San Diego State loses eight players to college football transfer portal

San Diego State wrapped up their spring practices this past Saturday

San Diego State Aztecs head coach Sean Lewis. | Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images

The college football spring transfer window officially opened up on April 16 and has seen names continue to fly in as teams conclude spring practices. Players can choose their schools after the window closes, but must be in the portal by the time it closes on April 25. Graduate students are able to enter at any time.

San Diego State has been no different. The Aztecs finished up their spring practice with Saturday’s showcase at Snapdragon that included round robin “Pro Bowl style” games as well as a 7-on-7 competition. Following the weekend, San Diego State has seen several entrants into the transfer portal.

As of Wednesday, San Diego State has seen eight players enter the transfer portal. Six of those players redshirted last season during their first year on campus and now enter the portal with four seasons of remaining eligibility. Defensive backs Tayvion Beasley and Taten Beyer, defensive lineman Ryan Gaea, linebacker Danny Niu, wide receiver Jason Mitchell and offensive lineman Kai Holec make up that group of players.

Beyer (Corona Centennial), Niu (San Mateo-Serra) and Mitchell (St. John Bosco) were the three most decorated recruits who have entered the portal after their redshirt seasons. A standout on the track as well, Beyer grabbed three interceptions and forced a fumble during his senior season at Centennial. Splitting time at running back and linebacker, Niu had three sacks, an interception and a touchdown during his final season at Serra. Playing a national schedule at St. John Bosco, the heavily recruited Mitchell had 28 tackles and three pass breakups during his senior year.

Seniors Darrion Dalton and Malik Gucake were the two Aztecs with previous experience to enter the portal this week. Dalton, a defensive lineman, played in 23 games over four seasons at San Diego State. He played in 11 games this past season, making 15 tackles. Since entering his name in the portal, Dalton has added offers from eight schools, including San Jose State, North Dakota State and UTEP. Gucake, an edge rusher, spent one season with the Aztecs after playing at Sacramento City College. He played in nine games during the 2024 season, making two tackles.

During the winter transfer window following the 2024 season, San Diego State had 22 players enter the transfer portal. They added 19 players during the window and have their eyes on several players in this window, with several having already received scholarship offers.