by the Blue Devils as they sue to try to keep him — Miami might have a chance at landing his top pass-catcher from last season.
Duke wide receiver Cooper Barkate entered the transfer portal overnight, and the dots are already naturally being connected between him and Miami.
Barkate, who spent his first three collegiate seasons at Harvard, led Duke last season with 72 catches for 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns. He eclipsed 100 receiving yards in three games — against Elon, Georgia Tech and Clemson.
Miami has already added a pair of receivers via the transfer portal in West Virginia’s Cam Vaughn and South Carolina’s Vandrevius Jacobs to complement a young receiver room led by Malachi Toney, who set UM single season records for catches (109) and receiving yards (1,211) as a true freshman in 2025. Miami as of Thursday also has Joshua Moore, Joshisa Trader and Daylyn Upshaw among its receivers along with four incoming freshmen in Somourian Wingo, Milan Parris, Vance Spafford and Tyran Evans.
Latest on Mensah
As far as things go with Darian Mensah, he was officially placed in the transfer portal on Wednesday night — the deadline for Duke to do so — but the legal battle continues on between him and the Blue Devils.
Barry Jackson has a lot more on that situation in his piece here.
Pringle departs
The other primary bit of news from Wednesday night: True freshman running back Girard Pringle Jr. entered the transfer portal after flashing in spurts during his first season with the Hurricanes.
Pringle finished the 2025 season as Miami’s No. 3 running back behind junior Mark Fletcher Jr. and redshirt sophomore CharMar “Marty” Brown. He ran for 375 yards and four touchdowns on 62 carries in nine games of action, averaging 6.05 yards per carry. He ran for a season-high 116 yards in Miami’s win over NC State when Fletcher was sidelined with injury.
Pringle is the ninth Hurricanes player to enter the portal following Miami’s national title game loss to Indiana on Monday.
The others: quarterback Emory Williams; edge rusher/linebacker Malik Bryant; reserve linebacker Bobby Washington; backup offensive linemen Deryc Plazz, Nino Francavilla and Tommy Kinsler IV; backup defensive lineman Artavius Jones; and freshman defensive back Amari Wallace.
They join seven Miami players who previously entered the portal in defensive linemen Donta Simpson (committed to Missouri) and Daylen Russell (committed to Louisville); wide receivers Ny Carr (committed to Wake Forest), Chane Robinson (committed to NC State) and Ray Ray Joseph (committed to East Carolina); tight end Brock Schott (committed to Indiana); and defensive back Charles Brantley.
UM players have until Saturday to enter the portal if they choose to do so.
This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 9:36 AM.
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