Note: Much like I did last year for NMSU and its opponents, I’ve identified 10 breakout players for these teams on offense and defense heading into the fall season, plus some honorable mentions. Last year some of my predictions were spot on, and some weren’t — and that’s part of the fun!
- QB Zion Turner, Jacksonville State (Redshirt Sophomore)
He’s historically had turnover issues, throwing 10 interceptions against nine TDs as his UConn Huskies went on a surprising bowl run in 2022, his true freshman season. But Turner is an athletic dual-threat QB, the kind that Jax State head coach Rich Rodriguez covets.
Turner will have three seasons of eligibility left and his spring practice was encouraging enough to temporarily place him as the starter ahead of senior Logan Smothers, who accounted for 13 total TDs as a part-time starter last year. As usual, RichRod is OK with rotating both QBs if needed.
2. WR Tyson Mobley, Liberty (Grad Student)
Mobley transferred in from Coastal Carolina, where the Florida native reunites with current Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell. While he didn’t dominate at Coastal (55 career catches), he did land an honorable mention all-Sun Belt selection in 2022 and more recently, showed yards-after-catch ability with a nice TD catch-and-run in Liberty’s spring game.
3. WR Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Louisiana Tech (Senior)
Ibrahim will be on school number three after a solid stint at Alabama A&M (31 career games) and the 2023 season at Bowling Green (13 games). He was earning rave reviews in spring practice and will likely be a key cog in a Louisiana Tech passing game that needs to replace its top four receivers.
“Don’t watch his catches, don’t watch his route running; go watch him block. He is a savage on the perimeter, and I mean a savage,” said his former coach, Bowling Green’s Scot Loeffler. “He’s an old-school wide receiver is what he is. He can run, he can catch, and he is tough as nails…I love tough wide receivers on the perimeter.”
4. QB Jack Turner, Louisiana Tech (Redshirt Junior)
Turner didn’t exactly light the world on fire in limited action last fall, passing for 1,017 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions. But he retained his starting QB job in the spring despite a challenge from junior college All-American Ty Keyes, and head coach Sonny Cumbie expressed confidence in Turner heading forward.
5. WR Desna Washington, Florida International (Redshirt Senior)
The 6’5” Washington showed flashes of brilliance at New Mexico in 2023 (29 catches, 336 yards, three TDs) and now returns to his home state. Before UNM, Washington also posted 107 catches during his JUCO career at Iowa Central Community College.
6. RB Jekail Middlebrook, Middle Tennessee (Redshirt Freshman)
Middlebrook got his feet wet last season, showing solid athletic ability despite his small stature (5’9”). In a four-game audition, Middlebrook rushed 18 times for 85 yards and caught four passes for 31 yards, scoring two rushing TDs, both in a blowout win over Murray State. He comes from the decorated Langston Hughes High program in suburban Atlanta.
7. WR Demarcus Lacey, Jacksonville State (Junior)
This North Alabama transfer is a versatile weapon for Jax State, a team that’s in need of new receiving targets to emerge. Last season, he recorded 801 all-purpose yards (589 rushing, 212 receiving) and averaged over 16 yards per catch in his career with the Lions. Look for the Gamecocks to find creative ways to get him touches.
8. WR Donovan Faupel, New Mexico State (Sophomore)
Faupel was too good to keep off the field in 2023 as a true freshman, learning on the job behind now-departed playmakers like Trent Hudson and Jonathan Brady. Faupel caught eight passes last year and had an encouraging spring.
9. OT Jacob Kettles, Kennesaw State (Redshirt Junior)
Kettles will have two years of eligibility left after transferring in from Montana State, the powerhouse FCS program, and he was good enough to exit the spring penciled in as a starter on the Owls’ O-line. He’s originally from Lynden, Washington, a small town about six miles from the border with Canada.
10. WR Qua-Vez Humphreys, Sam Houston (Redshirt Junior)
Humphreys is extra motivated to make an impact for the Bearkats’ offense after a broken foot ruined his 2023 season before it even started. The Junction City, Kansas native has a 6’3” frame and averaged over 15 yards per catch during his two seasons at Butler Community College.
HONORABLE MENTION:
WR Latrell Neville, New Mexico State (Redshirt Junior)
Neville didn’t play much at Jones County Junior College in Mississippi last season (11 catches, 109 yards, one TD), but he signed with Nebraska out of high school and could be a weapon for NMSU in 2024. Fun fact: Neville is a grandson of legendary blues singer Aaron Neville.
RB Corey Wren, UTEP (Redshirt Junior)
Wren has track-star speed – literally. He once ran a 10.41 time in the 100-meters in high school at John Curtis Christian, setting a Louisiana state record. He originally signed with Florida State in the class of 2020, but barely played and subsequently transferred to TCU (where he also barely played).
With that said, Scotty Walden’s new offense at UTEP is designed to get speedy playmakers in space with lots of quick passes, so an all-purpose player like Wren could thrive in El Paso despite his lack of size (5’10”, 195). He was a key addition for UTEP in the post-spring transfer portal window and will tag-team with Kam Thomas at the “Miner-Back” position (a hybrid running back/slot receiver).
OT D.J. Geth, Liberty (Redshirt Freshman)
Geth transferred to Liberty after redshirting at UNC in the fall of 2023. A former three-star recruit, he’s the son of Ed Geth, who was on the Tar Heels’ 1993 national championship basketball team and later spent several years playing internationally. The younger Geth can play a couple of different positions on the line and should be a key depth piece.
OG Daniel Keys, Louisiana Tech (Senior)
Nathan Young, Louisiana Tech’s co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, previously worked at Stephen F. Austin, so he was able to poach some talent from the Lumberjacks’ roster in the portal, including Keys, who was born in New Orleans and went to high school in Houston. He can play either guard or tackle and boasts 37 games of experience under his belt.
WR Josh Evans, Middle Tennessee (Freshman)
A 6’2” true freshman, Evans was the only high school receiver that the Blue Raiders signed, and he got a head start by enrolling early in time for spring practice. The Orlando native caught 88 career passes for 1,294 yards and 13 scores at Olympia High.
Letters from Las Cruces 