North Carolina’s Seven FCS Programs Again
Lose Key Talents To Relentless FBS Raids
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network

With the creation of the NCAA transfer portal, along with major rule changes that now enable immediate eligibility for almost all transfers, Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs have become a feeder system for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs more than at any time in college football history.

Just as North Carolina’s three Group of Five schools (Appalachian State, Charlotte, East Carolina) have lost many of their best players to teams in the so-called Power Four conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, SEC) again this year, the state’s seven FCS programs (Campbell, Davidson, Elon, Gardner-Webb, North Carolina A&T, NC Central and Western Carolina) have — to varying degrees — lost key performers to a nation-wide array of FBS teams, as illustrated by the lengthy list below.

Thus far in the 2024-25 transfer cycle, Western Carolina (eight) and Elon (six) have lost the most players to FBS schools, and every in-state FCS program has lost at least two stars to the ongoing roster raids.

The Catamounts lost five starters just from their prolific offense, including two-time first-team All-Southern Conference quarterback Cole Gonzales and second-team All-SoCon lineman Derek Simmons, both to Oklahoma.

The Phoenix lost four starters just from their always-tough defense, including second-team All-Coastal Athletic Association end Cazeem Moore (Virginia) and FCS All-American safety Caleb Curtain (Charlotte).

In one sense, those numbers represent a compliment to the coaches and talent levels in those programs. The Catamounts have had three consecutive winning seasons under fourth-year head coach Kerwin Bell, and the Phoenix has had four straight winning records in conference play under sixth-year head coach Tony Trisciani.

In another way, of course, the talent exodus represents a major challenge, especially at Elon, a highly regarded private university whose football program doesn’t accept many incoming transfers. Last year, for example, the Phoenix had only eight transfers on scholarship, whereas the Catamounts had more than 20.

“That (eight scholarship transfers) is probably one of the lowest numbers in Division One football,” Trisciani said as a guest on the North Carolina’s Sports Network’s “Fifth Quarter” show earlier this season. “So we’re building it from the ground up, with high school kids. …

“We’ve lost some players this year, in this cycle. Five starters that we did not expect to lose, or were hoping would be coming back, are in the portal and moving on to some bigger schools, with some real good opportunities. But now we’re going out and trying to fill those spots.

“We recruit each year and maximize how many high school kids we can take. If we lose some kids to some bigger schools — some of our star players — then we look to replace them, as close as we can, with players from the class that we’re losing, what grade they’re in. By doing it that way, our younger players, they don’t feel like we’re just sliding (incoming) transfers in over their head every year.”


College football coaches at all levels say that in-season recruiting, which violates NCAA tampering rules but rarely draws any penalties or repercussions, has become commonplace and is often a major distraction for their top players.

“It’s happening, and it’s going to continue to happen, because the players have agents now that are working for them prior to the portal being open,” Trisciani said. “The agents are also working for institutions, so I know who I need to call. I’ll call him and say, ‘we’re looking for this and this,’ and he’ll provide me some names.

“I can see it for some of our players; it’s a distraction for them. It affects them in the classroom. It affects them in their day-to-day football life and routine. It’s not a great situation.”


2024-25 FCS-To-FBS Transfers
(North Carolina’s Seven FCS Programs)

Campbell (5)

LB/S Rashawn Carr, r-So. (2024 backup at S; 17 career tackles; 5-11, 210 pounds) — MARSHALL
DE Joshua Pierce, r-So. (2024 backup; 9 career tackles, 2 TFL; 6-5, 255 pounds) — NORTH TEXAS
TE Aiden Valdez, Jr. (2024 starter; 12 career catches, 99 yards, 3 TDs) — NEW MEXICO
WR/KR VJ “Rocket” Wilkins, r-Jr. (2023 HM All-CAA; 2-year starter; 69 career catches for 884 yards, 9 TDs) — BOSTON COLLEGE
CB Malik Willis, r-So. (2024 backup; 2 career starts; 16 tackles, 6 PD, 1 INT) — TEXAS STATE

Davidson (2)

TE Christian Berry, Sr. (2024 backup; 2023 HM All-Pioneer; 9 career catches, 178 yards, 4 TDs) — KENT STATE
CB TJ Magee, r-Jr. (2024 2nd-team All-Pioneer; 21 career starts; 70 tackles, 18 PD, 2 INTs) — UMASS

Elon (6)

S Caleb Curtain, Gr. (2024 2nd-team FCS All-America, All-CAA; 171 career tackles, 11.5 TFL, 7 sacks, 23 PDs, 7 INTs) — CHARLOTTE
TE Cody Hardy, Sr. (2024 starter; 17 career starts; 10 career catches for 63 yards, 1 TD) — NC STATE
DE Cazeem Moore, Sr. (2024 2nd-team All-CAA; 2-year starter; 106 career tackles, 21 TFL, 13 sacks; 6-5, 255 pounds) — VIRGINIA
DT Chuck Nnaeto, Sr. (2-year starter; 18 career starts; 36 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2 sacks; 6-2, 293 pounds) — BOSTON COLLEGE
LB Marco Patierno, r-Jr. (2-year starter; 17 career starts; 109 tackles, 7 TFL, 1 sack) — EASTERN MICHIGAN
LB Brandon Tyson r-Jr. (2024 backup; 14 career starts; 98 tackles, 12 TFL, 2.5 sacks) — GEORGIA SOUTHERN

Gardner-Webb (2)

TE Camden Overton, Sr. (2024 1st-team All-Big South/OVC; 42 catches, 453 yards, 1 TD; 6-6, 242 pounds) — GEORGIA STATE
QB Tyler Riddell (2024 starter; also ETSU 2019-23; 666-1,123 career passing, 7,993 yards, 55 TDs, 31 INTs) — TBD (spring decision)

North Carolina A&T (4)

OT RJ Adams, Gr. (2024 starter; also Kentucky/Georgia Tech/Lackawanna CC/Memphis) — NEW MEXICO
RB Kenji Christian, r-Jr. — (2-year starter; injured 2024; also Virginia Tech; 162 career carries, 974 yards, 7 TDs) — TOLEDO
CB Karon Prunty, r-Sr. (2024 3rd-team All-CAA; 2020 HM All-Big 12 at Kansas; 4-year starter) — WAKE FOREST
OC/OG Brock Stukes, Jr. (2024 part-time starter; 6-3, 317 pounds) — NC STATE
OG Spencer Webb, r-So. (2024 backup; 6-3, 311 pounds) — EASTERN MICHIGAN

NC Central (2)

DB Jaylen Bowden, Jr. (2024 starter; 23 career tackles, 8 PD, 1 INT) — MINNESOTA
RB J’Mari Taylor, Gr. (2024/2022 1st-/3rd-team All-MEAC; 353 career rushing attempts for 1,882 yards, 22 TDs) — VIRGINIA

Western Carolina (8)

WR Zion Booker, Jr. (2024 starter; 8 career starts; 47 career catches, 716 yards, 4 TDs) — TULSA
OL Caleb Carter, Gr. (2024 starter; injured 2023; 6-3, 310 pounds) — MICHIGAN STATE
QB Cole Gonzales, Sr. (2x 1st-team All-SoCon; 511-803 career passing for 6,682 yards, 51 TDs, 22 INTs; 161-562-3 career rushing) — OKLAHOMA
CB Jordy Lowery, r-Jr. (2024 starter; 48 career tackles, 14 PDs, 6 INTs) — EAST CAROLINA
DT Tahjae Mullix, Sr. (2024 starter; also Western Illinois; 6-3, 270 pounds) — OREGON STATE
OL Derek Simmons, r-Sr. (2024 2nd-team All-SoCon; 2-year starter; 6-6, 315 pounds) — OKLAHOMA
LB Antarron Turner, r-Jr. (2024 starter; 71 career tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3 sacks) — WISCONSIN
TE Jake Young, r-Jr. (2024 1st-team All-SoCon; 30 career catches, 325 yards, 2 TDs; from Marvin Ridge HS near Charlotte)— CHARLOTTE

Division Two Programs
(North Carolina-Based Only)

Wingate OL Erwil Anthony Jr., Sr. (2024 top OL in South Atlantic Conference, 1st-team All-SAC; 6-4, 285 pounds) — LIBERTY
Fayetteville State S Solo Barnes, Sr. (2024 starter; 82 career tackles, 5 PD, 3 TFL, 2 INTs, 1 FF; 6-3, 205 pounds) — UTEP
Catawba RB LJ Turner, Sr. (2024 2nd-team D2 All-American; 308 career carries, 1,961 yards, 20 TDs) — WEST VIRGINIA

NOTE1: Eligibility listed is for upcoming (2025) season.
NOTE2: Some graduate students (Gr.) have multiple seasons of eligibility remaining.