Xavier Lucas Joins Miami After Wisconsin Refused to Enter Him In CFB Transfer Portal
Former Wisconsin defensive back Xavier Lucas left the school for Miami on Wednesday, according to Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger.
Lucas signed a revenue-sharing contract with the Badgers, as they previously refused to enter him into the portal despite requesting a transfer (via Dellenger).
He made the move by withdrawing from classes at Wisconsin and enrolling academically at Miami, presumably bypassing NCAA transfer rules by not formally signing with the Hurricanes.
Per Dellenger, Lucas' attorney had planned to file suit against both the NCAA and Wisconsin over antitrust claims related to the situation and accused Wisconsin of blatantly violating NCAA rules by not inserting the defensive back's name into the portal.
Dellenger reported Saturday that Wisconsin plans to pursue legal action against Miami, accusing the school of tampering with Lucas.
Ross Dellenger @RossDellengerIn a statement, Wisconsin suggests that it will pursue legal recourse related to DB Xavier Lucas, who signed a rev-share deal with UW and then left for Miami.<br><br>UW says it has "credible information indicating" that Miami tampered with him.<br><br>A landmark case in college sports. <a href="https://t.co/lponlrzvfF">https://t.co/lponlrzvfF</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZBjxy5U53N">pic.twitter.com/ZBjxy5U53N</a>
The Big Ten also released a statement in support of Wisconsin:
Ross Dellenger @RossDellengerAs expected, the Big Ten has now released a statement strongly supporting Wisconsin's actions over DB Xavier Lucas and the revenue-share contract that he signed before deciding to transfer to Miami.<br><br>Friday's <a href="https://twitter.com/YahooSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YahooSports</a> story with details - <a href="https://t.co/SJg2MVpN4r">https://t.co/SJg2MVpN4r</a> <a href="https://t.co/Cu60RdnD2O">pic.twitter.com/Cu60RdnD2O</a>
Schools have 48 hours to enter a player's name into the portal after receiving notice of their intent to transfer, and the player cannot enter their own name (via Nick Schultz of On3.com).
Lucas appeared in 12 games with the Badgers during the 2024 season, recording 18 tackles, two tackles for loss, two passes defensed and one interception.
He was a 4-star prospect who ranked as the No. 35 safety in the 2024 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
Lucas detailed Wisconsin's refusal to enter his name into the portal in a Dec. 27 post on social media.
Xavier Lucas @XavierL_25I still intend to transfer, but at the moment Wisconsin is refusing to release me into the transfer portal. I've met all NCAA requirements of the transfer portal process. I've yet to be put into the transfer portal by Wisconsin which is impeding my ability to speak with schools.
The NCAA provided a statement addressing the situation, explaining that athletes aren't prohibited from unenrolling at their current schools and enrolling at new ones.
"NCAA rules do not prevent a student-athlete from unenrolling from an institution, enrolling at a new institution and competing immediately," the statement said, via Dellenger.
After signing a revenue-sharing agreement with Wisconsin, Lucas will be suiting up for a Miami team that's coming off a 10-3 season under head coach Mario Cristobal in 2024.
