Justin Flowe arrived at UNLV last season looking for one last shot. But early returns weren’t headline-grabbing because he recorded just five solo tackles and notched his first career pass breakup in a win over Sam Houston. At least he landed on the East-West Shrine Bowl preseason watch list. Still, when the offseason came, he hit the portal. But now he’s right back where he started this chapter. 

On April 1, On3 reported that Justin Flowe has withdrawn from the transfer portal and will return to UNLV for the 2026 season. It’s an interesting decision because back on January 8, reports from insiders like Pete Nakos had him entering the portal, signaling yet another reset after Oregon and Arizona. But now that the LB is returning, the Rebels’ defense got one familiar face back.

Justin Flowe’s decision may raise eyebrows considering his knack for transferring. But beneath the stops and starts, the injuries, and the depth chart battles, he was once a consensus five-star, No. 1 inside LB in the 2020 class. He was also a Butkus Award winner at the high school level, who walked into Oregon with great expectations, but then reality hit.

Injuries robbed Justin Flowe of momentum in Eugene. He hurt his knee in 2020 and then his foot in 2021. So, even in three seasons, he played only 12 games. He finished his final Ducks season with 35 tackles, but he wanted a fresh start. So, he moved on to Arizona in 2023. And then, it looked like the breakout was coming.

Justin Flowe posted a career-high 44 tackles, added a sack, and showed exactly why he was a former 5-star prospect. But then, coverage issues crept in, and his role shrank as Arizona surged toward a 10-win season capped by an Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma. By 2024, he was mostly a redshirt special teams piece who appeared in just four games. So, he hit the portal for another reset and landed in Vegas in April 2025. 

Last season at UNLV wasn’t a highly productive one for Justin Flowe either. So during the portal window in January, he left. But his return shows that something shifted behind the scenes. Maybe it’s belief in the coaching staff, or maybe it’s unfinished business with head coach Dan Mullen, who actively recruited him while he was coaching Florida. And even as Flowe’s return gives the Rebels continuity, there’s something bigger brewing in Vegas.

UNLV’s transfer portal heist 

Dan Mullen, in his second year as UNLV head coach, is building a statement. The Rebels’ 2026 class is impressive for a Group of 5 program, with 45 total additions, 19 transfers, of which 14 came from Power 4 schools. And it starts with the offense, with QB Jackson Arnold arriving from Auburn with SEC experience and dual-threat ability. He may have had a rough couple of seasons at Oklahoma and Auburn, but the former Gatorade Player of the Year still has the potential to dominate. 

UNLV made sure to complement their QB with WRs like Taz Reddicks and Troy Stellato. Then there are the trenches with OLs Colton Thomasson (Baylor) and Griffin Scroggs (App State) bringing size and experience. But the real intrigue is the defense. While Justin Flowe’s return stabilizes the LB room, the additions of Dee Crayton (Clemson) and Mark Iheanachor (SMU) bring speed and competition. In the secondary, names like Landyn Cleveland (Oklahoma State) and Avery Helm (TCU) add Power 4 pedigree.

Dan Mullen is betting on experience over projection. But stacking talent through the portal is easier than making it work because chemistry comes from time, trust, and reps. And with such new faces, UNLV is walking a tightrope between breakout contender and locker room experiment. But if it clicks, they could be a legitimate Mountain West title threat.