When Arizona State defensive lineman Emar'rion Winston entered the transfer portal a second time, choosing his next and final destination was easy. He had played against the Sun Devils and already knew head coach Kenny Dillingham, so he opted to come to Tempe.
ASU is glad he did. The 6-foot-3, 265-pounder has provided a veteran presence for a position group that has seen considerable turnover. He started at defensive end in the regular-season opener on Sept. 5 against Morgan State, which the Sun Devils won convincingly, 70-7.
Next up comes a showdown against No. 10 Texas A&M(1-0) on Sept. 12, at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. The game will air on ABC at 9 a.m. MST.
"It has been everything I thought it would be and more," said Winston, a native
of Portland, Oregon. "It was exactly what I was looking for when I decided to make a change. The only bad part is the heat. I'm just getting used to that."
Winston was a four-star prospect coming out of Central Catholic High School, pegged by 247Sports as the No. 4 player in Oregon and the No. 28 edge rusher nationally, after leading Central Catholic to an undefeated season and an Oregon State Championship.
The first decision wasn't tough. Oregon had always been his dream school, and his older brother, La’Mar Winston, played outside linebacker for the Ducks from 2016 to 2019. So despite high-profile offers from the likes of Florida and Washington, Winston decided to stay home.
He spent three years in Eugene, the first coming in 2022 when Dillingham worked under Dan Lanning as offensive coordinator. He played in 13 games with one start in 2024, a season in which the Ducks went 13-1, won a Big Ten 10 title, and lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, a College Football Playoff quarterfinal. He also played in all 14 games with one start in 2023.
Then came the decision to leave Oregon. He entered the transfer portal and visited Arizona State, Georgia, and Baylor, eventually choosing Baylor. He wasn't unhappy at Oregon, but wanted a different voice and a new college experience.
"I felt like there was more out there," he said. "I felt maybe I was capable of getting more out of the sport because I was there for three years getting better, and I had a lot of opportunities there, but I was seeking more opportunity and wanted to put more of myself out there on film."
A first-hand look at the Sun Devils assured him he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. ASU made a stop in Waco to face Baylor in the 2025 Big 12 opener, with the Sun Devils prevailing 27-24 on a walk-off field goal by Jesus Gomez.
He liked what he saw.
"I feel like watching their defense, I could see they were a fast defense," said Winston, who totaled 26 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks in his only season in Waco. "I watched the D-line a lot. They're a get-after-it D-line. That's exactly what I was thinking on the sideline. That was a small sneak peek at what their defense was like. My main focus was how quick they allowed the D-line to play."
Winston said he enjoyed his visit to ASU, even though he didn't come here first. He also knew many athletes who played for defensive line coach Diron Reynolds, which was yet another selling point when he had to make the call on where he'd finish out his eligibility. Now he laughs about not choosing ASU that time.
"I remember meeting everybody, and everybody was super cool, a lot of opportunity, good coaches; I just went another route that time. It's a place you can grow as a football player and a person. It was so welcoming here."
Reynolds says Winston has been a perfect addition, not just because of what he can provide as a player but also because he provides a veteran presence. While the defensive front returned edge Clayton Smith and tackle C.J. Fite, it lost experienced ends Elijah O'Neal, Prince Dorbah, and Justin Wodtly.
"He's a veteran guy, a breath of fresh air," Reynolds said. "Sometimes you get veteran guys and they're a little bitter here and there. This guy loves ball; he comes in with a serving heart, a teaching mentality. When he's not in, he's always coaching somebody else up. I love the way he's brought maturity to the table, dragging these young guys along and challenging the older guys as well."
Winston will earn his sociology degree from ASU in December.
He says another thing that has helped in his latest transition is his wife, Ajanae, whom he met his freshman year at Oregon. She was on the women's soccer team, so she knows the challenges of balancing academic and athletic responsibilities. They were married on June 6.
"It probably could be tough," he said, when asked if being married added yet another responsibility. "I think it could be tough depending on your wife.
"But she is the person who makes everything easier for me. Time management. Making sure I'm doing the right things. Helps me out wherever she can. I'm a lucky man."
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Emar'rion Winston brings veteran presence to Arizona State football
