The college football transfer portal window opened Jan. 2 and will stay open until Friday.
The Tribune is tracking some of the key portal moves for local teams and players.
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Illinois announced defensive back Xavier Scott will return for the 2026 season.
What it means: Scott's return to Champaign wasn't a given because he could have left for the NFL.
He is a two-time all-Big Ten selection, including as a first-teamer as a junior in 2024. He had four interceptions, six pass breakups, 49 tackles, two tackles for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble that season. Scott played in three games in the 2025 season before missing the final 10 games after having surgery on a lower leg injury.
Scott was the second big return announcement in the Illini secondary after safety Matthew Bailey also announced he would be back for his senior season in 2026.
Former Oregon defensive tackle Tionne Gray announced he committed to Notre Dame.
What it means: Gray, a 6-foot-6, 336-pound defensive lineman, had 18 tackles, two tackles for a loss and a blocked kick in his redshirt freshman...
Source: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/16/college-football-transfer-portal-tracker/
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