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

HBCU football teams pick up FBS players, but will the players help them win in 2024?

Sep 3, 2023; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Jackson State Tigers head coach T.C. Taylor looks on from the sideline against the Florida A&M Rattlers during the second quarter of the Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

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)

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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.

1. Jayden Evans (DL) Central Michigan
2. Daniel Richardson (QB) FAU
3. A'Ceon Cobb (WR) FAU
4. Latarie Kinsler (LB) FIU
5. Demorie Tate (DB) Florida State
6. Max Larson (K) Florida State
7. Davion Westmoreland (DL) Kansas
8. Avery Huff (DB) LA Tech
9. Thad Franklin (RB) Louisiana-Monroe
10. Simion Hines (DB) Louisiana-Monroe
11. Jerome Nichols (LB) Michigan
12. Jaylen Ward (WR) Middle TN State
13. Corey Collier Jr. (DB) Nebraska
14. Marquez Bell (WR) ODU
15. Karter Johnson (TE) Pitt
16. Antonio Carron (DL) Pitt
17. Brandon Calloway (DB) Purdue
18. Ezra Dotson-Oyetade (OL) TCU
19. Elijah Philippe (OL) Troy
20. Jalen Rogers (WR) Tulane
21. Amari Johnson (WR) UCF
22. Nick Dimitris (DL) UNLV
23. Jameel Sanders (DB) USF
24. Brian Norris (LB) USF
25. Stantavious Smith (DL) USF
26. Daveon Walker (WR) Vanderbilt
27. Nathan Gates (OL) Washington State

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Sep 18, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; A general picture of a Grambling State Tigers helmet on the sideline of the game between the Houston Cougars and the Grambling State Tigers at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

GRAMBLING STATE TIGERS (17)

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

1. Reed Harradine (K/P) Alabama
2. Patrick Williams II (WR) Arizona State
3. Armon Bethea (OL) Bowling Green
4. Isaac Washington (DL) Charlotte
5. Jordan Johnson (RB) Hawaii
6. Ashton Frye (QB) Jacksonville State
7. Jacoby Bellazar (WR) Mississippi State
8. Duece Jones (WR) New Mexico
9. Deljay Bailey (QB) Ole Miss
10. Blake Davis (DB) San Jose State
11. Johnny Schifano (P) SMU
12. Akhnaton Shabazz (LB) South Carolina
13. Kobe Williams (OL) Troy
14. James Eaglin (DL) Tulsa
15. Bryce Cage (DL) Utah State
16. Jalen Rudolph (DL) UTEP
17. 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.

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Tennessee State head coach Eddie George watches his team face against Norfolk State during the first quarter of the TSU homecoming game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA

TENNESSEE STATE TRANSFERS (16)

1. Saidou Ba (OL) Arkansas State
2. Kierron Smith (DL) Georgia Southern
3. JayT Jackson (DB) Georgia State
4. Anthony Smith (OL) Iowa State
5. Yirayah LaNier (DL) Louisville
6. George Hamsley (QB) LSU
7. Tevin Carter (QB) Memphis
8. Mark Shenouda (P) Memphis
9. Tyler Jones (DB) Missouri
10. Exavious Reed (TE) Southern Miss
11. Connor Meadows (OL) Tennessee
12. Malik Ganaway (DB) Tennessee
13. Camron Douglas (DL) Tennessee
14. Kheagian Heckaman (TE) UTEP
15. Jackson Foster (K) Western Michigan
16. 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.

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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)

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

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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 University head football coach Raymond Woodie Jr. points during the Wildcats' spring game at Daytona Stadium, Saturday, April 20, 2024. / Nigel Cook/News-Journal / USA TODAY

BETHUNE-COOKMAN TRANSFERS (13)

1. Orin Patu (DL) Arizona
2. Shawn Russ (DB) Arizona State
3. Raymond Woodie Ill (RB) Cal
4. Micah Bowens (QB) Charlotte
5. Tramayne Mejia-Paster (LB) Colorado State
6. Terrance Alexander (DB) Jacksonville State
7. J'Wan Evans (RB) Jacksonville State
8. Marcus Velez (TE) Marshall
9. Cross Patton (RB) Nevada
10. Lorenzo Jenkins (WR) Pitt
11. Dallaz Corbitt (DL) UCF
12. Courtney Reese (RB) UNLV
13. Jostein Clarke (WR) UTE

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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