- FCS FOOTBALL -

Transfer Portal: HERO Sports tracks FCS player movement

Gardner-Webb sees most activity into and out of program

Campbell announced the transfer signings of running backs Mark Biggins (left) and Sammy Malignaggi (right) this week. Graphics and photos courtesy Campbell University athletics.

HERO Sports has been tracking the transfer portal’s impact on FCS programs since the end of the 2023 season.

Per HERO Sports comprehensive reporting, below are lists of players coming into and going out of FCS programs from North Carolina for the 2024 season.

Gardner-Webb, by far, has seen the most player movement of any of the North Carolina’s seven FCS schools. The Bulldogs lost their head coach Tre Lamb to East Tennessee State after winning the Big South/OVC championship in November.

GWU saw 20 players follow Lamb to ETSU, including three-time all-conference linebacker William McRainey of Shallotte (West Brunswick HS) and fellow all-conference teammates JaQuan Adams (OL | Raleigh | Sanderson HS) and Gabe Thompson (OL). Starting quarterback Jaylen King also is headed to East Tennessee.

Six Gardner-Webb standouts committed to FBS programs. Linebacker Ty French, the school’s all-time sacks leader, will play in the Big 12 this season at West Virginia.

On the flip side, new GWU coach Chris Reisert has brought in 14 transfers from FBS programs and seven more from the FCS ranks.

In all, 21 players from North Carolina FCS programs will play for FBS teams this fall. Two all-stars from Western Carolina’s 2023 high-powered offense — running back Desmond Reid and wide receiver Censere Lee — will follow offensive coordinator Kade Bell to Pitt.

Offensive lineman Torricelli Simpkins III (Charlotte | Olympic HS) will move from North Carolina Central to the SEC, signing with South Carolina. Tight end Johncarlos Miller II from Greensboro (Dudley HS) is transferring from Elon to Texas Tech.

North Carolina A&T and Houston Christian, in a sense, orchestrated a trade of quarterbacks. Justin Fomby will join A&T’s program from Houston Christian. Meanwhile, Eli Brickhandler will trade his A&T jersey for a Houston Christian uniform.

NC A&T saw three quarterbacks hit the portal this off-season and brought in two signal callers, with Noah Sanders (Delaware) joining Fomby in the battle for the starting job with returnee Kevin White.

FBS to FCS Transfers

Player (Position)Old SchoolNew School
Wing Green Jr. (OL)Georgia TechCampbell
Sammy Malignaggi (RB)James MadisonCampbell
Jalen Brooks (LB)North CarolinaCampbell
Quentin Thomas (WR)Georgia StateCampbell
Nathan Kibambe (DB)App StateElon
Tyler Devera (TE)New Mexico StateElon
Brock Wilkins (LS)PittElon
Jeff Yurk (P)PittElon
Jack Salopek (QB)Western MichiganElon
Trevor Moffitt (LB)App StateGardner-Webb
Jaden Lindsay (OL)App StateGardner-Webb
Karl Odrick (DL)Ball StateGardner-Webb
Jamari Young (LB)ECUGardner-Webb
Jackson Marshall (LB)MarshallGardner-Webb
Ren Hefley (QB)Middle TN StateGardner-Webb
Jordan Bly (WR)ODUGardner-Webb
Colten Gauthier (QB)South CarolinaGardner-Webb
Edward Saydee (RB)TempleGardner-Webb
Ja’kheo Mitchell (DB)Utah StateGardner-Webb
Quinton Cannon (LB)Western MichiganGardner-Webb
Anthony Enechukwu (DB)Western MichiganGardner-Webb
Henry Wilson Jr. (WR)Western MichiganGardner-Webb
Josh Sterns (WR)WKUGardner-Webb
DeAndre Dingle-Prince (DL)App StateNorth Carolina A&T
Josh Hardy (DL)Boston CollegeNorth Carolina A&T
Mehki Wall (WR)DukeNorth Carolina Central
Isaiah Fisher-Smith (DB)DukeNorth Carolina Central
Shawn Burton Jr. (OL)Georgia StateNorth Carolina Central
Isaiah Norris (DB)South CarolinaNorth Carolina Central
Terrance Howard (DB)AlabamaNorth Carolina Central
Jordan Daniels (OL)AkronWestern Carolina
Christian Lowery (K)CincinnatiWestern Carolina
*Source: HEROSports.com

FCS to FCS Transfers

Player (Position)Old SchoolNew School
Paul Hutson III (DL)Austin PeayCampbell
Mark Biggins (RB)Cal PolyCampbell
Jack O’Connor (OL)Idaho StateCampbell
Jonathan Melvin (LB)PennCampbell
Rushawn Baker (RB)BucknellElon
Khalil Baker (DB)North Carolina CentralElon
Brandon Smiley (DL)Western CarolinaElon
Miles Richardson (DB)Austin PeayGardner-Webb
Camden Overton (TE)ChattanoogaGardner-Webb
Steven Rose (DB)DelawareGardner-Webb
Jeff Bowens (DB)Illinois StateGardner-Webb
Taylor Shields (WR)Murray StateGardner-Webb
QuaSean Holmes (RB)Saint FrancisGardner-Webb
Nick Bigelow (P)Tennessee TechGardner-Webb
Thomas Brown (WR)ButlerNorth Carolina A&T
Cam Maddox (DB)DartmouthNorth Carolina A&T
Noah Sanders (QB)DelawareNorth Carolina A&T
Justin Fomby (QB)Houston ChristianNorth Carolina A&T
Brett Gray (OL)ValparaisoWestern Carolina
* Source: HEROSports.com

FCS to FCS Transfers: Outgoing Players

Player (Position)Old SchoolNew School
Marquez Casey (DL)CampbellAustin Peay
Jackson Head (TE)Gardner-WebbAustin Peay
Trey Alsbrooks (OL)ElonButler
Kyle Romenick (P)ElonDuquesne
T.J. Jones (RB)Gardner-WebbDuquesne
Khalil Baker (DB)North Carolina CentralElon
Brandon Smiley (DL)Western CarolinaElon
Ephraim Floyd (WR)Gardner-WebbETSU
Jimmy Bowdry (DB)Gardner-WebbETSU
AJ Johnson (WR)Gardner-WebbETSU
Kendall Williams (TE)Gardner-WebbETSU
Ty Anderson (LB)Gardner-WebbETSU
Karim Page (WR)Gardner-WebbETSU
Tyson Moorer (OL)Gardner-WebbETSU
Jaylen King (QB)Gardner-WebbETSU
Nick Hunter (DL)Gardner-WebbETSU
Justin Franklin (WR)Gardner-WebbETSU
Ryan Barrett (DB)Gardner-WebbETSU
Tywan Royal (DB)Gardner-WebbETSU
Jai Barnes (DL)Gardner-WebbETSU
Jonathan Burns (TE)Gardner-WebbETSU
Rashad Whitehead (DL)Gardner-WebbETSU
JaQuan Adams (OL)Gardner-WebbETSU
Willie Harris (DL)Gardner-WebbETSU
Will McCraw (OL)Gardner-WebbETSU
Gabe Thompson (OL)Gardner-WebbETSU
William McRainey (LB)Gardner-WebbETSU
Alston Hooker (QB)North Carolina A&TFlorida A&M
Taylor Behl (LB)CampbellHouston Christian
Eli Brickhandler (QB)North Carolina A&THouston Christian
Zach Yeager (QB)North Carolina A&THoward
Darren Bennett (TE)North Carolina A&TJackson State
Gilbert Deglau (OL)DavidsonVillanova
Devin Smith (WR)North Carolina CentralVillanova
Jonathan Hammond (DL)DavidsonWilliam & Mary
* Source: HEROSports.com

FCS to FBS Transfers: Outgoing Players

Player (Position)Old SchoolNew School
*Quincy Jenkins (OL)CampbellJames Madison
NaQuari Rogers (RB)CampbellNew Mexico
*Ezeriah Anderson (WR)CampbellUConn
*Hajj-Malik Williams (QB)CampbellUNLV
*Jaidyn Denis (DB)ElonMemphis
Johncarlos Miller II (TE)ElonTexas Tech
Jalen Hampton (RB)ElonWKU
Ja’Kai Young (DB)Gardner-WebbJames Madison
Brice Bass (DL)Gardner-WebbTexas State
Brendan Jackson (LB)Gardner-WebbTroy
Jayden Brown (RB)Gardner-WebbUConn
*Tray Dunson (DB)Gardner-WebbUTEP
Ty French (LB)Gardner-WebbWest Virginia
Avarion Cole (LB)North Carolina A&TApp State
Da’Quan Thomas (OL)North Carolina CentralAkron
Jason Chambers (DB)North Carolina CentralApp State
Torricelli Simpkins III (OL)North Carolina CentralSouth Carolina
Jayden Flaker (LB)North Carolina CentralMemphis
Desmond Reid (RB)Western CarolinaPitt
Censere Lee (WR)Western CarolinaPitt
Andreas Keaton (DB)Western CarolinaTemple
Source: HEROSports.com * denotes graduate transfer

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