FIU Football Transfer Portal Tracker 2025
In the new age of college football, the transfer portal is extremely important. For a team like FIU, they will continue to bolster their ranks with players from the portal and from the JUCO ranks, many with previous ties to South Florida.
Here at G5 Football Daily, we will track this transfer portal cycle's additions and subtractions under new head coach Willie Simmons.
Outgoing Players:
Eric Rivers, WR: Georgia Tech
Rivers finished the 2024 season with 62 receptions for 1,1172 yards and 12 touchdowns. Rivers broke the FIU record for most receiving yards and touchdowns in a single-season. He led Conference USA in those stats as well.
The now-former Panther was a four-star transfer portal prospect from Memphis joining prior to the 2023 season. He will now join the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the ACC.
Dean Patterson, WR: Georgia Tech
Patterson finished the season with 50 receptions for 685 yards and seven touchdowns. These were all career numbers for the redshirt senior. He finished making All-Conference Second Team. Patterson will join Rivers in Georgia Tech.
Antonio Ferguson, TE: UAB
Ferguson hauled in seven receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown. These were career-high's for the redshirt sophomore. Ferguson will now join head coach Trent Dilfer at UAB.
Hezekiah Masses, CB: Cal
In his junior season, Masses posted 38 total tackles (24 solo/14 assisted), one tackle for loss and an interception. He will head to Cal in the ACC.
Travion Barnes, LB: Baylor
In his lone season at FIU, Barnes posted a conference-leading 129 total tackles (59 solo/70 assisted), 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions. Barnes set the FIU record for most assisted tackles in a single-season and finished second in most total tackles in a single-season. He was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and All-Conference First team.
Barnes will now join Baylor in the Big 12 conference after receiving attention from several other Power Four schools.
Jojo Evans, S: Louisville
After not playing in 2023 due to transfer portal rules, Evans had a career-year posting 93 total tackles (52 solo/41 assisted), three tackles for loss and two interceptions. The former Kent State defensive back was named to the All-Conference First team.
Evans will now join the Louisville Cardinals in the ACC as they look to capture the conference championship in 2025.
CJ Christian, S: Washington
In 2024, Christian had his best season yet with 80 total tackles (40 solo/40 asssited), three tackles for loss and one interception. After being granted an extra year of eligibility, he decided to hit the transfer portal and join Washington in the Big 10.
Rocky Beers, TE: Colorado State
Beers' FIU tenure was short-lived, only lasting 12 games. In 2024, he missed almost the entire season after suffering an injury in the Panthers' week one loss to Indiana. He hauled in four passes for 18 yards and a touchdown in that game. He will now return to his home stateand join Colorado State who went 8-4 in 2024.
Nazeviah Burris, WR: Arkansas State
Burris lone season at FIU was cut short. He hauled in 22 catches for 209 yards and one touchdown. With Burris heading to Arkansas State, it now marks back-to-back years of an FIU player heading to that program.
Jackson Lee, LS: Florida Atlantic
JaDarious Lee,: Kennesaw State
John Bock III, OL: Tulane
Naeer Jackson, OL: Louisville
Ja'Coby Matthews, WR: Alcorn State
Mike Jackson, WR: Florida Memorial University
Travis Burke, OL: Memphis
Shomari Lawrence, RB: Missouri State
Lawrence was the lead back in 2023, rushing for 566 yards and four touchdowns. This past season, in a much more crowded running back room, he played in eight games, rushing for 177 yards and one touchdown.
Amari Jones, QB: South Carolina State
Jones, who was one of Mike MacIntyre's first recruits won the backup quarterback job coming out of camp and when starter Keyone Jenkins went down against UTEP, he stepped in. He finished the season making five appearances, completing seven passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. He was also used in plenty of designed runs.
Players in the portal who have not committed: Rowdy Beers, Marquez Tatum and Ming Tjon and Dylan Redmon
Incoming Players:
Keyone Jenkins, QB: Withdrew from portal, will return to FIU
Jenkins finished the season completing 188 passes for 2,557 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Miami Central product drew interest from a handful of power conference programs, but Jenkins ultimately made the decision to return to the team he started his college career with.
Kendal Marks, CB: Tyler Junior College
Marks is the first known transfer to join the Panthers under Willie Simmons. He finished his JUCO career with 20 total tackles (all solo), three tackles for loss and one interception.
Lamont Green Jr., EDGE: FSU
Former four-star recruit did not see any playing time during his time at Florida State, but standing at 6'3," 229 pounds, this is likely one of the bigger acquisitions through the portal for FIU in recent years.
Aaron Armitage, EDGE: Stanford
Another former four-star recruit who played in a total of 15 games throughout his time at Stanford. He posted 22 total tackles (seven solo/15 assisted).
Kenton Simmons, EDGE: Butler Community College
Coming from the JUCO ranks, Simmons posted 43 total tackles (23 solo/20 assited), 2.4 tackles for loss and six sacks throughout two seasons. In a linebacker room that lost Travion Barnes, Simmons will look to either start right away or compete for a starting job.
Demetrius Hill, S: Illinois
After being named a Freshman All-American in 2022 with FIU, he entered the transfer portal and went to Illinois. His time at the power conference level would last only one game as he suffered a season-ending injury that kept him out for the remainder of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Hill now returns to the school where he began his college career.
Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine, CB: Arizona
In 16 games played in two seasons, Celestine posted three total tackles (one solo/two assisted). He is a Miami native and played at Miami Palmetto high school. The now newest Panther was also a kick returner and in 2024 had a 50-yard return.
Kejon Owens, RB: Withdraws from portal, back at FIU
Owens entered the transfer portal after rushing for 392 yards and five touchdowns, which ties a career-high. His best game of the season came Central Michigan where he ran for 60-yards and a touchdown. His only multi-touchdown game of the season came against Monmouth.
Dallas Payne, TE: UAB
The first offensive position player FIU will bring in through the transfer portal is tight end Dallas Payne. He will follow offensive coordinator Nick Coleman from UAB to FIU. In 2024, he hauled in 17 receptions for 192 yards and a touchdown. He caught 38 passes for 402 yards and one touchdown through his three years.
Claude Larkins Jr., DL: Withdrew name from transfer portal
Trent Sims, LS: Mississippi Valley College
Dante Anderson, DL: Florida State
A former four-star recruit who saw action in 10 games through three season at FSU and posted nine total tackles (six solo/three assisted).
C'Quan Jnopierre, WR: Returning to FIU after JUCO ruling
Antonio Tripp, OL: University of Miami
Former four-star recruit out of IMG Academy that held 17 offers coming out of high school. Tripp is 6'3," 300 pounds.
Julius Pierce, OL: Middle Tennessee
Pierce was at FIU from 2019-22 before transferring in conference to Middle Tennessee. In his time at FIU he made 21 appearances. With the Blue Raiders in 2023 he played in 12 games and in 2024 he was limited to 42 snaps.
Noah Grant, K: UAB
Alex Perry, WR; Hawaii
Perry, who stands at 6'5," 195 pounds hauled in 22 receptions for 195 yards in 2024. In his three years at Hawaii, he had 48 receptions for 491 yards and three touchdowns.
Ajay Allen, RB: Miami
On Wednesday, the FIU Panthers earned a big commitment from former Nebraska and Miami running back Ajay Allen. Through 21 collegiate games, he's ran 734 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Allen will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Trey Wilhoit, P: FAMU
Johnny Chaney Jr., LB: Colorado
Prior to making his way to Colorado, Chaney spent three seasons at FAMU, posting 141 total tackles (70 solo/71 assisted), 12 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Chaney's Colorado tenure was a short one, only lasting one game where he posted one total tackle.
Alejandro Prado, K: Returning to FIU after JUCO ruling
Olasunkonmi Agunloye, DL: Marshall
Prior to his lone season at Marshall, Agunloye spent four seasons at the University of Virginia. Along with his lone season at Marshall, the 6'6," 293 pound defensive lineman had 41 total tackles (17 solo/24 assisted), five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Websley Etienne, S: Arkansas State
In three season at Arkansas State, Etienne posted 67 total tackles (39 solo/28 assisted), two tackles for loss and two interceptions. His best season was this past one, where had 56 total tackles and two interceptions. Etienne is a Fort Lauderdale native and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
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