FAMU football's Quinn Gray on 2026 recruiting class: 'Take back what's ours'

Quinn Fordham Gray Sr. didn’t mince words.

The new Florida A&M head football coach aims to out-recruit any opposing school that plans to poach talent from his backyard in Tallahassee and the Sunshine State in its entirety.

Gray, hired by his alma mater from Albany State last December, notched his first recruiting class of 21 players for Wednesday, Feb. 4’s National Signing Day. Fourteen are from Florida.

“Our approach towards recruiting is a strategic one with making sure we own and take back what’s rightfully ours ― the state of Florida,” Gray told media on Thursday, Feb. 5, in a signing day press conference at the Al Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center.

“Florida’s got the best athletes and talent in the country.”

More players will be cleared to join FAMU’s signing day roster in the coming days.

“This is the first of many,” the FAMU coach said. “The opportunity to continue to build this program back to what we want it to be and where it once was.”

FAMU football coach Quinn Gray wanted ‘athletes’ for 2026 recruiting class

FAMU’s signing day positional breakdown is one quarterback, two running backs, five wide receivers, two tight ends, one offensive lineman, three defensive linemen, three linebackers, and four defensive backs.

“Really, really athletic guys at all positions ― from the offensive line perspective, all the way down to the specialists. The more athletic you are, the better off you’ll be,” Gray broke down his inaugural recruiting class.

“Back in the day, most of the athletes played offense. Nowadays, most of the athletes are on the defensive side of the ball.”

In the current age of college athletics, Name, Image, and Likeness deals weren’t heavily leaned on to draw talent to The Highest of Seven Hills.

It was the FAMU experience: earning a prestigious degree from a Historically Black College and University and restoring the Rattlers’ championship culture.

Gray and his coaching staff, which features multiple FAMU grads, were key in articulating their tenure as they matriculated through the school.

Gray himself quarterbacked the Rattlers to two Black College Football National Championship teams in 2000 and 2001 and graduated from FAMU with a Bachelor’s in Health and Physical Education.

The Fort Lauderdale native then played six seasons in the National Football League, primarily with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“It’s not about a bag or anything else but the standard,” he said. “The biggest pitch is FAMU. You’re talking about the number one public HBCU in the country and one of the most historical programs in HBCU football, if not football period.”

FAMU football picks up local stars and New York gem on National Signing Day

All-Big Bend receivers Maliek Denmark from Lincoln and Jaylan Lurry from Florida High signed to the Rattlers.

Another familiar name in Tallahassee coming to play for the Rattlers is Chase Gillepse, a standout All-Big Bend running back at Godby High School. Out of high school, Gillepsie signed with the Vanderbilt Commodores and has been playing there since 2022.

He will complete his degree at Vanderbilt this spring and has signed his National Letter of Intent to FAMU.

“It was really strategic for us to keep our homegrown talent here in the Big Bend,” Gray said. “You’ve got guys that we feel are going to help us secure the ability to put some folks in the seats. It’s really about beating the streets and making sure that we’re shaking the tree for the best talent we can find here locally.”

While Gray has emphasized recruiting statewide, he’s also seeking talent nationwide.

For example, FAMU picked up Syracuse edge rusher Caden Brown out of the NCAA Transfer Portal with three years of eligibility remaining. The Queens native was a three-star and top 10 recruit in New York out of Erasmus Hall High School, but mainly played on the Orange’s special teams coverage team in his two seasons there.

“We’re going to make sure that we’re bringing the best talent that we can find from a countrywide standpoint,” Gray said. “We’re going to scour the country for the best talent to bring in.”

Florida A&M Football 2026 Recruiting Class

Must be signed and announced by the school on National Signing Day, Feb. 4.

NCAA Transfer Portal

• James Hayes, Quarterback, Alabama State ― SIGNED
• Chase Gillespie, Running Back, Running Back, Vanderbilt ― SIGNED
• Mike Peterson Jr., Wide Receiver, Florida ― SIGNED
• Corey ‘Deuce’ Petty, Wide Receiver, Albany State ― SIGNED
• Joseph Young, Wide Receiver, Florida Atlantic ― SIGNED
• Xavier Herndon, Tight End, Albany State ― SIGNED
• Tamez Young, Tight End, Florida Atlantic ― SIGNED
• Isaiah Morrison, Defensive End, Albany State ― SIGNED
• Terrell James, Defensive Lineman, East Mississippi Community College ― SIGNED
• Caden Brown, Linebacker, Syracuse ― SIGNED
• Omari Kinsler, Linebacker, Chowan ― SIGNED
• Jason Duclona, Defensive Back, East Tennessee State ― SIGNED
• Taylor Smallwood, Defensive Back, Tennessee at Chattanooga ― SIGNED

High School

• Jaylen Johnson, Quarterback, Thomas County Central (Georgia) ― SIGNED
• Jaden Desir, Running Back, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) ― SIGNED
• Jaylan Lurry, Wide Receiver, Florida High (Tallahassee) ― SIGNED
• Corbett Yarbrough, Offensive Lineman, Fleming Island ― SIGNED
• Roderick McFadden, Defensive Tackle, Miami Northwestern ― SIGNED
• Wynton Jones Jr, Defensive Back, Miami Palmetto ― SIGNED
• Jaiden Roper, Defensive Back, Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) ― SIGNED
• Tian Wyche, Defensive Back, Mandarin (Jacksonville) ― SIGNED

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: FAMU football signing day: Quinn Gray to ‘own’ Florida recruiting