The Gophers are busy on day one of this year’s transfer portal. Two of their most notable offers have gone out to Michigan State defensive back transfer brothers Aydan and Elisha West
Aydan West, CB
PORTAL: The Gophers have offered Michigan State transfer CB Ayden West (@AydanWest0).He played 380 defensive snaps this season as a true freshman for the Spartans. Minnesota offered his brother Elisha earlier today. https://t.co/PUaMAebZmspic.twitter.com/oDsiVjlVoo
Aydan West is one of the most intriguing cornerbacks in the transfer portal. He was a three-star high school recruit and a top 800 prospect in the class of 2025, according to the 247Sports Composite. He quickly outperformed those expectations in East Lansing with more than 400 snaps as a true freshman.
Listed at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, he finished with 19 total tackles, 1 pass breakup and 0.5 sacks in 2025. He had a 61.0 defensive grade, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He’ll likely be pursued heavily from multiple programs in the transfer portal, and he already holds another notable offer from Kentucky. He’ll have four years of eligibility remaining.
Elisha West, S
PORTAL: The Gophers have offered Michigan State transfer DB Elisha West (@EVsDaWorld).Listed at 5-foot-11, 194 pounds, he began his career at Merrimack. He played 14 snaps on special teams in 2025. Three years of eligibility remaining. https://t.co/PUaMAebZmspic.twitter.com/Kpr05iRCMe
— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) January 2, 2026
Elisha West joined his brother Aydan in East Landing in 2025 after one season at FCS Merrimack College. He redshirted in 2024, and he played 14 snaps on special teams in 2025. Listed at 5-foot-11, 194 pounds, he’s viewed more as a safety, and he will also have three seasons of eligibility remaining.
What it means
It’s entirely fair to wonder if Elisha and Aydan are a package deal, and whether or not they’re interested in continuing to play with each other at their new school. Minnesota has had a handful of brothers on the team before under P.J. Fleck, so it seems like a realistic possibility they could do that again…