By Mark Pszonak
Entries into the portal have been consistently flooding in since the window reopened on Wednesday. And while it hasn’t been open for long, commitments are already happening. Here are the top three from Thursday.
1. QB Gio Lopez – South Alabama to North Carolina
There was no surprise here as Lopez to North Carolina rumors intensified earlier this week when it was discovered that the Tar Heels had no interest in Nico Iamaleava. Lopez had a fantastic 2024 season with the Jaguars, passing for 2,559 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions, while also rushing for 463 yards and seven touchdowns. Now he will be head coach Bill Belichick’s first collegiate starting quarterback.
2. TE Tanner Koziol – Wisconsin to Houston
After being one of the prize portal additions for the Badgers during the winter, he surprisingly re-entered the portal on Wednesday. He quickly scheduled an official visit to Houston for Thursday, which resulted in his commitment to the Cougars. Koziol is an elite pass catching tight end, having finished the 2024 season with 94 receptions for 839 yards and eight touchdowns with Ball State.
3. DE Lorenzo Cowan – USC to Kentucky
Unlike the first two commitments on this list, Cowan is more about potential. The Class of 2024 DE/OLB from Georgia did not see the field as a true freshman with the Trojans last season. His commitment to Kentucky should not come as a surprise since he was initially committed to the Wildcats during his high school recruiting process before flipping to USC a couple of days before Signing Day after receiving a late offer from the Trojans.
