LB, BJ Davis – South Carolina State to East Carolina
Davis is another in a long-line of talented defensive players that Buddy Pough has gotten to Orangeburg. He made an impact from the day he set foot on campus in 2019 through the 2022 season where he was arguably the best defensive player in the MEAC. He looked to be SC State’s next potential NFL star – until he decided to hit the transfer portal after the season. (Note: ECU is not considered in a Power Five conference, but does play many of them in non-conference play.)
RB, Bhayshul Tuten – North Carolina A&T to Virginia Tech
North Carolina A&T has made a name for itself by finding talented running backs, and Tuten definitely fit that bill. He had an All-American type season for A&T last year, but decided to hit the portal around the same time Sam Washington was let go as head coach. After initially committing to Boston College he had a change of heart and landed at Virginia Tech.
LB, Jacob Roberts – North Carolina A&T to Wake Forest
Roberts was an impact player from the moment he stepped on the field in East Greensboro. He helped the team win the MEAC title and Celebration Bowl in 2019 before it made the transition to the Big South. He compiled 218 total tackles, 29.5 TFLs, 9.5 sacks and five interceptions in three years. He hit the transfer portal right around the time Sam Washington was let go at A&T. Now he heads over to the ACC where he hopes to make an impact and improve his draft stock.
DB, Kevin Larkins – Livingstone College to Kentucky
Unlike the rest of this list, Larkins landed at a Power Five school from a D2 HBCU. Larkins picked off eight passes as a true freshman for Livingstone College, and now he’s headed to the SEC. That’s a pretty big jump.
QB, Jalon Jones – Bethune-Cookman to Charlotte
Okay, so Charlotte isn’t exactly a Power Five school. But it is an FBS program and Jones could end up starting for them. Jones, of course, started his career in the SEC at Florida before transferring to Jackson State in the pre-Deion Sanders Era. With Shedeur Sanders ready to take over at Jackson State, Jones hit the portal and spent the second half of 2021 at East Mississippi Community College. He wound up back in the SWAC world last season, having a solid season at Bethune-Cookman. Now he looks to finish his career strong at the fledgling AAC program.