Post-portal roster, superlatives: WMU retained MAC title core, accentuated via transfers
The Broncos managed to keep the core of a G5 title team together, a rare feat in the modern paradigm of college football.
Note: This is the first of five stories digging into the makeup and changes of the rosters of the five FBS teams in Michigan. The publicly posted rosters — if available — are largely accurate but incomplete, and this series will compile from those, signing and transfer class announcements, and other available info to put together a fairly comprehensive breakdown for each team.
In the 2026 transfer portal cycle, Western Michigan wasn't just looking for players. The Broncos sought continuity, and found it.
Western Michigan is one of the country's biggest successes in the transfer portal this offseason, largely by retaining all but one possible starter from a conference championship team.
On the heels of the second-ever 10-win season in Kalamazoo, one that featured a sweep of in-state rivals, a MAC championship, and conference coach, offense and defensive player of the year honors, Western Michigan lost one starter — long snapper RJ Todd, who signed with Oregon — via the transfer portal. Any other starters departing were due to exhausting eligibility.
The biggest willful offseason departure is likely defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary, a rising star who is returning to the staff of the Los Angeles Chargers to coordinate an NFL defense. Western Michigan promoted linebackers coach Greer Martini into the defensive coordinator role.
The Broncos retained star quarterback and MAC offensive player of the year Broc Lowry, tailback Jalen Buckley, two top receivers in Aveion Chenault and Baylin Brooks, four offensive line starters and five starting defensive backs. The Broncos also returned starting kicker Palmer Domschke and punter Ryan Millmore.
When countless programs “win” the portal by stacking major signings to replace major losses, Western Michigan may well have taken heed some advice from Joshua, the anthropomorphized supercomputer in the 1983 film “War Games,” which surmises that the only winning move in the game — which in the film is all-out nuclear war — is to not play.
The transfer portal is lower stakes for the rest of us and the Broncos did take some transfers — 21 in total, along with 18 freshmen and five junior college signees — but it can lead to mutually assured destruction, with roster churn begetting roster churn. It's something that Taylor and the Broncos masterfully avoided in this cycle of team building.
Here’s a closer look at the Broncos heading into spring, position by position, plus some portal-centric superlatives at the end.
The team
Quarterback: This is a straightforward one, as Broc Lowry returns as the clear starter and Illinois transfer Trey Petty projects as an intriguing backup option. Mason Reynolds and Vance Holtz return in reserve roles and could also challenge to be the No. 2. True freshman Jaxson Dosh arrives from Davison High School.
Running back: Similarly simple to quarterback, Jalen Buckley returns for his senior year as one of the top backs in the MAC. He’ll again get spelled by Ofa ‘Lolo’ Mataele, who was a rugged and productive runner in 2025. Arkansas transfer running back AJ Green Jr. will get in the mix, too, with plenty of upside. Cole Cabana could play a role with better health, filling out the room with JR Hays and Chase Dawkins. The Broncos also add true freshman Donovan Triplett.
Wide receiver: Life without Tailique Williams will take some getting used to, as the shifty veteran wideout came up clutch repeatedly for WMU in 2025. But the return of Aveion Chenault and Baylin Brooks gives Western Michigan plenty of experienced receiving talent to start the year with. Both should build on productive 2025 campaigns. Fellow returning wideouts Terence Marshall and Keivin Boone-Nelson II will jockey with JUCO signee Kordell Gouldsby and South Carolina transfer Emazon Littlejohn, among others, to get on the field with Chenault and Brooks. The Broncos also add four freshmen to the room: Angelo Chapman, Harper Hughes, Elijah Lucas and Camari Patterson.
Tight end: The Broncos return four tight ends but no production at the position, as Brady Rhoad, Brennan Wooten, Nathan Sines and Ryan Brotherton have no career catches amongst them. Transfers will probably be a big part of this room in 2026, as Nate Levicki and Adam Parks bring Division I experience. JUCO signee Enese Tonga could be a factor, as well. Freshman Ryan Rochleau also joins the Broncos.
Offensive line: It’s hard to overstate how big of a luxury four returning starters on the offensive line is, with Jeremy Schleicher, Gavin Dabo, Chad Schuster and Hunter Whitenack all returning for WMU in 2026. It’s something most Power 4 programs struggle to accomplish. And the Broncos will have options to compete with that quartet and find a fifth, either from one of the other 10 returning linemen or from the trio of transfers: Ben Roebuck, Jacob Bailey and Brandon Smith. The Broncos also added three freshmen offensive line, including the wonderfully named Munachimdainama Ezra Newman-Nwodika, who apparently goes by “Muna.”
Defensive line: The game wreckers from 2025 have mostly graduated, as Nadame Tucker and Co. are off to the next chapter. But Western Michigan does bring back some useful pieces from 2025, such as Dalton Gustwiller and Tyson Lee, amidst seven DL returners. And the additions of Zavian Tibbs and Ahmed Tounkara should make impacts quickly. True freshman Angelo Pugliano also joins the Broncos on the defensive line.
Defensive end/Edge: There’s no replacing Tucker, really, but WMU is restocked on the edges, for certain. Western Michigan has a pair of returning players at the spot, Noah Bishop and August Johanningsmeier, the latter coming off a season-ending injury early in 2025. To supplement those two, WMU added a glut of transfers: Austin Alexander, DeJuan Echoles Jr., Scoop Gardner Jr. and KJ Burley. Echoles and Gardner, specifically, had productive 2025 seasons at Ball State and LIU, respectively. Max Baker and Chris Stewart also join the room as true freshmen.
Linebacker: A pair of new faces held down the two starting linebacker spots for WMU most of 2025, and that could be the case again with a number of JUCO signees and a transfer coming in. Returners Domanick Moon and Dillon Moore will factor into the rotation and potentially earn starting jobs, as could Gabe Welch. The trio of JUCO newcomers — Justyce Betts, Teegan Haines and Jermar McCarter — and Tennessee transfer Brenden Anes should push to get time. Anes is the son of legendary GVSU quarterback Curt Anes. WMU also adds freshman Breck Mallory.
Cornerback: WMU basically brings back three starting corners in Jarvarius Sims, John Peters and Josh Franklin (Franklin played some safety in 2025). That trio projects to take on the two outside corner roles and the nickel position. JUCO signee Amarian Louis and a pair of transfers from Presbyterian, Cam’Ron Barber and Will Ferrell, add immediate competitive depth if not starting potential. Broncos also bring in a pair of freshmen from the state of Ohio: Philip 'Tre' Johnson and Brodon Moore.
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Andrew Graham
Andrew Graham
Safety: Returning Joey Pope and Micah Davis will help offset the loss of Tate Hallock, as does the aforementioned positional flexibility of Franklin. Braden Steely and CJ Miles Jr. round out the returning depth in that room as WMU went hard after safeties in the portal, nabbing three intriguing players: Kouri Crump, Daeh McCullough and Tahj Owens. McCullough began his career at Oklahoma before going to Louisville. WMU also adds freshman Trevon Collard.
Specialists: Kicker? Check, with Palmer Domschke back. Punter? Check, with Ryan Millmore returning. Long snapper? TBD, but WMU will have a choice between returner Will Peterson or transfer Drew Doyle. Anthony Beacom returns as Millmore’s backup. Freshman Zak Zeman will back up Domschke.
Superlatives
Top returner: QB Broc Lowry
Keeping Lowry is a coup for the Broncos. His rise from an open quarterback competition carrying into the season to winning MAC offensive player of the year put him on a trajectory that surely had bigger programs taking note. With two years left to play, he’d be an attractive signal caller to poach. He accounted for nearly 2800 yards of offense and 23 touchdowns, including a modern program record with his 14 rushing scores.
- Honorable mention: The offensive line
Top addition: Edge DeJuan Echoles Jr.
A productive edge rusher at Ball State, Echoles struggled to stay healthy. But when he’s on the field he can be the sort of disruptive, destructive force WMU hopes to deploy on the defensive edge. It’s not likely to be a Tucker redux, but Echoles can step in and help to fill the massive void of production left behind by the MAC defensive player of the year.
- HM: AJ Green Jr.
Instant impact transfer: RB AJ Green Jr.
A running back in what is likely his final year, Green will have something to prove and will likely have a pathway to carry the ball his fair share. He’s a piece the Broncos are generally excited about and he could play a big part in taking some of the burden off of Jalen Buckley, and thus keep the bellcow back healthier than he’s been in years.
- HM: Any transfer OL that ends up starting
Most intriguing transfer: DL Ahmed Tounkara
Tounkara, a local prospect for Ohio State, didn’t do much with the Buckeyes in two seasons there. But the 6 foot, 280 pounder can probably be of great use to the Broncos and their defense, plugging up the middle of the line with his broad frame and power. He might not scream “game-altering interior defensive lineman” but someone who caught the attention of the Ohio State staff enough as a prospect probably has some juice to make plays in a MAC defense.
- HM: S Daeh McCullough
FCS/JUCO transfer primed to shine: DE Scoop Gardner Jr.
A productive two-year player at LIU, Gardner is coming off his strongest college season. He finished the 2025 season with 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks, both of which led his team. He also had a forced fumble, an interception and a blocked kick. And the idea that Gardner can shine at the FBS level isn’t entirely projection. In LIU’s upset at EMU last fall, Gardner had four tackles and a tackle for loss.
- HM: Any of the three JUCO linebackers
