Jackson State ranks No. 15 in HERO Sports’ FCS Preseason Top 25.
The Tigers finished 12-2 last year, beating South Carolina State 28-7 in the Celebration Bowl.
Here’s a look at the 2025 JSU football squad.
Returning 2024 FCS All-Conference Players (5)
1st Team
OL D’Andre Townes-Blue
WR Nate Rembert (transfer from MVSU)
RS Travis Terrell Jr.
2nd Team
QB Jacobian Morgan
K Gerardo Baeza
D1 Transfer Portal Movement
Transfers Coming In From The FCS (8)
Kanye Varner (DE), Alabama State
Levi Wyatt (DB), McNeese
Nathan Rembert (WR), MVSU
Camden Hardy (DB), Northwestern State
Shemar Savage (WR), Prairie View A&M
Ace Meadows (OL), Tennessee State
Alex Valbuena (OL), Tennessee State
Jordan Helton (DB), Tennessee State
Transfers Coming In From The FBS (9)
Carmelo Jones (LB), Baylor
Jamari Broady (DB), Charlotte
Quincy Ivory (DE), Florida
Kameron Sallis (LB), Kansas State
Donerio Davenport (RB), LA Tech
Khamauri Rogers (DB), Mississippi State
Kenan Christon (RB), San Diego State
Vernorrius Chaney (DB), Southern Miss
Jaylan Ware (DT), ULM
Transfers Lost To The FCS (4)
Kobe Boykin (RB) to Delaware State
Cam’Ron McCoy (QB) to Southern
Fabian McCray (WR) to Southern Illinois
Antonio Ross Jr. (OL) to Southern Illinois
Transfers Lost To The FBS (3)
Avery Salerno (LS) to Arizona
Joshua Nobles (DE) to UMass
Isaiah Spencer (WR) to Virginia Tech
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Offensive Outlook
After scoring 36.4 points per game last year, ranking No. 5 in the FCS, JSU returns its starting quarterback, No. 2 and 3 running backs, top wide receiver in catches, top tight end, three starting offensive linemen, and added an All-SWAC First Team WR. It loses its 1,000-yard running back.
JaCobian Morgan is back as the signal-caller. A 2023 transfer from Syracuse, he threw for 842 yards, 10 touchdowns, and one interception at JSU in 2023. Morgan elevated his play last season, finishing 163/256 (63.7%) for 2,236 yards, 21 TDs, and eight interceptions while rushing for 321 yards and six scores. He earned All-SWAC Second Team accolades and enters 2025 as the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
He’ll have a tremendous group of targets to throw to.
Wide receiver Joanes Fortilien is back after leading JSU with 41 receptions and 11 receiving touchdowns. His 627 receiving yards were No. 2 on the team, behind Isaiah Spencer’s 660, who transferred to Virginia Tech this offseason. WR Ja’Naylon Dupree and tight end Marvin Landy also return. Dupree had 21 catches for 356 yards and five touchdowns, while Landy added 17 receptions for 235 yards and three TDs.
Two FCS wide receiver transfers from within the SWAC look to make splashes as well. Nate Rembert is coming off of an All-SWAC First Team season at Mississippi Valley State, where he caught 70 passes for 1,038 yards and four touchdowns last year. Shemar Savage arrives from Prairie View A&M, where in two seasons he had a combined 45 receptions for 862 yards and five scores.
At running back, the Tigers have to replace standout Irv Mulligan and his 1,245 rushing yards. Travis Terrell Jr. returns, finishing No. 2 on the team in 2024 with 75 rushes for 459 yards and four TDs. Emari Matthews, another returner, added 211 yards and three scores on 52 attempts. Donerio Davenport and Kenan Christon II added FBS playing experience to the backfield. Davenport missed most of 2024 at Louisiana Tech due to injury. In 2023 at Texas State, he had 90 carries for 458 yards and two touchdowns. Christon was also hurt for most of 2024 at San Diego State. But in 2023, he started 10 games and rushed for 378 yards on 96 carries while adding 29 catches for 201 yards. He led the team with 910 all-purpose yards.
An experienced offensive line features three of last year’s top five linemen in snaps returning this fall. D’Andre Townes-Blue (6’5″ 315 lbs) led the way with 800+ snaps and First Team All-SWAC accolades. Quaveon Davis (6’7″ 350 lbs) and Almetris Smith Jr. (6’0″ 285 lbs) are two more starters who each played more than 600 snaps in 2024.
Mason Barton (6’6″ 310 lbs) and Cameron James (6’8″ 320 lbs) added valuable reps as well, both logging nearly 300 snaps. Alex Valbuena (6’0″ 275 lbs) and Ace Meadows (6’7″ 310 lbs) are two FCS transfers from Tennessee State. Valbuena played 400+ snaps last fall.
Gerardo Baeza returns as an All-Conference kicker. He had a record-setting season for JSU last year. He hit 22/30 field goals (73.3%) with a long of 48 yards, setting a school record for field goals made in a season. Baeza also set single-season JSU records with 58 made PATs and 48 made PATs in a row.
Defensive Outlook
JSU allowed 17.1 points per game last season, ranking No. 6 in the FCS. The Tigers return four of their top six tacklers but only five of their top 14. In snaps, JSU returns five of its top 15 players.
Linebacker Reid Pulliam and defensive tackle Jeremiah Williams return after finishing No. 1 and 2 in team tackles. Pulliam notched 65 tackles, seven TFLs, 3.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and three quarterback hurries. Williams, who was PFF’s No. 10-graded FCS interior defender, added 58 stops, 7.5 TFLs, two sacks, and four QB hurries.
Linebacker Ashton Taylor brings back the most snaps from 2024, totaling 630 to finish No. 3 on the team. He finished with 50 tackles, five TFLs, 3.5 sacks, six QB hurries, and four pass breakups. Safety Shamar Hawkins wasn’t far behind with 49 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, three sacks, and two interceptions in nearly 400 snaps. B.J. Washington played more than 350 snaps at safety, totaling 21 tackles and three pass breakups.
John Brown Jr. is a returning edge defender, finishing No. 14 on last year’s team with 25 tackles, including five TFLs. Brown registered nearly 300 snaps. Another returner who played nearly 300 snaps is cornerback KJ Chisholm, who tallied 24 tackles and six pass breakups.
Cornerback Levi Wyatt brings significant experience after transferring from McNeese. He played more than 1,400 snaps in the last two seasons for the Cowboys, recording a combined 46 tackles, one interception, and 15 pass breakups. Safety Camden Hardy is another FCS transfer. Last year at Northwestern State, he logged more than 300 snaps and had 33 tackles.
An experienced transfer from the FBS ranks is ULM defensive tackle Jaylan Ware. Ware played nearly 500 snaps last year and over 650 in 2023, tallying a combined 89 tackles, 10 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks.
2025 Preseason Preview Central
Jackson State Football Schedule
8/30 vs Hampton
9/6 at Southern Miss
9/13 vs Tuskegee
9/27 at Southern
10/4 Alabama A&M (Mobile, AL)
10/11 vs Alabama State
10/25 Grambling State (Las Vegas, NV)
11/1 at Florida A&M
11/8 at Mississippi Valley State
11/15 vs Bethune-Cookman
11/22 vs Alcorn State
Bold indicates SWAC games
