FAMU football gets star QB Isaiah Knowles in NCAA Transfer Portal haul
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Florida A&M football has landed its first set of transfers to launch the Quinn Gray era.
On Monday morning, Jan. 5, FAMU recruiting coordinator Casey Warming teased three Rattler commits for the 2026 season via X/Twitter.
The trio of talent was led by Isaiah Knowles, a star quarterback from Albany State, where Gray coached for three seasons before being hired by his alma mater on Dec. 23, 2025.
COMMITTED šā¼ļø #ALLIN#RestoreTheStrike@CoachQGray@TheCaseyWarming@fangexchange@FAMU_FB@FAMUFBRecruitpic.twitter.com/Z9xC6yj5ve
ā Isaiah Knowles (@zay_knowles) January 5, 2026
Knowles, a graduate student, spent the last three seasons playing for the Albany State Golden Rams after transferring from the Naval Academy. He started the latter two seasons, passing for 4,726 yards, tossing 50 touchdowns, and rushing for 11 scores against 14 interceptions.
When Albany State traveled to face FAMU on Sept. 13, 2025, Knowles went 17-of-31 for 201 passing yards, tossed a touchdown, and added seven rushing tries for 35 yards in a 33-25 loss.
Knowles has one year of eligibility remaining.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound signal caller was named the 2024 and 2025 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and helped the Golden Rams win the league title, advance to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals, and claim the Black College Football National Championship before entering the transfer portal.
Albany Stateās 12-2 record was the most single-season wins in program history.
Knowles isnāt arriving in Tallahassee alone, though.
Some of his favorite Albany State targets in wide receiver Corey āDeuceā Petty and tight end Xavier Herndon also took to social media to announce theyāre also joining the Rattlers.
Petty, 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, had 26 receptions for 389 yards and three touchdowns as a redshirt junior last year.
Meanwhile, Herndon had nine catches for 119 yards and scored three times in six games during the 2025 season. Herndon, at 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, was an All-SIAC first teamer in 2024.
There are now four transfers committing to Gray and the Rattlers. Terrell James, a defensive lineman from East Mississippi College, committed on Dec. 30, 2025.
The Rattlers have about 20 players departing through the transfer portal, with quarterback Tyler Jefferson, receiver Armand Burris, offensive lineman David Gardner, and defensive ends James Gardner Jr. and Davion Westmoreland all announcing theyāre looking to play elsewhere in 2026.
Florida A&M football NCAA Transfer Portal
Who’s Coming?
Since Quinn Gray hire on Dec. 23, 2025
- Isaiah Knowles, Quarterback, Albany State
- Corey ‘Deuce’ Petty, Albany State
- Xavier Herndon, Tight End, Albany State
- Terrell James, Defensive Lineman, East Mississippi Community College
Who’s Leaving?
- Tyler Jefferson, Quarterback
- RJ Johnson III, Quarterback
- Jett Peddy, Quarterback
- Jamal Hailey, Running Back
- Armand Burris, Wide Receiver
- Ja’Cory Jordan, Wide Receiver
- Goldie Lawrence, Wide Receiver
- Jalen ‘Speedy’ Rogers, Wide Receiver
- Kenari Wilcher, Wide Receiver
- Miles Campbell, Tight End
- Andrew Ritter, Tight End
- David Gardner, Offensive Lineman
- Antonio Camon Jr., Defensive End
- James Gardner Jr., Defensive End
- Davion Westmoreland, Defensive End
- Ah’Mare Lee, Cornerback
- Justin Bostic, Defensive Back
- Daniel Porto, Kicker
- Jack Carson-Wentz, Long Snapper
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: Isaiah Knowles commits to FAMU football, star QB from Albany State
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