Florida A&M football is landing commitments on the offensive and defensive lines through the NCAA Transfer Portal to assist its key returning players in the trenches.
By Gerald Thomas III
(Source: Tallahassee Democrat)
Football games are won at the line of scrimmage.
And Florida A&M wants to ensure it’s on the right side of that statement more often than not during the 2025 football season.
So, the Rattlers are beefing up their trench mob.
After weeks of not having an offensive line commit from the NCAA Transfer Portal, FAMU finally landed one, with former Rutgers Scarlet Knight Mozell Williams announcing his decision to join the Rattlers on Jan. 11.
Williams, a rising junior from Gainesville, comes to the Rattlers standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 307 pounds. He didn’t see any action for the Scarlet Knights in his two seasons.
Following Williams’ commitment was fellow offensive lineman Gozy Okeke, who will join FAMU out of Iowa Central Community College. The Tampa native also formerly played for Division II powerhouse West Florida in 2022 and 2023.
Okeke is 6-foot-4 and 293 pounds.
Williams and Okeke join FAMU’s offensive line that’s headlined by All-Southwestern Athletic Conference First Teamers Charles Davis and Ashton Grable. This past season, Grable was also an NCAA All-HBCU selection.
But that’s not all.
FAMU head football James Colzie III said he also wants to recruit defensive linemen to the Rattlers.
The Rattlers have two commitments from the Power 4 football ranks: DJ Jones from Virginia and Xavier Perkins from Florida State. Other FAMU defensive line newcomers are Alijah Alexander from Stetson and Sammy Mitchell IV from Western High School in Davie.
Key returners to FAMU’s defensive line are James Ash, an All-SWAC second-teamer, Davion Westmoreland, and James Gardner Jr.
How FAMU offensive line helped impact the Rattlers in 2024
FAMU’s offensive line makes everything go.
Especially when establishing a rushing game.
For example, the Rattlers went 7-2 whenever they rushed for over 100 yards. When finishing under 100 rushing yards, FAMU went a winless 0-3 record.
In 2024, FAMU didn’t outgain an opponent on the ground until its Week 9 game versus Southern when the Rattlers edged out the Jaguars 126 to 122 in the 24-6 victory.
FAMU was 3-1 when outgaining opponents in rushing.
The Rattlers’ offensive line stepped up big during FAMU’s 41-38 win over Bethune-Cookman in the 2024 Florida Classic. In response, FAMU running back Thad Franklin Jr. starred with 195 yards and three touchdowns on 26 attempts, setting the Florida Classic’s rushing record.
FAMU football’s defense can help revitalize the ‘Dark Cloud Defense’
In 2024, FAMU ranked seventh out of 12th in SWAC run defense, allowing 167.2 yards per game. Additionally, the Rattlers were ninth in the SWAC sacks, totaling 21.
Statistically, FAMU is 6-1 when it gets multiple sacks in a game, with its lone loss being high-ranked Football Bowl Subdivision team Miami Hurricanes. The Rattlers are 1-4 when they capture only one sack, with the lone victory coming at Alabama State 28-13.
A potent pass rush would help the Rattlers, especially in the secondary, by causing quarterback pockets to break down and not giving them time to find receivers.
FAMU is 2-1 when the defense holds opponents under 100 yards. The lone loss was when the Rattlers faltered to Mississippi Valley State 24-21 on Week 12.
A stingy FAMU defense would help the Rattlers return to the glory of past seasons, where they had one of the top units in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Florida A&M Football 2025 Recruiting Class Quarterback
