Iowa’s Ezra Miller enters NCAA Transfer Portal
The offensive lineman retired from football in January but will now look to find a new home.
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz watches his players swarm the field before a football game between Iowa and Middle Tennessee State University on Saturday, September 28, 2019. The Hawkeyes defeated the Blue Raiders 48-3.
May 21, 2020
Former Iowa offensive lineman Ezra Miller has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal, he announced on Twitter Thursday.
Miller announced in January that he was stepping away from football due to ongoing back issues, but would remain enrolled at the University of Iowa. Now, Miller revealed the real reasoning for his decision to walk away from the team.
“To start off, I must commend Iowa, the coaching/medical staff, and my teammates as being amazing mentors and caring people. I have nothing but the utmost praise for every single one of them,” Miller Tweeted. “It was not due to back issues that I left the program, Iowa simply worked with me to make that public statement. I left on my own accord due to major depression and anxiety amplified by a series of events. A close friend and mentor passed away from cancer, God bless you Mr. Kwikkel. Shortly after, my father was diagnosed with cancer, and is now thankfully recovering. My brother was in a nasty car accident as well.
“These events combined with the stress provided by school and football led to some very poor self treatment and mental health struggles. After two long hiatuses and intense therapy, I believed the best solution was to leave football, as I did not think I could be a good teammate with what was going on. Now I believe, along with my support system, that I am in a state where I can play ball again. And with saying that, I am entering the transfer portal.”
— Ezra Miller (@EzraMiller75) May 21, 2020
Miller, a former four-star recruit, was one of Iowa’s top recruits in its 2019 class. The Holstein, Iowa, native was the 31st best offensive tackle in the country at the time of his recruitment, according to 247 Sports.
Miller is the fourth Hawkeye this week to announce they were transferring out of the program.
Cornerback D.J. Johnson entered the transfer portal Wednesday after two seasons with the Hawkeyes. Johnson appeared in 11 games last season as a redshirt freshman. He was likely going to compete for a starting spot with the Hawkeyes this upcoming season.
Proverbs 16:9 “A mans heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps” 💯🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/7VPoDkziXd
— DJ JOHNSON (@DjJohnson1127) May 20, 2020
Johnson will have three years of eligibility remaining with his new team.
Running back Samson Evans and offensive lineman Jeff Jenkins also announced within the past week that they have entered their names into the transfer portal. Jenkins, a 6-foot-4, 270 pound redshirt sophomore, is expected to see a lot of interest. Evans did not see any action as a redshirt freshman last season.
