20 Jackson State football players entered transfer portal. Here's where they landed

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Another transfer portal season has come and gone, and Jackson State football suffered its fair share of losses.

The Tigers saw 20 players enter the transfer portal. Of those 20 players, 12 have announced their destination for next season. Six of those players are moving up to play FBS or even Power 4 football.

Here’s where Jackson State transfers will play in 2026.

Jackson State football players transferring to Power 4 schools

RB Ahmad Miller

Miller is transferring to Syracuse. This season, he led the SWAC in rushing with 1,054 yards. He also rushed for six touchdowns and was named a first-team All-SWAC selection.

RB Travis Terrell Jr.

Terrell is transferring to Purdue after two seasons at JSU. He rushed for 608 yards and five touchdowns in 2025. He was the 2024 SWAC Freshman of the Year.

Jackson State players transferring to other FBS schools

OL Brian Williams Jr.

Williams is transferring to UTEP after previously announcing he’d return to JSU. The redshirt freshman started all but one game this season at right guard and was named first-team All-SWAC.

OL Mason Barton

Barton is transferring to Coastal Carolina after starting 11 games for JSU at left tackle as a sophomore. He also visited Texas and Mississippi State.

LB Ashton Taylor

Taylor is transferring to Middle Tennessee State after two seasons as a starter at JSU. This season he played in 11 games with 49 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass break ups, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

OL Isaiah Villaneuva

Villaneuva is transferring to Missouri State after two seasons at JSU. He played in all 12 games, starting two at center and two at left guard.

Jackson State players transferring to non-FBS schools

EDGE Jace Ward

Ward is transferring to Prairie View A&M after three seasons at JSU. He recorded 16 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception.

TE Marvin Landy

Landy will play his final year of eligibility at Rhode Island. 2025 was his second season at JSU after transferring from Florida Atlantic. In 16 games with JSU, he caught 18 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns.

QB Ethan Terrell

The redshirt freshman committed to Alcorn State after not playing in any games at JSU.

OL Jackson King

King is transferring to Division III Wisconsin-River Falls. King did not play in 2023 or 2024 and was not listed on JSU’s 2025 roster.

EDGE Braxton Barney

Barney is transferring to Southwest Mississippi Community College. He played in four games at JSU, making two tackles.

OL Devin Love

Love is transferring to Tyler Junior College. The former three-star recruit’s only appearance at JSU was against Alabama A&M in 2024.

Jackson State players who haven’t committed

The following eight players have not committed to other teams as of Jan. 27: wide receivers Tyquan Henderson, Ja’Naylon Dupree and Jameel Gardner Jr., defensive backs Khamauri Rogers and Shamar Hawkins, offensive lineman Bruno Zandamela, kicker Simon Naylor and quarterback Parker Stofa.

Dupree and Gardner were the Tigers’ second- and third-leading receivers in 2025. Dupree totaled 509 receiving yards and six touchdowns, while Gardner totaled 483 receiving yards with two touchdowns.

Hawkins and Rogers saw significant time in the secondary. Hawkins was third on the team with 58 tackles. Rogers made 16 tackles with five pass breakups and one interception.

There have been no official indications of a return to JSU, but Rogers did delete his repost of the X post reporting he was entering the portal.

Similarly, Dupree and Hawkins have deleted any social media posts pertaining to transferring. However, both are presumably out of eligibility, having played two full junior college seasons and two seasons at JSU with no redshirt seasons.

Zandamela has shared on social media that he received offers from Gardner-Webb and Division II University of Mary.

Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Where Jackson State football transfers are playing in 2026

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