Report: Xander Gagnon the Latest Blue Devil to Enter Transfer Portal

Linebacker becomes the ninth Duke player to consider transfer

Duke linebacker Xander Gagnon has entered the transfer portal, according to the list of players maintained by 247Sports.

Gagnon redshirt the 2016 season and has played in 35 games as a backup linebacker since then, starting one. He played in 200 snaps each of the last two seasons and was over 550 for his three-years on the field for Duke.

Gagnon arrived at Duke as a three-star recruit, rated the No. 45 linebacker in the class by 247Sports. He was named all-state and chosen for the North Carolina/South Carolina Shrine Bowl.

At Duke this season, he had eight tackles, four solo, this year and blocked a punt against Georgia Tech, returning it 11 yards. He had 21 tackles, 10 solo, a pass breakup and a quarterback hit in his Duke career.

While neither the team nor Gagnon has commented on his appearance in the portal, presumably, after four years at Duke, he will get his degree and be eligible immediately at a new school as a graduate transfer. It’s also possible he’s “testing the waters” to see if a position with more playing time is available and may still come back to Duke.

Gagnon is the ninth Blue Devil in the transfer portal this offseason. Most of the others, including kicker AJ Reed, receiver Scott Bracey, safety Javon Jackson, center Liam Smith, receiver Aaron Young, safety Javon Jackson and linebacker Jacob Morgenstern, got their Duke degrees and went through senior day ceremonies. Running back Brittain Brown also plans to graduate and transfer.

The only undergraduate transfer so far is redshirt freshman safety Isaiah Kemp.