In one 48 hour period this past week, the FAMU Rattler football team picked up three highly regarded transfers from a Florida State Seminole football program that went 13-0 this year.
On Friday evening, ex-Seminole offensive lineman Qae'Shon Sapp became the third former member of the roster to announce his transfer just down the road. He joined running back Rodney Hill and cornerback Demorie Tate who announced their decision a day earlier to join the Rattlers. Sapp is expected to have three years of eligibility remaining.
Sapp, a four star prospect out of high school, spent two years at Florida State as a reserve offensive lineman. Most of his contributions came on the scout team but he did appear in two games. He earned three snaps in the home-opening victory over Southern Miss this past season.
Sapp committed to FSU in the 2022 class, choosing the program over Florida, Georgia, and Cincinnati. He displayed talent but was buried in a deep and experienced offensive line room over his time in garnet and gold.
Demorie Tate, a former five-star defensive back from Orlando’s Freedom Hill High School. Tate was one of the highest rated players in the 2020 class, the first under Mike Norvell at FSU. He was rated No. 22 overall prospect, the No. 3 CB, and the No. 4 recruit in the state of Florida in the 2020 class by 247Sports. Tate chose Florida State over multiple offers, including Miami, Alabama, Georgia and Auburn. However, he was redshirted in 2020 and appeared in one game for Florida State football in 2021, but didn’t record any defensive statistics.
Rodney Hill a four-star running back from Florida State followed Tate across the tracks to FAMU.
Hill was rated 235th in ESPN300…rated as No. 15 athlete nationally and 25th-best prospect in Georgia by ESPN…rated 26th athlete prospect in Class of 2022 and No. 45 overall in Georgia on 247 Composite…ranked 34th among athletes and 49th in Georgia by 247Sports…ranked as nation’s 42nd-best running back and 68th overall from Georgia by Rivals…rushed 38 times for 344 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 9.1 yards per carry, during senior season…also caught 12 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown…over his final two seasons, totaled 1,242 all-purpose yards with average of 138.0 yards per game…took snaps at wide receiver, running back and defensive back for Bulloch over final two seasons…also ran track and played basketball at Bulloch.
At Florida State, Hill rushed 27 times for 144 yards and one touchdown in 2022, taking a redshirt for Florida State. Last season he rushed 50 times for 190 yards and a touchdown.
