The NCAA transfer portal re-opened on Tuesday for a 15-day spring window, and that first day saw nearly 200 players enter according to 247Sports’ transfer tracker. That included a pair of Arizona players who had previously announced their intentions to do so in offensive lineman Joe Borjon and defensive lineman Bill Norton.
It also included a Wildcat who participated in the team’s first post-portal practice.
Defensive back DJ Warnell Jr. has entered the portal, but a team spokesman said he intends to remain with the team through the end of spring ball before deciding whether to stay or go.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Warnell has played in 25 games for the UA the past two seasons after transferring from UCLA. He started twice in 2022, while last year registered 15 tackles with three sacks including one in the Alamo Bowl victory over Oklahoma.
Warnell, who has one season of eligibility remaining, had been working this spring at both safety and the STAR position that is a hybrid nickel cornerback and linebacker.
There were no notable absences from Tuesday’s practice, though it didn’t start out that way. Initially it looked as if wide receiver AJ Jones, offensive linemen Matthew Lado and Raymond Pulido and cornerback Tacario Davis were absent, but each eventually showed up though none were dressed.
The portal remains open for all players until April 30, after which only graduate transfers may enter. The other exception is a coaching change, which creates an exclusive window for players from the affected team.