Division II All-American LB enters college football transfer portal

With the college football transfer portal window set to close Friday, there are still some intriguing late entrants making moves for their future.

A notable entry into the portal from the Division II ranks on Thursday was West Florida linebacker Ja'Kobe Clinton.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound defensive playmaker is not only coming off a highly productive season but is also the younger brother of former NFL first-round draft pick and Pro Bowl safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

West Florida LB Ja'Kobe Clinton is entering the transfer portal, his rep @WeGetYouOffers tells @On3.

The D2 All-American is the younger brother of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Posted 78 tackles, 19 TFLs, 7 sacks, 2 INTs and 2 forced fumbles in 2025. https://t.co/wMrfFrcNOy pic.twitter.com/68P3tW8Sm2
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) January 15, 2026

Clinton was the Gulf South Conference's Defensive Player of the Year and named a first-team Division II All-American by the American Football Coaches Association after totaling 78 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 2 interceptions, 7 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles in 2025.

It was a breakout season for Clinton in his second year at West Florida after spending two years (including a redshirt season) at NAIA-level Southeastern.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was a consensus All-American at Alabama in 2013, the 21st overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers and a Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro in 2016.

Clinton-Dix played for the Packers, Redskins (now Commanders), Bears, and Raiders, and spent time in training camps with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, and on the Denver Broncos' practice squad, before retiring in 2022.

Ja'Kobe Clinton, meanwhile, has taken a longer path to the ranks and will see if his success in Division II, with a 10-2 West Florida team this fall, can land him an opportunity at the Division I level next.

On3's Ole Miss site reports that the Rebels are expected to be interested in talking with Clinton.

It's not unheard of for a Division II standout to find later success not only at the Division I level but beyond. There were 40 former D2 players on NFL rosters at the start of the 2025 season, including notable names like Dolphins LB Matthew Judon (drafted out of Grand Valley State), Vikings WR Adam Thielen (Minnesota State), Commanders RB Austin Ekeler (Western Colorado), Packers RB Emanuel Wilson (Fort Valley State), Bears backup QB Tyson Bagent (Shepherd) and many others.

Of course, the most high-profile D2 transfer to the FBS level this past season was Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who won the D2 national championship at Ferris State last year.

Clinton will be an interesting player for LB-needy teams to consider after most of the big names in the transfer portal have already found new programs.