SWAC Teams And Tennessee State Will Have More FBS-To-FCS Transfer Players In HBCU Football This Season

The NCAA transfer portal was busy as four HBCU football programs led the FCS in FBS player transfers. FCS Analyst Sam Herder posted on Hero Sports leading transfer numbers per school.

The top HBCU football teams with FBS transfers were:

No. 1 - FAMU (27)

No. 4 - Grambling State (17)

No. 5 - Tennessee State (16)

No. 7 - Bethune-Cookman and Jackson State (13)

Florida A&M head football coach James Colzie III directs his team during the first spring football practice at Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tuesday, March 5, 2024. | Gerald Thomas / USA TODAY NETWORK

FLORIDA A&M RATTLERS (27)

The new Rattlers' head football coach strategically landed 27 players from solid FBS programs. The personnel moves may help Coach Colzie's squad maintain its competitive edge in its first game against Norfolk State at the 2024 MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

One significant question is how the influx of new talent will help replenish the team after the departure of seniors and transfers from last year's 2023 HBCU National Championship team, ensuring a promising season for the Rattlers.

Jayden Evans (DL) Central Michigan
Daniel Richardson (QB) FAU
A'Ceon Cobb (WR) FAU
Latarie Kinsler (LB) FIU
Demorie Tate (DB) Florida State
Max Larson (K) Florida State
Davion Westmoreland (DL) Kansas
Avery Huff (DB) LA Tech
Thad Franklin (RB) Louisiana-Monroe
Simion Hines (DB) Louisiana-Monroe
Jerome Nichols (LB) Michigan
Jaylen Ward (WR) Middle TN State
Corey Collier Jr. (DB) Nebraska
Marquez Bell (WR) ODU
Karter Johnson (TE) Pitt
Antonio Carron (DL) Pitt
Brandon Calloway (DB) Purdue
Ezra Dotson-Oyetade (OL) TCU
Elijah Philippe (OL) Troy
Jalen Rogers (WR) Tulane
Amari Johnson (WR) UCF
Nick Dimitris (DL) UNLV
Jameel Sanders (DB) USF
Brian Norris (LB) USF
Stantavious Smith (DL) USF
Daveon Walker (WR) Vanderbilt
Nathan Gates (OL) Washington State

GRAMBLING STATE TIGERS (17)

Another rookie head coach, Mickey Joseph, will have 17 new FBS transfers fighting for playing time with the Tigers.

Reed Harradine (K/P) Alabama
Patrick Williams II (WR) Arizona State
Armon Bethea (OL) Bowling Green
Isaac Washington (DL) Charlotte
Jordan Johnson (RB) Hawaii
Ashton Frye (QB) Jacksonville State
Jacoby Bellazar (WR) Mississippi State
Duece Jones (WR) New Mexico
Deljay Bailey (QB) Ole Miss
Blake Davis (DB) San Jose State
Johnny Schifano (P) SMU
Akhnaton Shabazz (LB) South Carolina
Kobe Williams (OL) Troy
James Eaglin (DL) Tulsa
Bryce Cage (DL) Utah State
Jalen Rudolph (DL) UTEP
Jonathan Horton (DL) Virginia

Coach Eddie George has 16 transfers ready to play for the Tigers this season. George Hamsley, the redshirt sophomore quarterback out of LSU, should make the QB competition interesting this summer. Also, signal-caller Tevin Carter left Memphis for Nashville. In 2023, he had six game appearances and completed three passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. He ran a pro-style offense in high school, and Rivals ranked him in the top 20.

TENNESSEE STATE TRANSFERS (16)

Saidou Ba (OL) Arkansas State
Kierron Smith (DL) Georgia Southern
JayT Jackson (DB) Georgia State
Anthony Smith (OL) Iowa State
Yirayah LaNier (DL) Louisville
George Hamsley (QB) LSU
Tevin Carter (QB) Memphis
Mark Shenouda (P) Memphis
Tyler Jones (DB) Missouri
Exavious Reed (TE) Southern Miss
Connor Meadows (OL) Tennessee
Malik Ganaway (DB) Tennessee
Camron Douglas (DL) Tennessee
Kheagian Heckaman (TE) UTEP
Jackson Foster (K) Western Michigan
Meonta Kimbrough (DL) Memphis

One player to watch could be defensive back Cameron Smith, one of the trio of players transferring from Eastern Michigan. In addition, former Akron rusher Clyde Price III had a productive 2022 season, rushing for 309 yards, seven rushing touchdowns, and a receiving score. Complementing him with Irv Mulligan could give Coach Taylor a good tandem in the Tigers backfield.

TC Taylor — Jackson State University (JSU) head football coach T.C. Taylor talks to reporters following the JSU Tiger s loss to Alcorn State University during the annual Soul Bow at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, MS on Saturday, November 18, 2023. | Sarah Warnock / USA TODAY NETWORK

JACKSON STATE TRANSFERS (13)

Clyde Price III (RB) Akron
Daved Jones Jr. (LB) Cincinnati
Cam'Ron McCoy (QB) Eastern Michigan
Bryson Moss (RB) Eastern Michigan
Cameron Smith (DB) Eastern Michigan
Marvin Landy (TE) FAU
Anthony Cunningham (DL) Iowa State
Jameel Gardner (WR) Kent State
Isaiah Villanueva (OL) North Texas
Kenneth Jiles Jr. (DL) San Diego State
Tyquan Henderson (WR) Southern Miss
Micah Cherry (DB) Toledo
Joshua Nobles (DL) Western Michigan

Second-year coach Raymond Woodie had an impressive haul of transfers. B-CU could play spoiler this season in the SWAC Eastern Division.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN TRANSFERS (13)

Orin Patu (DL) Arizona
Shawn Russ (DB) Arizona State
Raymond Woodie Ill (RB) Cal
Micah Bowens (QB) Charlotte
Tramayne Mejia-Paster (LB) Colorado State
Terrance Alexander (DB) Jacksonville State
J'Wan Evans (RB) Jacksonville State
Marcus Velez (TE) Marshall
Cross Patton (RB) Nevada
Lorenzo Jenkins (WR) Pitt
Dallaz Corbitt (DL) UCF
Courtney Reese (RB) UNLV
Jostein Clarke (WR) UTE

Prairie View head coach Bubba McDowell against Alabama State during their game at Hornet Stadium on the ASU campus in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday September 24, 2022. Asup48 | Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY

OTHER FBS TO HBCU DIV. I TRANSFERS

Alabama A&M - 7
Alabama State - 4
Alcorn State - 5
Arkansas-Pine Bluff - 3
Delaware State - 4
Hampton - 5
Howard - 4
Mississippi Valley State - 2
Norfolk State - 1
North Carolina A&T - 2
North Carolina Central - 5
Prairie View A&M - 4
South Carolina State - 2
Southern - 4
Texas Southern - 6