The Tulane Green Wave are continuing to reload for the 2026 season with an active Saturday in the portal and roster retention.
The Tulane Green Wave have had a busy weekend of recruiting and reloading the roster between signing players out of the transfer portal and announcing returners from last season for 2026. In addition to retaining defensive backs E’zaiah Shine and LJ Green, the Green Wave had five more players commit on Saturday: three out of the transfer portal, and two returners on defense who could compete for a lot more playing time this season.
In the transfer portal, Tulane added two offensive players at positions of need and a player to what’s becoming a very strong room on defense: LSU wide receiver transfer Destyn Hill per Matt Zenitz with CBS Sports, Old Dominion tight end Dawson Johnson per 247Sports, and South Alabama linebacker Dalton Hughes, who announced with a graphic on X.
Hill is a local product from Edna Karr high school and was a top 150 recruit in the 2021 class. He started with Florida State before transferring the Tigers and will look to compete with solid size and speed in the wide receiver room with a 6-foot-1, 197-pound stature. That size is important when the Green Wave need to replace it in the departing Shazz Preston, who entered the transfer portal and offered a different physical matchup at 6-foot, 206 pounds.
Hughes is a veteran linebacker who has played in 38 career games in four seasons with the Jaguars. He has posted 27 solo tackles, 66 total, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and one fumble recovery in his career at South Alabama. The recovery came last season, as did most of his stats. Hughes recorded 12 solo tackles, 40 total, one TFL, 0.5 sacks, and the fumble recovery in 12 games in 2025. He joins a room that is quite strong with returnees Chris Rodgers, Dickson Agu, and Makai Williams.
Johnson comes in from ODU, but initially signed with the Florida Gators in 2024, where he redshirted and didn’t make an appearance before transferring to the Monarchs. He had 10 receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown last season at Old Dominion and chose Tulane over American Conference rivals Memphis and ECU. Johnson joins a room that needs some help with portal losses.
The two returnees played important roles as depth players last season: NT Derrick Shepard Jr. and spear Tavare “TJ” Smith Jr, both announcing via X. Shepard backed up Tre’Von McAlpine, who has entered the transfer portal. Shepard joined the Green Wave from UAB last season and appeared in all 14 games. He had six total tackles and a pass deflection.
Smith transferred in the spring window from East Central, where he redshirted in 2022, and played in 11 games in both 2023 and 2024. Smith appeared in all 14 games for Tulane this year backing up spear Javion White, who is transferring to the Houston Cougars. Smith had 24 total tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one quarterback hit, and a blocked kick on special teams against Duke.