BYU Linebacker Nukuluve Helu Enters the Transfer Portal

BYU linebacker Nukuluve Helu is officially in the NCAA transfer portal. Helu signed with BYU as a running back back in 2020. After serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Helu joined BYU as a freshman in 2023. He started the season as a running back but he was burried on the depth chart so he moved to linebacker. He played linebacker during Spring camp before deciding to enter the transfer portal.

Helu did not appear in any games for BYU last season. He is one of six BYU players that have announced their plans to enter the transfer portal - none of the six were expected to be contributors for BYU in 2024:

• Nick Billoups - Quarterback
• Zion Allen - Cornerback
• Jordan Kapisi - Kicker
• Benjamin Ward - Offensive Line
• Naseri Danielson - Linebacker
• Nukuluve Helu - Linebacker

Helu is just the second scholarship player to enter the transfer portal in the Spring window. He joins fellow scholarship player Zion Allen. Scholarships are tight at BYU, so a few transfer portal entries will help BYU get to the necessary scholarship number.

Helu was recruited to BYU then BYU running backs coach AJ Steward. He was one of the more significant signs of the 2020 signing class. Back then, UCLA was pushing to keep Helu from signing his LOI. A late push from Steward locked down Helu and he announced that he would sign with BYU a few days before signing day.

Helu was buried on the depth chart at linebacker, so his path to playing time might be quicker at another school.