What South Jersey graduates are playing FBS football this fall? Get to know them here

South Jersey will be well represented when the college football season kicks off next month.

Make sure you’re ready for the fall with a look at the local graduates that are suiting up at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level.

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

Boston College

Jalen Cheek, Winslow, RS-So., DB – Registered three tackles in three games last season.

Xavier Coleman, Lenape, RS-So., RB – Got into eight games last year, rushing for 55 yards and caught a pair of passes.

Donovan Ezeiruaku, Williamstown, Jr., DE – Ezeiruaku had a breakout sophomore campaign, finishing as an ACC Second Team selection. He made 61 tackles and led the team with 14.5 stops for loss, 8.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles.

Cam Horsley, Cinnaminson, Sr., DT – Has started in 22 of 24 games over the past two seasons. Horsley had 30 tackles and 5.5 for loss as a junior.

Pittsburgh

Jason Collier Jr., West Deptford, RS-Sr., OL – Collier got into 11 games last season as both a reserve lineman and on special teams units.

Solomon DeShields, Millville, RS-Jr., LB – DeShields saw action in all 13 Panther games last season, mixing time on defense and special teams. He finished with 19 tackles, 5 for loss, 4 sacks, 3 breakups and a fumble recovery.

Syracuse

LeQuint Allen, Millville, So., RB – Allen is poised to be one of the Orange’s top running backs this year after rushing for 274 yards and a touchdown and catching 17 passes for 117 yards and another score as a freshman. Allen was originally suspended for two semesters, including the fall, for his involvement in an on-campus altercation last December, but sued the school and came to a resolution, which will allow him to play.

College football: Millville grad LeQuint Allen settles lawsuit with Syracuse, can play football this fall

Alijah Clark, Camden, Jr., S – Transferred from Rutgers before the 2022 season and quickly emerged as a key piece of the secondary. He made 11 starts, recording 55 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and 2 breakups. Clark didn’t allow a passing touchdown in his coverage area, per Pro Football Focus.

Denis Jaquez Jr., St. Augustine, So., DL – Rotated in on the defensive line as a true freshman, including the first five games before an injury derailed his season. He had 3 tackles and half a sack.

Virginia Tech

Bhayshul Tuten, Paulsboro, Jr., RB – Transfer from North Carolina A&T where he was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, the Football Championship Subdivision Offensive Player of the Year. He rushed for 1,363 yards and 13 touchdowns, and set school and conference records for most consecutive 100-yard rushing games in a season (10). He also snagged 31 passes for 342 yards and 4 scores. He was a Third Team Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-American and was a Big South First Team honoree.

Big 12

West Virginia

Tirek Austin-Cave, Camden, Jr., LB – In his second year at West Virginia after starting his career at Miami. Got into nine games last season, recording one tackle.

James Heard Jr., Camden, Fr., LB – Enters first year of college football after winning Courier-Post Defensive Player of the Year honors last fall. He finished with 33 tackles, 18 for loss, 18 sacks and 3 forced fumbles.

Defensive Player of Year: Camden High School's James Heard Jr. is South Jersey Defensive Football Player of the Year

Big Ten

Illinois

Donovan Leary, Timber Creek, RS-Fr., QB – Redshirted last season.

Maryland

Dior Boyd, Timber Creek, So., DB – Transferred from Garden City County College.

Tarheeb Still, Timber Creek, Sr., DB – Posted 46 tackles, 4 for loss, an interception and a pair of breakups across 12 games, including 10 starts.

Nebraska

Kwinten Ives, Palmyra, Fr., RB – Ives enters his freshman season with the Huskers after leading South Jersey with 31 total touchdowns in 2022. The All-South Jersey First Team pick ran for 1,617 yards and 26 scores, caught 15 passes for 240 yards and 3 scores, scored on defense and special teams too, and added 56 tackles, 4 interceptions and 5 breakups.

Penn State

Amiel Davis, Eastern, RS-So., RB – Davis didn’t get into any games last season, but he was the coaching staff’s Developmental Squad Offensive Player of the Week in the leadup to the Ohio State game.

Purdue

Clyde Washington, Lenape, Sr., LB – Washington made one start and saw action in nine games as a junior. He finished with 14 tackles and an interception.

Rutgers

Amir Byrd, Lenape, Sr., DB – Played special teams in nine games last fall. He had one tackle.

Kenny Fletcher, Delran, So., DL – Recorded 5 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks in 11 games.

Keshon Griffin, St. Joseph, Jr., DL – Griffin got into one game last year.

Deion Jennings, Timber Creek, Sr., LB – Media voted Jennings an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention last year and was the winner of the Homer Hazel Award as the team’s Most Valuable Player. Finished with a team-high 91 tackles and 8.5 for loss. He also had a sack and six pass breakups. Is a Preseason All-Big Ten Third Team selection entering this season.

Aaron Lewis, Williamstown, Jr., DL – Lewis garnered All-Big Ten Third Team recognition by coaches last year. He finished with 55 tackles, 8 for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a team-high 10 quarterback hits. He’s a Preseason Big Ten Second Team selection by Athlon Sports.

Chris Long, Willingboro, Jr., WR – Long had at least one reception in each of the Scarlet Knights’ last 11 games last season. Finished with 15 grabs for 200 yards and a touchdown.

Max Melton, Cedar Creek, Jr., DB – Returning starter at corner was voted All-Big Ten Honorable Mention by coaches and media as a sophomore. Led the nation with 3 blocked kicks. He also had 33 tackles, 2 for loss, 2 interceptions and 10 breakups. He’s been voted to various Preseason Big Ten teams entering this fall.

Nick Oliveira, Clearview, Fr., OL – Oliveria was an All-South Jersey Second Team pick each of the past two seasons.

High school football: All-South Jersey High School Football Teams for the 2022 season

Tyreem Powell, Vineland, Jr., LB – Returning starter posted 71 tackles, 6 for loss, 3 sacks and 4 breakups in 2022. One publication named him an All-Big Ten Fourth Team pick entering this year.

Eric Rogers, Burlington Twp., Jr., DB – Transfer from Northern Illinois. Rogers played in 10 games with six starts at corner last season, registering 17 tackles, 2 interceptions and 4 breakups.

Terrence Salami, Holy Cross, Jr., OL – Salami played in one game last season.

John Stone, Washington Twp., Fr., OL – Stone will look to make an impact after earning All-South Jersey First Team recognition the past two seasons.

Mohamed Toure, Pleasantville, Sr., LB – Toure missed all of 2022 with an injury. He led the team in sacks in both 2020 and 2021, registering 4.5 in each campaign.

Wisconsin

Mike Jarvis, Shawnee, RS-So., DE – Did not get into any games last year.

Southeastern Conference (SEC)

Florida

RJ Moten, Delran, Sr., DB – Transferred from Michigan. Made 10 starts at safety for the national semifinalist. He finished with 31 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks, an interception and 2 pass breakups.

Will Norman, Eastside, Fr., DL – Had a pair of sacks for Eastside last season.

Kentucky

Devin Leary, Timber Creek, RS-Sr., QB – Transferred to Kentucky after four years at North Carolina State. Was the ACC Preseason Player of the Year in 2022, but he had a season-ending shoulder injury after six games. He completed 118-of-193 passes for 1,265 yards, 11 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Has thrown 62 TDs to just 16 picks during his career.

Demie Sumo-Karngbaye, Willingboro, Jr., RB – Transferred from North Carolina State. Had 55 carries for 305 yards and 3 TDs last year. Also had 12 grabs for 148 yards and a score.

LSU

Duce Chestnut, Camden, Jr., DB – Transfer from Syracuse after starting the past two years for the Orange. Chestnut was All-ACC each of his first two years, including an honorable mention selection last fall. Made 40 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and a pick-6 as a sophomore. Gave up only four touchdowns in 356 coverage snaps.

Texas A&M

Fadil Diggs, Eastside, Jr., DL – Diggs was a team captain as a sophomore, finishing with 28 tackles, 5 for loss, 3 sacks and 3 forced fumbles in 8 games. He was a monster against Alabama, posting 6 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. He also earned the Aggie Defensive Leadership Award and the Strength and Conditioning Defensive Award.

Isaiah Raikes, St. Augustine, Jr., DL – Made three starts and appeared in every game for the Aggies last year, and he was a season-long captain. Posted 17 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and half a sack. He was named the Special Teams Mr. Dependable at the annual team banquet.

Vanderbilt

Jake Ketschek, St. Augustine, Jr., OL – Ketschek got into five games last season, starting the final three at right guard. He didn’t allow a sack, QB hit or hurry, and didn’t allow a penalty in any of his 212 snaps.

Patrick Smith, Holy Spirit, Jr., RB – Ran 56 times for 151 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore. Also had eight catches for 41 yards.

American

East Carolina

Omar Rogers, Burlington Twp., Jr., S – Transferred to East Carolina from Elon in January after playing in 22 career games with the Phoenix. Was an Colonial Athletic Association Second Team selection in 2022 with 60 tackles, 5 for loss, 2 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 breakups, 2 forced fumbles and 2 quarterback hurries. He was the sixth-best safety in Division I per Pro Football Focus, grading a 90.3.

Navy

Adam Klenk, Seneca, So., LB – Klenk did not get in any varsity action in 2022. He enters the fall third on the depth chart at weakside linebacker behind juniors Colin Ramos and Kyle Jacob.

South Florida

Naiem Simmons, Eastside, Jr., WR – Transfer from Wagner, where he was a Northeast Conference Second Team pick last season. He led the Seahawks with 50 catches for 796 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Temple

John Adams, Deptford, RS-So., WR – Adams played special teams in a pair of games last season.

Zyheem Coleman-Frazier, Timber Creek, Fr., WR – Comes to Temple after making 33 catches for 424 yards and 4 scores at Timber Creek last fall.

Elias Collins, Kingsway, RS-Fr., WR – Redshirted his freshman year after walking on the team during the summer.

Corey Cuascut-Palmer, Camden, RS-So., CB – Saw time in all three phases as a redshirt freshman. He led the Owls in kick returns with 14 for 226 yards, made 6 tackles and also had a catch playing running back.

Jermaine Donaldson, Eastern, RS-Jr., OL – Played in nine games in 2022.

Muheem McCargo, Eastside, Jr., S – Moved from linebacker to safety to begin last season and finished with 32 tackles, 4 for loss, a sack, an interception, and a pass breakup.

Alex Odom, Kingsway, Jr., S – Returning starter at safety tied for the team lead with two interceptions and was third in tackles with 75. He also had 4 stops for loss and 2 pass breakups.

Wisdom Quarshie, St. Joseph, RS-Jr., OL – Started in nine games last season, seeing time at both right guard and center.

Yvandy Rigby, Egg Harbor Twp., RS-Jr., LB – Matched the conference-high with a 16 tackle effort against Navy on Oct. 29. Closed the campaign with 82 stops (second most on the team), 5.5 for loss, 2 sacks, a forced fumble and 3 pass breakups.

DJ Woodbury, Burlington City, Jr., LB – Made his first career start last season against Navy, where he registered 10 of his 15 tackles for the campaign.

Conference USA

Rice

Josh Pearcy, Moorestown, RS-Jr., LB – Co-captain last year had 50 tackles and was best on the team in stops for loss (10) and sacks (6.5). Pearcy was also No. 1 on the squad in special teams tackles (6).

UTSA

Chu Chu Doe, Oakcrest, Jr., WR – Doe started his career at City College of San Francisco before going to UTSA.

Independent

Army

Brady Small, St. Augustine, Fr., OL – Small begins his first season after spending last year at United States Military Academy at West Point.

Kayne Udoh, St. Augustine, Fr., RB – Udoh spent last season at USMAPS.

Mid-American Conference (MAC)

Akron

Jeff Undercuffler Jr., Holy Cross, RS-Sr., QB – Was 70-of-120 passing for 791 yards, 5 touchdowns and 5 interceptions last year. He led the team to one of its two wins, a 44-12 triumph over Northern Illinois. He was 21-of-32 for 312 yards, 3 TDs and a pick.

Kent State

Devin Kargman, Eastside, So., QB – Got into six games as a freshman, completing 29-of-70 passes for 348 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.

Western Michigan

Joshua Nobles, Eastside, RS-So., DL – Made 9 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks last year.

Sun Belt

James Madison

Josh Toner, Cherokee, RS-So., OL – Made two starts at left guard and played in nine total games.

Old Dominion

Caleb Bryant, Camden, Fr., OL – Had 17 tackles, 7 for loss, playing for Camden last season. Will be an offensive lineman at Old Dominion.

Josh Friedman has produced award-winning South Jersey sports coverage for the Courier Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times for more than a decade. If you have or know of an interesting story to tell, reach out on Twitter at @JFriedman57 or via email at jfriedman2@gannettnj.com. You can also contact him at 856-486-2431. Help support local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Closer look at South Jersey grads playing FBS college football in 2023