NaQuari Rogers is on the move again. Pete Nakos reported that the Utah running back is entering the transfer portal, with his rep telling On3 the news directly. It's the fourth stop of a college career that's already bounced from Campbell to New Mexico to Utah, and it's coming at a strange point in the calendar -- deep into a 2026 offseason that was supposed to be settled.
Utah running back NaQuari Rogers is entering the transfer portal, his rep @agentjshields tells @On3. He's rushed for 1,598 career yards and 11 TDs. t.co/wMrfFrcNOy
Rogers isn't some unproven name hitting the portal on a whim. Per Nakos, he's rushed for 1,598 yards and 11 touchdowns across his college career, production that started at FCS Campbell, grew at New Mexico, and peaked with a team-leading 11-touchdown season at Utah in 2025 on 387 yards. He was the guy finding the end zone in the red zone even while sharing carries with Wayshawn Parker in Salt Lake City.
The twist is that Rogers already said goodbye to college football once. He declared for the 2026 NFL Draft back on January 6, alongside Utah teammates Caleb Lomu, Spencer Fano and Logan Fano, seemingly closing the book on his Utes career. So how is he back in the portal in late August?
The answer traces back to the legal chaos that's been rattling college sports eligibility rules all offseason. A Dallas judge issued a temporary restraining order against the NCAA and the SEC -- with commissioner Greg Sankey named as a defendant -- barring the conference from blocking athletes from returning for one more season, even players who'd already moved on to pro rosters. Rogers reportedly landed an extra year of eligibility out of that same wave of rulings, which is what's cracking his window back open.
For Utah, this is a gut-punch either way. If Rogers walks, the Utes lose their leading touchdown scorer from a season ago right as fall camp wraps up. If he stays in the mix for a return, it complicates a backfield picture that had already started to sort itself around Parker. Either way, a name that was supposed to be off the board for 2026 is suddenly very much in play -- and other power-conference backfields will be watching the portal for his next move.