Warriors Gain More Weapons at Receiver Through Transfer Portal

The transfer portal has become known to be a double-edged sword in football and the University of Hawai‘i has continued to fill their depth including some key players at wide receiver.

Junior Brandon White and sophomore Jackson Harris will look to make an immediate impact in a stacked wide receivers room.

White grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio where his family had a large influence on him and his love for football. White has three older brothers and his father Ben played college football. He credits them for starting his training early both literally and figuratively. 

“My dad played for Mississippi State. So for me, growing up, football was everything,” White said. “We were getting up at 3:00 in the morning every day when I was four years old, and we all trained together. (I) got my brothers, so me being young and just seeing everything, seeing how things go, it’s always been there.”

White graduated from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati in 2022. Although he was sidelined for most of his senior year due to injury, he caught four passes and two touchdowns in the season opener. He returned before the season ended and helped his team win the regional championship.

After graduating from Archbishop, White committed to Kentucky where he redshirted his freshman season, played in four games in 2023 and two games in 2024.

At Hawai‘i, White is working towards the next step in his football career and feels like he will succeed in the run-and-shoot offense.

“I mean, you got this offensive system. If you're not here wanting to get to the next level, it doesn't make any sense,” White said. “The next big step and what you want to do is definitely always next level.”

Harris, who transferred from Stanford, attended Berkeley High School in California where he totaled 1,492 receiving yards with 73 receptions and 26 total touchdowns in his senior season and credits his high school coach, David Perry, for finding success. 

“Me and my little brother, we took our team to the playoffs for the first time in 11 years,” Harris said. “We lost in the first round. But it meant a lot to us. Shout out to Coach Perry, he got appointed head coach there my second year playing football. We just really came together and he's just slowly building that culture back up to what it should be.”   

Harris also played soccer in high school and felt like it was beneficial for his football career.

“When I was getting recruited out of high school, I would have coaches ask me ‘What sports did you play?’ I also played soccer.  Then they would say that it makes sense, because your hips and your feet,” Harris said. “So I just feel like it really benefited me in that physical way, just being able to be fluid with my feet and my hips and just all my movements, and it really translates in a lot of ways people may not see.”

At Stanford he appeared in six games last year as a redshirt freshman and caught a 3-yard touchdown on Stanford's opening drive of the season.

Once Harris got to Hawai‘i he embraced the culture and people.

“These guys are really dedicated, and they love the sport, and they love each other,” Harris said. “I love it here, and I really love the guys and it's a great culture.” 

After a week of spring football both players are still getting acclimated but are excited and are working towards earning their keep on the team.

“Just expect me to be a hard worker. I make plays out there on the field. So look for number nine,” Harris said.

“I just want to win. Want to be a team guy, and whatever that takes for us, and the whole team to get to the next level,” White said. “[I’m] definitely gonna be a fun guy, gonna be exciting, gonna be explosive. I'm excited and ready to do it.”