LSU WR Javen Nicholas announces transfer portal plans

LSU wide receiver Javen Nicholas announced plans Thursday to enter the transfer portal.

The redshirt junior, a former New Orleans prep standout at St. Augustine, joined the home-state Tigers in 2022 as a preferred walk-on initially, before earning a scholarship and making his biggest on-field contributions the past three seasons as a return specialist.

“I want to start by giving thanks to God for allowing me to play football at LSU,” he posted to social media. “I am grateful to (co-offensive coordinator and receiver coach Cortez) Hankton, (associate head coach) Frank (Wilson III) and coach (Brian) Kelly for allowing me to follow my passion while earning a scholarship at LSU. I wouldn’t have met the incredible players and, more importantly, the individuals I will be able to call friends for the rest of my life if it weren’t for LSU. I also have the good opportunity to announce that I will graduate with my undergraduate degree in economics in just three years.

“With that being said, I will be entering my name into the transfer portal with two years of eligibility. Without LSU, I would not be the athlete that I am today, and I am forever thankful.”

Nicholas played in 26 games during his career in Baton Rouge during which he caught four passes for 24 yards and returned seven kickoffs for 122 and two punts for 27 yards.

He becomes the Tigers’ first player reported to enter the transfer portal this spring during what coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday he anticipated will be a relatively quiet window for the program after more activity during the winter transfer period in which 19 players left LSU and 16 signed to join.

When is the Transfer Portal open?

The college football spring transfer portal is scheduled for 10 days, lasting from April 16, 2025, and shutting down on April 25, 2025. The transfer portal will also open for 30 days whenever a head coach leaves their program, allowing athletes to leave and decide on their future, according to NCAA guidelines.

The portal was also previously open at the end of the regular season, the day after the College Football Playoff field and bowl games are announced, for 30 days from Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, to Dec. 28. The NCAA Division I Council voted in early October to move the winter window from 45 to 30 days.

More than 2,800 FBS scholarship players entered their names into the NCAA’s transfer database during the 2023-24 school year. Removing those who withdrew or went pro, the final total sat at 2,707 transfers. That means roughly 25% of all FBS scholarship players hit free agency in one year.

In data gathered over the first two years with transfer windows, the NCAA found most athletes enter the portal within the first four weeks of the portal opening. The study showed that 73% of men’s and women’s basketball undergraduate athletes entered during the first four weeks. That increased to 82% for men and 86% for women in 2024.

Which players can enter the Transfer Portal?

The NCAA pivoted on its transfer portal policy in December when it agreed to terms on a preliminary injunction in the Northern District of West Virginia District Court.

The D-I Council adopted emergency legislation for a new transfer rule this spring. All undergraduate athletes can now transfer and play immediately as long as they meet specific academic requirements. Previously, if an underclassman wished to transfer a second time, the athlete needed the NCAA to grant a waiver to compete immediately. Absent an approved waiver, the athlete had to sit out a year. 

There is no limit on the number of times an athlete can enter the transfer portal. The NCAA sent out memos to institutions twice during 2023-24 stating that multi-time transfers could play immediately in 2024-25 without securing a waiver. Athletes cannot transfer mid-year and play for a new school in the same athletic season.

Changes have been made to grad transfer requirements, too. Athletes can enter the portal at any time during the academic year but must enter before the close of their respective sports’ final transfer windows.