The Tulane Green Wave have their work cut out for them in the 2025 college football season when it comes to replacing the talent and production that departed following the 2024 campaign.
Virtually their entire offensive game plan will be changing because of players who entered the transfer portal or exhausted their eligibility and moved on to the next phase of their football career and life.
The first domino to fall was quarterback Darian Mensah, who became one of the highest-paid players in college football history when he chose to transfer to the Duke Blue Devils after one season of starting with the Green Wave.
Not too long after that, it was star running back Makhi Hughes who decided to place his name in the transfer portal.
He found a new home with the powerhouse Oregon Ducks, who went 13-1 en route to winning the Big Ten championship in their first year as a member of the conference. They were defeated by eventual national champion Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, a second-round game in the College Football Playoff.
In Hughes, the Ducks are getting a dynamic running back who can dominate in multiple facets of the game and is one of the most impactful players in college football.
A workhorse, he carried the ball 523 times in two seasons with Tulane, gaining 2,779 yards with 22 rushing touchdowns.
He showcased some receiving ability as well, catching 30 passes for 243 yards and two more scores.
Green Wave fans are certainly disappointed he won’t be leading their backfield any longer, but will enjoy seeing what he can do on a national stage with one of the best teams in the country.
Where Did Makhi Hughes Land in a Recent NFL Mock Draft?
Alas, his stay in Eugene may not be for long.
In a recent mock draft shared by Brentley Weissman at Pro Football Network, Hughes made the cut.
On Day 2, in the third round with the No. 84 overall pick, the Denver Broncos select the dynamic playmaker to add another weapon to their offense being led by former Oregon star quarterback, Bo Nix.
The Broncos were a middle-of-the-pack rushing team in 2024, finishing 16th in yards with 1,908. Their 4.1 yards per carry were below the league average.
Denver is trying to address that need. They selected RJ Harvey in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft, but adding Hughes next year would give the team an incredible one-two punch to rely on out of the backfield.
