Rattlers sign highest-ranked class in program history

FAMU Sports Information

When the Florida A&M football team begins spring practice on Feb. 26, a couple of this year’s signees – specifically transfers – are expected to be on the field. All total, coach Willie Simmons’ latest class is made up of 18 student-athletes to give the Rattlers the seventh-best recruiting class in the FCS.

The class was ranked by 247sports.

“We are very excited about the new additions to the football FAMULY!” said Simmons. “These young men embody the spirit of what Florida A&M is all about in the pursuit of academic as well as athletic excellence, and we feel they will continue to move this program in the right direction.

“I want to personally thank my coaching staff, support staff, student helpers, players’ hosts, the student body, the city of Tallahassee, and all of Rattler Nation for helping us sign one of the highest-ranked classes in the rich history of FAMU football.”

 Here are the student-athletes signed during the early period:

Isaiah Major (linebacker). Major is 6-feet, 220 pounds and he played his last two seasons at Independence Community College, where he recorded 68 tackles, 15.5 for loss, and three sacks. He attended Millwood High School and his team won state championships in 2016 and 2017.

Jalen Armstrong  (offensive lineman).  He is 6-4, 310 pounds and played the last two years at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Armstrong appeared in 19 games.

Dariyon Weeden (offensive lineman).  He is 6-3, 310 pounds and he played the last two years at Cisco College, appearing in 14 games.

TJ Demas (offensive lineman).  He is 6-2, 290 pounds and played center and defensive tackle at Clearwater Central Classic High School. He was also being recruited by Cincinnati, USF and Bucknell.

Will McCollum (offensive lineman). He is 6-5, 320 pounds and played the last two years at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, appearing in 12 games.

Zaire Riley (defensive back). He is 5-10, 170 pounds from Gadsden County High School. He had 55 tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery and two pass breakups his senior season.

National Signing Day: 

Michael Watson II (linebacker). He is 6-4, 220 pounds and played at Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, Ga. He recorded 178 tackles, forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles and four pass deflections his senior season.

Kareem Burke  (wide receiver). He is 6-feet, 160 pounds and played at Raines High School in Jacksonville, Fla. He was an all-purpose player for Raines as he had 136 carries for 861 yards and four touchdowns and 29 receptions for 605 yards and seven touchdowns.

Jeremy Moussa (quarterback). He is 6-3, 225 pounds and spent the 2021 season at Vanderbilt University, where he saw action in two games. Prior to Vanderbilt, he was at San Bernardino College and led the Coyotes to a 9-2 record and a Inland Empire Athletic Conference title. Moussa was the 2019 co-offensive player of the year. He threw 37 touchdowns, while averaging 353.2 yards per game.

Lamar Mullins (defensive back). He is 6-3, 205 pounds and comes from  Tulsa, where he played for the Hurricanes. He appeared in four games last season, recording 15 tackles and he recovered a fumble.

Jordan Moore (defensive back). He is 5-11, 210 pounds and comes from Kilgore College. He saw action in 10 games and recorded 85 tackles for fifth in the category in nationally. Moore added two interceptions and one fumble recovery for the year.

Aric Horne (linebacker). He is 6-1, 223 pounds. He played the last two seasons at Iowa State. Horne saw action in 14 games and recorded 35 tackles, three for a loss, one sack, and one interception.

Destin Coates (running back). He is (5-11, 200 pounds.  He returns to Tallahassee after spending four seasons at Georgia State, where he played in 31 games and ran for 1,638 yards and 16 touchdowns. Coates averaged five yards per carry and added 215 yards through the air. Coates was named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team and was the 2020 LendingTree Bowl Offensive Player of the Game.

Trevonte Davis (wide receiver). He is 6-1, 205 pounds and comes from Wayne State. In Davis’s final season with the Warriors, he played in 11 games and recorded 38 receptions for 686 yards and five touchdowns.

Devin Smith (linebacker). He is 6-2, 220 and comes to the Rattlers from Riverside High School in Jacksonville, Fla. He recorded 55 tackles, forced three fumbles and had one sack and an interception. Several major programs, including Florida State, Miami (Fl.), Florida, Michigan also recruited Smith.

Jalen Goss (offensive lineman). He is 6-7, 270 pounds. He spent the last three years at Florida State, where he played in 33 games, primarily on special teams.

Dre Jones (defensive lineman).  He is 6-4, 277 pounds. He spent two years at Abilene Christian and he saw action in 13 games, recording 28 tackles, 1.5 for loss and forced one fumble.

Kym’Mani King (defensive back). He is 5-10, 185 pounds. He was at Iowa State for three seasons, playing in 23 games and recording 44 tackles with 1.5 for loss, three pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery.