Florida A&M football has been owning the offseason recruiting cycle.
As the 2025 season incomes, the Rattlers have welcomed around 50 players to the roster for when it’s time to kick off the season at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium for the Orange Blossom Classic versus the Howard Bison on Aug. 30.
FAMU football has been named one of the top five recruiting classes in the Football Championship Subdivision by recruiting database AthLinkd.
The Rattlers have generally been a program that has recruited well, but this year, it has served as FAMU’s second-year head coach James Colzie III’s first complete cycle to sift through prospects. Last year, Colzie’s delayed January hire was met with a wave of transfers out, which led to the then-newly hired coach having around just 60 players during spring practice.
FAMU finished the 2024 season with a 7-5 record, missing postseason play.
But heading into this fall, the Rattlers are recruiting for depth instead of trying to fill their roster like a year ago.
If FAMU football’s top-five recruiting ranking fits the bill, it could place the Rattlers back in the Southwestern Athletic Conference title and Black College Football National Championship picture.
Let’s look at what the Rattlers addressed in recruiting and which one of their competitors could stand in their way.
What has been FAMU football’s recruiting focus?
The Rattlers have many options for who could start at quarterback this season.
FAMU has landed five quarterbacks this offseason: Tyler Jefferson, RJ Johnson III, RJ Mayes, Jett Peddy, and Lawrence Wright IV. Wright is also listed as an athlete.
Traven Green and Bryson Martin also return as quarterbacks for the Rattlers.
Offensive line and defensive line were also an emphasis.
The Rattlers’ most recent offensive line commitment was from Jacob Jeudy, a junior college in New York. Another new offensive lineman is Gozy Okeke from Iowa Central Community College. Those names are just a few of the added depth to go alongside the Rattlers’ standout offensive linemen, Charles Davis and Ashton Grable.
On the defensive line, the Rattlers have transfers like DJ Jones from the Virginia Cavaliers and Jahon Myers, formerly with the Kennesaw State Owls, leading the pack of newcomers in the trenches. And FAMU still has its leading tackler for loss and sack leader defensive end Davion Westmoreland returning.
The Rattlers have even emphasized kickers, bringing in five: Andrew Abu-Akel, Emilio Bacardi, Cooper Badics, Daniel Porto, and Gabriel Perez.
Who could get in FAMU football’s way of a SWAC, Black College title?
Jackson State has been FAMU’s biggest headache since joining the SWAC in 2021.
Since becoming SWAC East division foes, Jackson State has won three of four matchups against FAMU, with the Rattlers getting their lone win in 2023. Each year, the winner of that matchup has gone on to win the SWAC Championship and represent the league in the Celebration Bowl to play for the Black College Football National Championship.
For example, Jackson State defeated FAMU 35-21 last season. Jackson State won the 2024 SWAC title and Black College Football National Championship and has players returning from last year’s team along with transfers.
The Rattlers will host Jackson State on Saturday, Nov. 1, on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
This season, FAMU football isn’t scheduled to face the SWAC West’s Prairie View A&M. However, it’s a possibility they could match up in December’s SWAC Championship game.
Prairie View isn’t a team to sleep on as it begins the Tremaine Jackson era. Jackson became Prairie View’s head coach this January after three seasons at NCAA Division II powerhouse Valdosta State, which he led to a national championship appearance last December.
While FAMU has a top-five recruiting class by AthLinkd, 247Sports considers Prairie View to have the top recruiting class in the SWAC.
It could make for good football if FAMU can surpass Jackson State this season to reach the SWAC postseason versus Prairie View.
Florida A&M Football 2025 Schedule
All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.
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.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football recruited with venom this offseason: Will it get the Rattlers over the hump?
Reporting by Gerald Thomas III, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
