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Report: CMU defensive lineman Mike Danna enters NCAA transfer portal

Danna, a 2018 all-MAC first teamer, is expected to have immediate eligibility should he transfer to a new school.

By James H. Jimenez
Presbyterian v Central Michigan Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images

Central Michigan star defensive end Mike Danna has reportedly entered the NCAA’s student-athlete transfer portal, per Evan Petzold of Central Michigan Life.

Danna has not confirmed his intentions on social media as of publication, last tweeting on Wednesday evening.

The report, which became public Friday evening, is a bit of a shock for CMU football fans, as it was only two weeks ago in McGuirk Arena where Danna addressed the public alongside newly-minted head coach Jim McElwain talking about taking the next step as a football program after a 1-11 season which resulted in the firing of previous head coach John Bonamego.

Danna had a breakout season in what was otherwise an awful year for CMU in his first full year as a starter, collecting 65 tackles, 14 tackles-for-loss, 8.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns in 2018. Those numbers were enough to earn Danna both first-team All-MAC and first-team Pro Football Focus accolades.

Over his career, Danna has 151 total tackles, 27.5 tackles-for-loss, 15 sacks, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns.

Danna was expected to be a focal point on defense in 2019, as many of CMU’s other star defenders, including Sean Bunting, Xavier Crawford and Malik Fountain, departed due to graduation or the 2019 NFL Draft.

Danna, a six-foot-two, 257 lb. redshirt junior, would be a graduate transfer should he decide to leave, as he graduates at the end of the Spring 2019 semester this upcoming May.

Placing his name in the transfer portal does not necessarily mean Danna will transfer; it merely allows other schools to contact Danna about the possibility of transferring. However, the school can cancel the scholarship of a player after the semester said player declared, in this particular case, after May 2019.

Prior to committing to Central in 2015, Danna was a three-star prospect out of Michigan high school football powerhouse Warren De La Salle. His only offer was CMU, per 247Sports.

It is not known if other schools have contacted Danna or if any other Chippewas are in the portal as of publication.

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