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Power Five to HBCU: Five players to watch this season

Seven McGee, Jackson State football

Power Five players transferring to HBCU football is nothing new, but there is a new limelight on it. These days it’s necessary for every HBCU football coaching staff to keep up with players whom it may not have been able to get the first go-around as many Power Five and FBS programs come calling for the ones that did land at HBCUs out of high school. 

Of course, just because a player started out at a Power Five program doesn’t mean he will dominate HBCU football. But every year there are at least a few examples of players coming down from the Power Five level to make an impact on HBCU football.

Here are five former Power Five Players to watch in HBCU football this season.

Tyler Macon

QB Tyler Macon, Alcorn State

A four-star prospect who was the nation’s No. 13-ranked dual-threat quarterback by both Rivals.com and 247Sports.com class in 2021, Macon started his career in the SEC at Missouri. He played in three games as a freshman during the 2021 season when he went 9-for-17 on the year totaling 143 yards and a passing touchdown.

Macon saw action in three other games in 2022 before hitting the transfer portal and landing at Alcorn State. He’s hoping to find a fresh start and Alcorn State certainly provides the chance for him to do so. Fred McNair and Co. are used to getting high-level production out of their signal callers, but last year that didn’t come close to happening.

The former East St. Louis High School star has three seasons of eligibility remaining. 

RB Jaquez Yant, FAMU

Jaquez Yant is a local product of Godby High School of Tallahassee, where he was a big-play threat every time he touched the football. He walked on at Nebraska in 2020 and earned a scholarship by the time 2021 season rolled around. Yant got a chance to showcase his big play ability that season rushing for 294 yards on 47 carries that season. His best game came against Northwestern, as he rushed 13 times for 127 yards, which included a 64 yard run.

Carries were harder to come by in 2022 as he rushed for just 56 yards last season. Meanwhile, Florida A&M’s running game wasn’t too hot itself, which left the door open for Yant to come back home. If Yant can help provide FAMU with a running game that helps quarterback Jeremy Moussa, it may just find itself in the SWAC title game this time.

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