FAMU football gets the 'right people and fits' in sizeable 2025 National Signing Day class

FAMU football gets the ‘right people and fits’ in sizeable 2025 National Signing Day class

Posted by author February 6, 2025 Football

Spread the love

FAMU football signed nearly 30 new recruits on National Signing Day to join the team in 2025. Rattlers head coach James Colzie III detailed his class at the Eddie Jackson 220 Quarterback Club.

James Colzie III is tailoring his second Florida A&M football team to become who and what he wants it to be.

A significant step to accomplishing that was Wednesday’s National Signing Day, where the Rattlers are projected to add 27 new players for the 2025 football season thus far. According to a signing day document provided by FAMU football, 24 of those recruits have already signed their National Letter of Intent to join the Rattlers.

The Rattlers’ haul of talent adds to a team that returns seven offensive starters, eight defensive starters, and 35 seniors.

Colzie was the featured speaker at Wednesday’s Eddie Jackson 220 Quarterback Club to discuss his signing class.

“In our recruiting process, we were more about getting the right people and fits,” said Colzie, who guided the Rattlers to a 7-5 record in 2024. “We didn’t want to bring in [just] anybody. We may have fallen victim to that last year.”

Twenty of FAMU’s projected 27 newcomers, transfers and high schoolers, are from Florida.

“When I look at our recruiting class, one of the biggest things I like to do is make sure we got guys from the state,” Colzie explained. “We were able to attract guys who have gone other places but wanted to return to Florida. We helped them pack and brought them back to Tallahassee. It’s extremely important to do that.”

FAMU offensive signees highlighted by quarterbacks and speed

After last season’s starter, Daniel Richardson, graduated, FAMU had to address its quarterback position.

So, the Rattlers landed Central Michigan transfer Tyler Jefferson and Roman Purcell from the Indiana Hoosiers. Both of them previously played at Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

At wide receiver, FAMU signed Western Illinois’ Jordin Parker and Illinois’ Kenari Wilcher, who spent some of his high school career in Tallahassee at Lawton Chiles High School.

The Rattlers’ offensive line signees are Mozell Williams from Rutgers and Gozy Okeke from Iowa Central Community College.

“Offensively, I thought we did a very good job identifying needs and getting specific plays for our needs,” Colzie said. “I like where we are on the offensive side. But we still need to make sure to plug in a couple of guys, and we’ll do that through our transfer portal process once it opens up again in April.”

FAMU searched for a speedy running back after Kelvin Dean Jr., the 2023 Celebration Bowl’s Most Valuable Player, graduated. So, Jamal Hailey from Western Michigan is joining the Rattlers.

“On the offensive side, I wanted us to get faster. If he can’t run, he can’t play for us,” Colzie said about recruiting running backs.

Perhaps FAMU’s biggest get from the preps ranks is wide receiver Moses White from Hillsborough High School in Tampa. White held interest from many FBS and Power Four schools.

“Excited about him,” Colzie said of White.

FAMU football shores up defensive line, secondary

Last season, FAMU’s defense uncharacteristically underperformed after multiple years of finishing near the top of the Football Championship Subdivision.

Therefore, the Rattlers are adding depth despite returning their top defensive lineman, James Ash, who was an All-Southwestern Athletic Conference second-teamer in 2024.

In 2025, Ash will be joined by FBS transfers DJ Jones from Virginia, Jahon Myers from Kennesaw State, and Xavier Perkins from Florida State. Alijah Alexander from FCS program Stetson also signed with FAMU.

“All four of these guys played at their previous institution. They played and decided that Florida A&M would be a better fit for them,” Colzie said of his new defensive linemen.

FAMU also lost its best defensive player, the graduated cornerback Kendall Bohler, who was an HBCU All-American during his time with the Rattlers. FAMU’s starting safety, Deco Wilson, an All-SWAC selection, also graduated.

In response, the Rattlers have many defensive backs joining the team.

Daylyn Ditson (East Carolina), Tequan Latimore (Charlotte), Jalik Thomas (Appalachian State), and Caleb Mckenzie (Florida State) all come from FBS schools. Dion Villiers was a member of HBCU FCS team Tennessee State Tigers, who he helped reach the national tournament in 2024.

Chase Dexter comes to FAMU from the Air Force Preparatory School in Colorado.

“We brought seven defensive backs ― four corners and three safeties,” Colzie said. “All seven of those guys are being counted on to contribute to go along with our returning starters.”

FAMU football’s kicking specialists brings accuracy, can flip the field

FAMU included special teams in its signing day mix.

The Rattlers picked up Alexander Davis, a punter from fellow SWAC school Mississippi Valley State. Davis led the SWAC with a 43.3-yard punting average in 2024. Colzie described Davis as the “number one punter in the SWAC.”

FAMU signed kickers Andrew Abu-Akel from FBS team Western Michigan and Cooper Badics from Division II HBCU Edward Waters.

“They are here because I needed to know hangtime and how far they can kick the sucker. They’re going to put the ball where we need them to,” Colzie said.

Florida A&M Football 2025 Recruiting Class

Quarterback

Tyler Jefferson, Central Michigan
Roman Purcell, Indiana

Running Back

Jamal Hailey, Western Michigan

Wide Receiver

Jordin Parker, Western Michigan
Moses White, Hillsborough High School (Tampa, Florida)
Kenari Wilcher, Illinois

Tight End

Offensive Line

David Gardner, Dr. Philips High School (Orlando, Florida)
Gozy Okeke, Iowa Central Community College
Mozell Williams, Rutgers

Defensive Line

Alijah Alexander, Stetson
DJ Jones, Virginia
Sammy Mitchell IV, Western High School (Davie, Florida)
Jahon Myers, Kennesaw State
Xavier Perkins, Florida State

Linebacker

Justice Cross, Murray State

Defensive Back

Jayden Bradford, Florida State
Chase Dexter, Air Force Preparatory
Daylyn Ditson, East Carolina
TeQuan Latimore, Charlotte
Caleb McKenzie, South Dakota
Isaiah Murphy Sink, Jones High School (Orlando, Florida)
Jalik Thomas, Appalachian State
Dion Villiers, Tennessee State

Kicker

Andrew Abu-Akel, Western Michigan

Cooper Badics, Edward Waters

Punter

Alexander Davis, Mississippi Valley State

Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.

Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.