MAC transfers with roots at Kent State, Ohio, and Akron were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
In the modern age of the transfer portal, it’s common for college players to be defined by more than one place.
The Mid-American Conference saw four selections in the 2025 NFL Draft — Toledo defensive tackle Darius Alexander, Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr., Western Michigan cornerback Bilhal Kone, and Central Michigan cornerback Donte Kent.
However, those four weren’t the only ones to star in the MAC during their college careers. Three additional NFL Draft picks spent time in the conference before transferring elsewhere to finish their story:
CJ West, DT
- Kent State (2020-23), Indiana (2024)
- 4th round, 113th overall pick by San Francisco 49ers
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West spent four of his five college seasons at Kent State, quickly becoming one of the stars in the Golden Flashes defense. He rose into a starting role in 2021, securing 43 tackles, four sacks, and seven tackles for loss for a MAC Championship bound Kent State squad. West continued to trek through the MAC, posting 26 tackles and five tackles for loss in 2022 and 40 tackles and seven tackles for loss in 2023. The 6’1”, 316 pound defensive tackle earned Third Team All-MAC honors during the 2023 campaign before transferring to Big Ten country to finish his journey at Indiana. Under a new coaching staff and a transfer laden roster, West shined in the new environment. He logged 40 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and two sacks for a dominant Hoosier defense which secured a College Football Playoff bid behind an 11-win regular season. West is now bound for San Francisco where he joins fellow 2025 NFL Draft pick Alfred Collins, along with Jordan Elliott and Evan Anderson in a revamped 49ers’ defensive front.
Kurtis Rourke, QB
- Ohio (2019-23), Indiana (2024)
- 7th round, 227th overall pick by San Francisco 49ers
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Rourke was the most fitting heir to the throne at Ohio when his older brother Nathan submitted his name in the 2020 NFL Draft. Kurtis Rourke continued the Canadian excellence in Athens, OH starting with the 2020 pandemic-shortened season. He held a stranglehold on the starting position from 2020-23, blossoming into a full-fledged star with the Bobcats. Rourke won the MAC MVP and MAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022, leading Ohio to the MAC Championship Game behind 3,256 passing yards and a stellar ratio of 25 touchdowns to four interceptions, all on a 69.1 completion rate. However, he missed the MAC title game due to a November ACL tear. Rourke earned another All-MAC selection in 2023 with the Bobcats, and after finishing his fourth year as the Bobcats’ starter, he transferred to Indiana where he led the Hoosiers to the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Rourke joins a 49ers quarterback room that includes starter Brock Purdy — a fellow seventh round pick — along with Mac Jones and Tanner Mordecai.
Konata Mumpfield, WR
- Akron (2021), Pittsburgh (2022-24)
- 7th round, 242nd overall pick by Los Angeles Rams
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Mumpfield’s time in the MAC was brief but effective. The Atlanta native made an immediate impact at Akron, securing Freshman All-American and Second Team All-MAC honors in 2021. He produced 751 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a true freshman with the Zips, ranking fifth in the conference in receiving touchdowns. The 5’11”, 186 pound wide receiver transferred to Pitt prior to 2022 and spent his next three seasons in the ACC. He logged 551 yards in 2022, 576 in 2023, and a career-high 813 in 2024 — ranking first on the Panthers in receiving yards in his final season. Mumpfield joins a Rams receiving corps that recently moved on from longtime franchise staple and Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp. He will work alongside returning teammates Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell, new acquisition Davante Adams, among others in Los Angeles.