Despite a down year and a coaching change, Jaylan Lurry didn’t budge on his commitment to Florida A&M football.
“I like the culture over there, the new coaches and how they’re all in,” he told the Tallahassee Democrat.
The Florida High Seminoles senior wide receiver put pen to paper on campus during National Signing Day, Wednesday, Feb. 4, to officially declare to play for FAMU.
On Florida High’s Tallahassee campus’ Bob Albertson Gym, Lurry signed alongside teammate fellow receiver Keenen Jeune, who’s off to Florida State.
Florida High baseball players, Jacob Gray (Thomas University), and Tanner Hall (Northwestern College), also signed.
Lurry verbally committed to play for the Rattlers last November, amidst the program’s 5-7 season and a month before the dismissal of James Colzie III as head football coach.
Then came new FAMU head coach Quinn Fordham Gray Sr., who announced his inaugural staff on Jan. 25.
New hires included former Florida State Seminoles star receiver and assistant Ron Dugans. The Tallahassee native Dugans is the Rattlers’ receivers coach and pro scout liaison.
After speaking with Dugans, the Tallahassee Democrat’s All-Big Bend First Teamer and Tallahassee Quarterback Club’s Peter Warrick Wide Receiver of the Year, was comfortable with his decision to stay local at FAMU.
“I feel like Coach Dugans will help me become a better receiver and take me to the next level to be a better person and player on the field,” Lurry explained. “When I met him, he took me as family, had a great vibe, and I like being around him.”
Lurry used “great” to describe his conversations with his new head coach, Gray.
The 6-foot, 185-pound target who played at Leon before transferring to Florida High for his senior year is coming off a final act where he led the Big Bend area across the board with 71 receptions, 1,216 receiving yards, and 16 touchdowns.
He held offers from Mississippi Valley State, Saint Thomas University, and Savannah State.
But playing for the hometown Rattlers enticed Lurry the most.
“I know my parents and family want to see me play,” Lurry explained his decision. “I felt like I could play in my backyard, it’d be great.”
In the classroom, Lurry plans to study criminology at FAMU, ranked the top public Historically Black College and University by U.S. News and World Reports.
On the field, he will make his first appearance in the Orange and Green when the Rattlers host the Albany State Golden Rams for the 2026 season opener on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium on Aug. 29.
“I got to put in the work,” Lurry said. “That’s really it.”
Florida A&M Football 2026 Recruiting Class
Must be signed and announced by the school on National Signing Day, Feb. 4.
NCAA Transfer Portal
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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: How Jaylan Lurry’s FAMU football commitment was impacted by Ron Dugans
Reporting by Gerald Thomas III, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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