The first transfer portal window has opened and closed. Bowling Green lost some big hitters, such as Ta’ron Keith (Western Kentucky), Cashius Howell (Texas A&M), and Jalen Huskey (Maryland). 

But with loss, there is always gain. 

On January 10, BGSU Football announced via press release seven additions via the transfer portal, all coming from sea to shining sea: 

RJ Garcia II, Wide Receiver 

Previous school: Kansas State (Big 12) 

Remaining eligibility: 2 seasons 

After accumulating only 260 yards and two touchdowns on just 22 catches in three seasons as a Wildcat, the redshirt junior from Tampa, Florida finds a change of scenery in Northwest Ohio, and where better to land than a team whose top three wide receivers have all moved on (Hiliare, Osborne: graduation, Fatai-Ibrahim: transfer portal). Garcia brings power conference experience to a BGSU receiving room that lacks live reps.  

Malcolm Johnson Jr., Wide Receiver 

Previous school: Auburn (SEC) 

Remaining eligibility: 1 season 

Ranked as a former four-star recruit and the fourth-best high school player in the state of Virginia by 247Sports, Johnson was rarely used by the Tigers. He has just 14 catches for 199 yards and one touchdown to his name through three years at Auburn. In 2023, he set a new career high in receiving yards and tied his career mark in receptions with 89 and six, respectively.

In 2019, 247Sports national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn highlighted Johnson’s strengths, which included a strong frame, good size, elite speed, good acceleration, good hand technique and good ball skills. 

Dohn also noted that Johnson is tough to jam in line, difficult to re-route, nearly impossible to catch in the open field, effective on short and deep routes and can high-point balls in traffic.

Listed by Auburn at 6-1, 195, Johnson claims to run a 4.3-second 40-yard dash and is a willing and able blocker at the wide receiver position.  

Edward Rhambo, Cornerback 

Previous school: Northern Arizona (Big Sky) 

Eligibility remaining: 3 seasons 

The 6-2 corner is one of three secondary additions made this cycle by the Falcons, Rhambo spent two seasons at NAU, appearing in nine games. Coming out of high school, he had three offers: Southern Utah, Northern Arizona, and Oregon State. He has one career interception (vs UC Davis, 2023).  

Zach Long, Kicker 

Previous school: Troy (Sun Belt) 

Eligibility remaining: 2 seasons 

Long spent three seasons at Troy and did not attempt a single field goal or PAT. He redshirted in 2021 and spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons as the Trojans’ primary kickoff specialist. On 112 kickoffs, he totaled 7,065 yards with 70 touchbacks and only one kick out of bounds. 48 of those touchbacks came in 2023 on 78 attempts.  

Ja’Corey Benjamin, Cornerback 

Previous school: Texas Southern (SWAC) 

Eligibility remaining: 1 season 

After spending four seasons at Texas Southern, Benjamin comes to BG with 22 career games under his belt. In those 22 games, he has four interceptions, 84 total tackles, 14 pass breakups, and 2.5 tackles for loss, per Texas Southern’s team website. 

Nick Reimer, Offensive Lineman 

Previous school: Merrimack (NEC) 

Eligibility remaining: 1 season 

Reimer made 35 starts for Merrimack in his career and earned first-team All-NEC honors in 2023, helping lead the Warriors to the second-most rushing yards in the conference and the most rushing touchdowns, while also being in the bottom half of sacked teams in the NEC.  

CJ Brown, Safety 

Previous school: Northern Illinois (MAC) 

Eligibility remaining: 2 seasons 

It’s not every day that a two-time All-Conference safety falls into your lap, but that’s exactly what happened with Brown. He played in only three games in 2023 but has seen action in 32 games in the three seasons prior he spent in DeKalb. He has 206 career tackles, two interceptions, one sack, four TFLs, and nine passes defended. He notched 109 tackles in NIU’s 2021 MAC Championship season, earning first-team honors. He followed that up with 76 tackles and a second-team all-MAC nod in 2022. Coming out of high school, 247Sports rated him a three-star prospect and a top-60 prospect in the state of Michigan, where he was offered by every single MAC school except for Buffalo.  

The NCAA transfer portal will open again on April 16 and will close again for a final time on April 30.