Houston Cougars Lose Veteran Offensive Linemen to Transfer Portal
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The transfer portal opened officially on January 2nd, and as many people surrounding college football expected, it's already trending to be wild, with some players already locking in visits with programs and many other players deciding to enter the transfer portal.
And the Houston Cougars are keen on not missing out on the party, already lining up visits with a few players Wille Fritz and his staff have deemed as targets to add to a Cougars roster that is losing several talented players heading into 2026.
On the other end of this transfer portal period, while the Coogs look to build their roster for 2026, some of their players currently on the team are looking for their next opportunity, with one veteran player recently deciding to enter the transfer portal.
Offensive Lineman David Ndukwe Enters Transfer Portal
On Friday afternoon, it was announced on X that Cougars offensive lineman David Ndukwe has decided to enter the transfer portal, his representatives tell On3's Pete Nakos. The big six-foot-six offensive lineman spent the last three seasons with Houston.
Houston OL David Ndukwe is entering the transfer portal, his rep @thebizofathlete tells @PeteNakos.
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 2, 2026
The 6-foot-6, 325-pound OL has allowed just 1 career sack on 266 pass-blocking snaps. https://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR pic.twitter.com/SBBtWTZlp1
Ndukwe had been key for the Cougars in his past two seasons with the Cougars, lining up at the tackle positions. The senior has been one of the few consistent bright spots on Houston’s roster. In 2024, Ndukwe earned an 81.8 pass-blocking grade from PFF, the second-highest mark on the team, while surrendering just one sack in 266 pass-blocking snaps.
However, the offensive lineman's 2025 season was unfortunately cut short, as while the Cougars started the season a perfect 3-0, Ndukwe suffered a dislocated left knee just three games in, an injury that would prove to be season-ending, sidelining one of the Coogs top options on the offensive line for the rest of the season.
The veteran offensive lineman joined the Cougars out of the transfer portal, joining the team ahead of the 2023 season. Ndukwe spent the first three years of his college career with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.
During those three seasons with Western Kentucky, Ndukwe saw action in 13 games at various times during his tenure with the Hilltoppers, seeing snaps at left tackle in his final season with the team in 2022.
And now the offensive lineman is headed back into the transfer portal, who, when he transferred to Houston, ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 53 interior offensive linemen prospect out of the transfer portal in 2023. Ndukwe was initially a three-star prospect coming out of high school and will now be back in the portal looking for his next home.
