“With the new redshirt rules (which allow players to play up to four games and still redshirt), I think all of these players will be able to contribute right away,” Simmons said.
The signees roster release at 5:30 p.m. Eastern, was heavily weighted toward Tallahassee, Jacksonville, North and Central Florida, as well as South Georgia.
“One of the big criticisms of the program over the years was the lack of area recruiting,” Simmons explained. “If we are going to fill up Bragg Stadium every week, then we knew we needed to make local and area recruiting a major focus of our efforts.”
Overall, FAMU signed six players from Jacksonville, four from Tallahassee, three from South Georgia (Thomasville, Brooks County and Hampton), along with scattered others from Miami, Orlando and other locales.
“We feel very good about this class, and we were able to address some needs from adding depth, to getting bigger size wise, and adding team speed,” Simmons said.
On the offensive side, FAMU signed a quarterback, Cameron Sapp, a 6-3, 190-pounder from Jacksonville’s Lee High School. “Sapp is a winner. He led his team to a win over Ribault which went on to win the state title. His uncle played both quarterback and linebacker at Clemson, and we fell he can come in and compete,” Simmons said.
The Rattlers also addressed needs at receiver, signing three wideouts and two tight ends as of late Wednesday. He was particularly happy about the signing of Donovan Mobley of Tallahassee Leon High, and Chris Sanders of Jacksonville’s Bolles School.
FAMU also acquired three offensive linemen, two from South Georgia, along with JUCO transfer Jalen Spady, son of FAMU Assistant Head Coach James Spady.
The Rattlers also went in for defense, signing four lineman, two linebackers and five defensive backs.
Several signees carried either a two- or three-star designation, including two-star RB Terrell Jennings from Jacksonville’s Mandarin High, and three star defenders like LB Omari Fiffer from Jacksonville’s Edward White High; LB Moezies Telfort from Fort Lauderdale’s University NSU High; and DB Markquese Bell from Bridgeton, N.J. via Coffeyville Community College in Kansas.
FAMU expects to sign up to eight (8) additional players over the next few days.
The 19 student-athletes who signed with FAMU are: Markquese Bell (DB 6'3" 194 Coffeyville Community College in Kansas - Bridgeton,New Jersey), Jahsimeon Campblin (DB 6'0" 175, Edgewater High School - Orlando), Anthony Daniels (DT 6'1" 250, Brooks County High School - Quitman, Georgia), Omari Fiffer (LB 6'0" 197, Ed White High School, Jacksonville), Cameron Sapp (QB 6'3" 190, Lee High School - Jacksonville), Jolan Gilley (DT 6'2" 265, Florida High School - Tallahassee), Angelo Gonzalez (WR 6'3" 185, Coffeyville Community College in Kansas - Miami), Terrell Jennings (RB 6'1" 216, Mandarin High School - Jacksonville), Donovan Mobley (WR 6'1" 175, Leon High School - Tallahassee), Javan Morgan (DB 5'11" 180, Florida High School - Tallahassee), Kaloeb Parker (TE 6'5" 215, Sandalwood High School - Jacksonville), Tevin Rayford (OL 6'5" 250, Thomasville High School - Thomasville, Georgia), Cortez Reid (DB 6'2" 183, Viera High School - Melbourne), Chris Sanders (WR 5'7" 175, Bolles High School - Jacksonville), Jalen Spady (OL 6'3" 325, Glendale Community College - Glendale, Arizona), Kamari Stephens (DT 6'2" 290, Sandalwood High School - Jacksonville), Moezies Telfort (LB 6'2" 225, University High School - Fort Lauderdale), Khamari Thompson (OL 6'5" 265, Dutchtown High School - Hampton, Georgia), and Kamari Young (TE 6'3" 230, Godby High School - Tallahassee).