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With the conference season officially over in college football, it's officially transfer portal season. With the portal officially opening on Monday, a plethora of starts have announced their intentions to seek a different destination for next season. One of those players is Texas State star running back Ismail Mahdi, who is now in the portal according to Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports.
Mahdi's resume speaks for itself. As a sophomore in 2023, Mahdi led the entire country in all-purpose yards with 2,169. That season, he racked up 1,331 rushing yards, 275 receiving yards and 563 kick return yards while scoring 12 total touchdowns. He was a First Team All-Sun Belt performer and appeared on numerous All-American teams for his efforts that season.
In 2024 as a junior, Mahdi didn't quite have the same level of production, but he was still a threat every single time he touched the football. He ran for 991 yards and racked up 195 receiving yards with six total touchdowns this season.
Mahdi will be a coveted name for a number of Power Four schools in the transfer portal during this cycle. If he wants to stay in Texas, Texas Tech is a logical option after the departure of star running back Tahj Brooks.
Mahdi has burst onto the scene at Texas State after coming out of high school with very little buzz. The only other school that offered him other than the Bobcats was Houston Christian, so there aren't any obvious pre-existing connections that Mahdi may impact his decision this offseason. However, we have seen what an elite transfer portal running back has done for a team like Georgia or Ohio State, and there's a chance that Mahdi can have that same kind of impact this upcoming season.
Whether Mahdi decides to stay in Texas or head south and join an SEC or ACC powerhouse, there's no question that he will be one of the most coveted players in the portal and there will be heavy competition for his services in 2025.
