Alani Makihele Returns To UNLV Via Transfer Portal In 'Full-Circle' Moment

The UNLV Rebels football team is returning a familiar face through the transfer portal this offseason. Offensive lineman Alani Makihele, who started his career as a Rebel before leaving to join the UCLA Bruins, will be back in Vegas, where his career began, for his final college season.

A message from @alanimak_ 🎰 pic.twitter.com/CRFCMqbRyt
— UNLV Football (@unlvfootball) May 6, 2025

For Makihele, the move is about two things: coming home and being selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. “It was like, ‘Bring 73 back home,’ and I was in the portal and there were a lot of schools that were getting in contact with me, but I think of all the schools that were around, a bunch of East Coast schools and a bunch of South schools, and then UNLV hit me up,” he said.

“They were like, ‘Hey man, we want to bring you home, we want you to come back to us and bring 73 back home,’ and I was, ‘Man, this is a good opportunity to come back and be with all my friends that are still out there,’ and I still got family out there... I could go to these other schools, but how much am I going to enjoy the last year that I have?” he said. “Especially trying to get to the NFL and where can I really dominate to the point where it’s a no-brainer (for NFL teams), ‘We got to get this guy.'"

It was new head coach Dan Mullen who texted him and wanted to bring him back home. “It ends where it started at, and it literally is a full-circle moment going back home,” Makihele said. “It’s really a blessing and I’m just glad that Coach Mullen, his O-line staff and the whole staff all (direct messaged) me and texted me, ‘Come finish where you started baby, come home baby, lets do it,’ and I was like, yeah man, let’s do it.”

He also explained why it was time to move on from UCLA. “When a new coach comes in, he’s like, ‘You guys aren’t my guys so I’m bringing my own guys in,’ so he came in and the new offensive line coach brought a bunch of his guys in,” Makihele said. "The chances of me starting over a guy who he really likes is not going to be possible. I’m trying to get to the league.”

Recommended Articles