The NCAA Transfer Portal allows college student-athletes to find new homes.
Typically, players transfer away from their previous team for various reasons, such as a chance to compete in a higher conference or more playing time.
As Florida A&M has attracted a recruiting class that has the most Football Bowl Subdivision-to-Football Championship Subdivision transfers, the Rattlers have also lost many key players to the portal since winning the Celebration Bowl for the Black College National Championship.
Oftentimes, roster turnover is something that FCS and HBCU teams navigate every offseason as players pursue other opportunities. Overhauls can also happen as teams have new head coaches, as FAMU does in James Colzie III.
Here’s where FAMU’s transfers out landed after entering the portal.
Success at FAMU leads to Power 5 football opportunities for transfers
FAMU will be well-represented in Power Five conferences of college football.
Two former Rattlers defensive linemen, Gentle Hunt and Cherif Seye, will play in the Big 10. Hunt transferred from FAMU to Illinois, while Seye went to UCLA.
Hunt played at FAMU from 2021-2023 and collected 89 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles and fumble recoveries apiece. Hunt was an All-Southwestern Athletic Conference Second Team selection in 2023.
Seye played at FAMU in 2023, transferring from Southeastern Louisiana. Seye tallied 22 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble for the Rattlers.
Former FAMU linebacker Johnny Chaney Jr. now plays under head coach Deion Sanders for the Colorado Buffaloes. Chaney’s arrival at Colorado reunites him with the Rattlers’ former recruiting director, Devin Rispress, who’s now the Buffaloes’ assistant director of player personnel and high school relations.
Chaney played at FAMU from 2021 to 2023, becoming a constant for the Dark Cloud Defense as he left the Rattlers with 141 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. Chaney garnered All-SWAC Second Team honors in 2023.
More FAMU players transfer to elevate to the NCAA Division I FBS level
A trio of former Rattlers are now in the Mid-American Conference.
FAMU’s star defensive end, Anthony Dunn Jr., transferred to play for the Toledo Rockets. An All-SWAC First Team selection in 2023, Dunn played for the Rattlers for two seasons after transferring from FBS program Marshall.
After a breakout performance in the 2022 Florida Classic, Dunn cracked a permanent starting spot at FAMU, where he notched 54 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, and a forced fumble and fumble recovery apiece during his time with the Rattlers. Dunn led the Rattlers with eight sacks in 2023.
Former FAMU wide receiver Trevonte Davis is returning to his home state to play for Central Michigan. The Flint native spent 2022 and 2023 at FAMU after transferring from Wayne State.
Battling injuries during his tenure, Davis caught seven catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Davis’ FAMU touchdowns were in the team’s season openers in 2022 against North Carolina and 2023 against Jackson State.
Former FAMU longsnapper Emmet Rhoades will now suit up for the Akron Zips. He arrived at FAMU in 2023 but didn’t appear in any games.
Here's where other notable FAMU transfers out landed through the portal
Tallahassee’s Zaire Riley is headed just an hour north to play for Division II football blueblood Valdosta State.
The defensive back Riley arrived at FAMU in 2022 out of Havana’s Gadsden County High School. He redshirted in 2022 but saw action in four games in 2023.
In 2022, Riley was featured on ESPN for a remarkable one-handed interception he made during a Rattlers’ fall training camp practice.
Former FAMU receiver Kareem Burke is staying in the SWAC. He transferred to Arkansas-Pine Bluff of the SWAC West division. At FAMU, Burke showed flashes of his running and catching ability for the Rattlers.
In 2023, Burke rushed eight times for 85 yards and a touchdown and secured six catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.
Former FAMU defensive back Orel Gray transferred down to Itawamba Community College, where a good showing will likely place him back in Division I football.
Gray saw just two games of action as a FAMU freshman in 2023 and got a tackle.
However, Gray is a well-known name in Florida as he eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards and scored 37 total touchdowns to win the Jacksonville Times-Union’s All-First Coast Offensive Player of the Year award as a senior running back for University Christian in 2022.
Florida A&M Rattlers 2024 Football Recruiting Class
Quarterback
Alston Hooker ― North Carolina A&T
Bryson Martin ― Miami
Daniel Richardson ― Florida Atlantic
Running Back
Dorian Collier ― Chadron State
Thaddius Franklin Jr. ― Louisiana-Monroe
Jaylen Neal ― Buford High School (Georgia)
Wide Receiver
Marquez Bell ― Old Dominion
Caden Bridgeman — Niceville High School
A'Ceon Cobb ― Florida Atlantic
Quay Davis ― Texas Southern
Amari Johnson ― Central Florida
Jalen Rogers ― Tulane
Jaylen Ward ― Middle Tennessee State
Tight End
Wayde Bowman ― Lewis and Clark
Karter Johnson ― Pitt
Jayden Evans ― Central Michigan
Offensive Lineman
Ezra Dotson-Oyetade ― Texas Christian
Nathan Gates ― Washington State
Jeremy Fishkin ― Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, Florida)
Dat Nguyen ― Southwest Baptist
Elijah Philippe ― Troy
Christian Wingfield ― Austin Peay
Defensive Line
Antonio Camon ― Pittsburgh
Nick Dimitris ― UNLV
Montra Edwards ― Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Brekien Harold ― Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory (Hollywood, Florida)
Cameron McDonald ― Kennesaw State
Clyde Pinder Jr. ― Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Stantavious Smith ― South Florida
Davion Westmoreland ― Kansas
Linebacker
Landon Bolding ― Monarch High School (Coconut Creek, Florida)
Avery Huff ― Florida International
Jayren Fox ― Mississippi Valley State
Latarie Kinsler ― Florida International
Darrick McGhee Jr. — Florida High
Brian Norris Jr. ― South Florida
Jerome Nichols ― Michigan
Justin Squire ― Mandarin High School
Defensive Back
Brandon Calloway ― Purdue
Corey Collier Jr. ― Nebraska
Simion Hines ― Northern Arizona
Jameel Sanders ― South Florida
Demorie Tate ― Florida State
Specialists
Andrew Tisher ― Punter ― Stetson
Gunnar Trout ― Kicker/Punter ― Cocoa High School
Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email atgdthomas@tallahassee.comor on the app formerly known as Twitter@3peatgee.
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