Newly announced head coach Rich Rodriguez and his West Virginia Mountaineers offense took a significant hit as junior running back C.J. Donaldson Jr. announced his intent to enter the transfer portal. The 6’2″, 235-pound powerhouse has just one year of eligibility remaining.
Initially a three-star recruit in 2022, Donaldson chose the Mountaineers over multiple Power Four programs. His rare blend of size, experience, and production will undoubtedly make him a sought-after name in the portal. West Virginia’s loss will be someone else’s gain, but where will Donaldson go next?
Where Could CJ Donaldson Transfer?
Donaldson’s journey at West Virginia was anything but ordinary. A tight end turned running back, the Miami native carved out an impactful career in Morgantown.
Over three seasons, Donaldson amassed 2,058 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns on 421 carries, showcasing a powerful 4.9 yards-per-carry average. His freshman season in 2021 seemed destined for stardom before a season-ending injury derailed his momentum after 526 yards and eight touchdowns.
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Battling through injuries as a sophomore, Donaldson still delivered 798 yards and 11 scores. This season, he shared the backfield with Jahiem White but closed his Mountaineer career with a gritty 83-yard, two-touchdown performance in the Frisco Bowl despite two costly fumbles.
Donaldson joins a growing list of WVU players entering the transfer portal, ready to write his next chapter. So where could the Mountainer running back end up next?
Miami Hurricanes
Most major Florida football programs heavily recruited Donaldson, and the Miami Hurricanes were undoubtedly one of them as he was coming out of Gulliver Prep. Donaldson attended multiple camps at Miami.
Head coach Mario Cristobal is still looking for the next quarterback of the Hurricanes as former Washington State transfer and Heisman finalist Cam Ward preps for the NFL.
Whether they land their next quarterback in the portal, such as Fernando Mendoza, or decide to build around sophomore Emory Williams, Cristobal and company will be looking to bring plenty of experienced talent to the Hurricane’s offense in 2025.
If Donaldson can stay healthy, he will provide an experienced and reliable back with high-volume usage in a run-heavy offense. Heading back home makes a ton of sense for both Donaldson and the ‘Canes.
Florida Gators
Coming out of high school, the Florida Gators felt like the front-runner to land Donaldson. He attended multiple camps in Gainesville and took more than one visit to “the Swamp.” In October of 2021, the Gators officially extended a scholarship offer to the talented playmaker.
Head Coach Billy Napier and the Gators are desperate to get things turned around in Gainesville following a third straight disappointing season for Florida. The Gators are currently 18-19 under Napier, with the Gasparilla Bowl pending.
Donaldson would be the perfect plug-and-play running back in this Gator’s offense. It would give Napier a reliable and experienced back heading into what is a massive year for his coaching staff as his seat continues to grow hotter.
Ole Miss Rebels
Florida won’t be the only SEC school in the mix for Donaldson in the portal. If there is a running back capable of being dynamic in the SEC, you can rest assured that Ole Miss Rebels’ head coach Lane Kiffin, will be in the mix. He has already brought in Missouri transfer running back Kewan Lacy, but the Rebels are looking to rebuild their running back room.
They’re losing Rashad Amos, Rodney Groce, and Matt Jones in the portal. Those three only combined for 53 carries.
But, add that to the fact that the Rebels will also be losing starting running back Henry Parrish Jr. and Ulysses Bently IV, a duo that combined for 200 carries in 2024, and it is obvious the Rebels need to rebuild their running back room completely.
You can expect Kiffin to be in the mix on a running back as experienced as Donaldson.
Florida State Seminoles
If Miami and Florida are going to be in on the home-grown Donaldson, then Florida State Seminoles and head coach Mike Norvell will also be competing for his services.
It’s been well documented that Norvell has restructured his contract to provide the ‘Noles with an extra $4.5 million in NIL spending. And no one needs a bounce-back season more than Norvell and the Seminoles.
A large part of Florida State’s NIL and transfer portal strategy has been to build up this depleted Seminoles offense. Florida State was Donaldson’s first recruiting visit while he was in high school, and they were also the first to extend a scholarship offer.
Norvell will undoubtedly be looking to bring Donaldson and his experience as a top running back to Tallahassee in 2025.
Indiana Hoosiers
The Hoosiers are certainly an outlier on this list, but they recruited Donaldson heavily out of high school, and he reportedly really enjoyed his time in Bloomington.
It was a different coaching staff for the Hoosiers back in 2021 when Donaldson was recruited, but now that Curt Cignetti has this high-flying Hoosier attack in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, Indiana looks as appealing as anyone for players in the transfer portal.
If Donaldson isn’t as keen on heading back to his home state of Florida as many are speculating, the Hoosiers present an Interesting alternative for him to be a lead back in the Big Ten as the Hoosiers look to prove that 2024 was no fluke under Cignetti.
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