Grading the Houston Cougars Transfer Portal Haul So Far

Here is how well Willie Fritz and the Houston Cougars have been navigating the transfer portal.

Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz yells out to his team as they play against the ASU Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Oct. 25, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There's still two more days left to make some moves, but it is safe to say that head coach Willie Fritz and the Houston Cougars have fared pretty well so far in the offseason when it comes to navigating the transfer portal.

With the portal set to close after Friday, the Cougars have added 16 new players to the team, all three-star recruits, and a few of them even coming fresh off of teams from this year's College Football Playoff.

As the team begins to make their game plan for the 2026 season, here is a look at some of the splashes they've made in the portal, as well as an overall grade for their efforts.

Houston's Highlights from the Portal

Oregon running back Makhi Hughes carries the ball as the Oregon Ducks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 6, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Makhi Hughes, Running Back

Hughes is reunited with former head coach Willie Fritz dating all the way back to when the two were with the Tulane Green Wave, joining the Cougars after just one season in Eugene with the Oregon Ducks.

Despite recording back-to-back seasons of over 1,000 rushing yards with the Green Wave, Hughes saw very limited play with the Ducks behind starter Noah Whittington, only recording 17 carries for 70 yards in the season.

With Dean Connors likely heading to the NFL, Hughes provides a perfect amount of volume and production and will fit in just fine in the Houston offense.

Ole Miss Rebels linebacker Jaden Yates (30) against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jaden Yates, Linebacker

Just two days after falling to the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff semifinals, Ole Miss Rebels linebacker Jaden Yates announced that he would be transferring to the Cougars in hopes of boosting their linebacker corps.

After a 115-tackle season with the Marshall Thundering Herd, Yates transferred to Oxford and totaled 55 tackles (16 solo) and also recorded 0.5 sacks.

Yates left the Rebs with a bang, recording four tackles and another 0.5 sacks on Carson Beck, but was unable to keep Beck out of the end zone when he scampered in for the go-ahead score late in the game that gave Miami the 31-27 win and a ticket to the national championship.

The Cougars defense allowed nearly 350 total yards of offense per game in 2025, so a linebacker with Yates' skill was a must-have for Fritz and the Coogs, and they should be jumping with joy that they crossed that off their list.

Overall grade: B

Compared to other teams in the country, Houston is still pretty far down the list, ranked 45th on 247Sports' transfer rankings, but in terms of person growth to the team compared to last year, the grade could easily be a B+ or even an A-.

Texas Tech wide receiver Tyson Turner, another player with College Football Playoff experience, also committed to the Cougars to bring even more life to their offense, as well as kicker Evan Noel from the Florida Gators.

After all, there are still two more days for the Coogs to make an even bigger impact, and we all saw how well the portal worked for the team last year.