Stanford football's Ismael Cisse to enter transfer portal

Cisse showed immense promise, but he ultimately decided to go somewhere where he could really showcase his full potential.

Sep 7, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Ismael Cisse (84) scores a touchdown against the Cal Poly Mustangs during the second half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The roster turnover at Stanford continues. With a slew of players having already opted to leave The Farm, Stanford continued to see more players make the decision to enter their names in the transfer portal, with wide receiver Ismael Cisse announcing on his social media this weekend that was putting his name in and electing to play out his remaining eligibility elsewhere.

Officially in the transfer portal!🙏🏾#JESUSISHEEM pic.twitter.com/ii5XE5Wcb3

— 𝕀𝕤𝕞𝕒𝕖𝕝“𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒖𝒎”𝕔𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕖 ✞ (@IsmaelCisse_) December 29, 2024

A former three-star recruit out of Cherry Creek High School in Colorado, Cisse played in all 12 games of the 2024 season, starting five games, where he caught 26 passes for 241 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Seeing limited action in 2023 as a true freshman where he only played in two games without recording a statistic, Cisse ends his tenure on The Farm with those 26 catches for 241 yards and the two touchdowns.

Cisse was in line to take on an even bigger role in 2025, with receivers such as Jackson Harris, Chase Farrell among others opting to leave via the portal, and Elic Ayomanor opting to enter the NFL Draft, but with the uncertainty on offense, particularly at the quarterback spot, Cisse instead elected to find a destination with more stability that also gives him the best chance to thrive and put himself on the college football map.

Both starting quarterback Ashton Daniels and backup Justin Lamson have entered the portal, with Daniels already landing with Auburn.

It still remains to be seen exactly where Cisse will go, but with what he has been able to show, it would not be surprising if he becomes one of the most intriguing and one of the most popular names on the transfer market.