John Henry Daley to enter transfer portal: All-American DL could join Kyle Whittingham at Michigan

Daley was among college football's most disruptive defensive players before an injury cut his season short

Utah defensive end John Henry Daley announced that he will enter the college football transfer portal when the 2026 window opens in January. The CBS Sports second-team All-American will be among the most talented defensive players in the portal when it comes the final two years of his eligibility. Michigan is a logical destination for Daley considering that the Wolverines just hired former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham.

Daley suffered a non-contact injury in the penultimate game of the regular season that knocked him out for the remainder of the campaign. The lower-leg issue brought a premature end to a dominant season in which Daley was, at the time, the national leader in tackles for loss.

In his transfer announcement, Daley said that he will be fully healthy by spring, which sets him up to contribute at his new school in Week 1 of the 2026 season.

"I'd like to thank my teammates, coaches, and Ute Nation for the incredible support these past two seasons," Daley said. "The experiences I've had here will last a lifetime. Who I consider to be my family has grown significantly and I will always cherish those relationships. This rehab has given me time to pray and reflect on my future. I will be entering the transfer portal fully healthy by the spring of 2026 with two years of eligibility remaining. I'll always love Utah. Go Utes!"

Daley's 17.5 tackles for loss were the most in college football through 11 games, and he ranked second nationally in sacks with 11.5 before missing the season finale. Both marks were career highs for the breakout star, who had zero career starts heading into 2025. Daley was also the first Utah player since 2017 to record strip-sacks in consecutive games, and he ranked fifth in program history with 91 sack yards on the year.

That upward trajectory makes Daley a rising NFL Draft prospect. He could flourish next year if he remains healthy and fits well in his destination program's defensive system.

That is what makes a potential transfer to Michigan so compelling. Daley developed over the last two years under Whittingham's tutelage, and while the Wolverines' new coach has yet to construct his assistant staff, the continuity that would come with a move to Ann Arbor figures to benefit Daley. He could settle in as the leader of Michigan's defensive front and would face stiffer competition in the Big Ten than in the Big 12, allowing him to refine his skills before departing for the NFL.

While the Wolverines project to be in play during Daley's recruitment, any program with a need up front and a wealth of NIL resources could make a push for one of the top defensive players in the 2026 transfer cycle.