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FAMU football RB Thad Franklin Jr. leads the Rattlers in HBCU preseason All-American list
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- FAMU football RB Thad Franklin Jr. leads the Rattlers in HBCU preseason All-American list
The preseason accolades continue to roll in for Florida A&M football.
On Tuesday, Aug. 5, five Rattlers and one honorable mention were named to BOXTOROW's preseason HBCU All-American team ahead of 2025's kickoff. FAMU had the most selections behind the defending Black College Football National Champions, Jackson State .
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FAMU graduate student running back Thad Franklin Jr. led the offense on the All-American team alongside offensive linemen Charles Davis and Ashton Grable.
Defensively, edge rusher Davion Westmoreland and cornerback TJ Huggins represent the Rattlers.
FAMU linebacker Nay'Ron Jenkins is an honorable mention on the HBCU All-American list.
All six Rattlers are All-Southwestern Athletic Conference preseason selections . Grable and Huggins also made the 20-player nomination list for Stats Perform's 2025 HBCU National Player of the Year .
Florida A&M defensive back T.J. Huggins (21) c elebrates an interception against Alabama State during their game on the ASU campus in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday October 5, 2024.
FAMU football is in its second week of preseason training camp , culminating in a closed scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 9.
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The Rattlers' 12-game regular season schedule begins on Aug. 30's Orange Blossom Classic versus the Howard Bison at Miami Gardens' Hard Rock Stadium.
BOXTOROW's 2025 HBCU Preseason All-America team
OFFENSE
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QB: Jacobian Morgan, Jackson State, Gr., Canton, Miss.
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RB: Thad Franklin, Jr., Florida A&M, Gr., West Palm Beach, Fla.#
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RB: Kevon King, Norfolk State, Sr., Chesapeake, Va.
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RB: Jacorian Sewell, Alcorn State , Gr. Natchez, Miss.#
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OL: Charles Davis, Florida A&M, r-Sr., Marianna, Fla.#
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OL: Ashton Grable, Florida A&M, r-Jr., Gordon, Ga.
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OL: Trevon Humphrey, North Carolina Central r-Jr. Greensboro, N.C.*
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OL: Noah McKinney, North Carolina Central, Sr., Duncan, S.C.#
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OL: Korion Sharpe, North Carolina A&T, Sr., Charlotte, N.C.#
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OL: D'Andre Townes-Blue, Jackson State Sr. Willow Grove, Pa.*
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TE: Marvin Landy, Jackson State, Gr., Lakeland, Fla.
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WR: Brevin Caldwell, Johnson C. Smith, Sr., Charlotte, N.C.
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WR: Nathan Rembert, Jackson State, Jr., Eustis, Fla.
DEFENSE
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DL: Bryce Cage, Grambling State , r-Sr., Baton Rouge, La.
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DL: Ckelby Givens, Southern, Sr., Shreveport, La.*
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DL: Davion Westmoreland, Florida A&M, Gr., Griffin, Ga.
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DL: Jeremiah Williams, Jackson State, r-Sr., Lexington, Miss.
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LB: Stemarion Edwards, Alcorn State, Gr., Hollandale, Miss.
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LB: Erick Hunter, Morgan State, Sr., Capitol Heights, Md.
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LB: Max U'Ren, North Carolina Central, r-Sr., Winston-Salem, N.C.
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DB: Camani Cobbs, Tennessee State, r-Soph., McDonough, Ga.#
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DB: TJ Huggins, Florida A&M , r-Sr., Miami, Fla.
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DB: Michael King Jr. Tuskegee Sr. Tuskegee, Ala.#
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DB: Keane Lewis Alabama State Sr. Miami, Fla.#
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DB: Malcolm Reed, North Carolina Central, Sr., Raleigh, N.C.
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DB: Jarod Washington, South Carolina State, r-Sr., Fredericksburg, Va.*
SPECIALISTS
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P: Gerardo Baeza, Jackson State, Gr., Boaz, Ala.
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PK: Johnny Schifano, Grambling State, Gr., Arlington, Texas
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PR: Travis Terrell, Jackson State, Soph., Atlanta, Ga.*KR: Travis Terrell, Jackson, State Soph., Atlanta, Ga.*
HONORABLE MENTION
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TE: Luke Bracey, North Carolina Central
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OL: Tim Artis Jr., Howard; Desmond Daniels, Alabama State
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WR: Joanes Fortilien, Jackson State
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DL: Ishaun Abdul-Ali, Howard; Cameron Davis, Virginia State; Xavier Esquillen, Savannah State; Dashawn Fields, Morgan State; Nay'Ron Jenkins Florida A&M; Daylan Long, Norfolk State; KJ McNeil Virginia State; Noah Miles, Howard; Israel Nwokocha, Benedict
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LB: Vincent Paige, Southern
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DB: Jadon Carter, Morgan State; Horacio Johnson, Southern; Antwone Watts, Bethune-Cookman
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P: Mark Shenouda, Tennessee State
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KR: Jaxon Williams, Benedict
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PR: Malique Leatherbury, Morgan State
*Tie
#2024 HBCU All-American
Florida A&M Football 2025 Schedule
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Week 1: Saturday, Aug. 30 ― vs. Howard (Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens' Hard Rock Stadium), 4 p.m., ESPNU
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Week 2: Saturday, Sept. 6 ― at Florida Atlantic, 6 p.m., ESPN Plus
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Week 3: Saturday, Sept. 13 ― vs. Albany State, 7 p.m., SWAC TV
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Week 4: BYE/OPEN WEEK
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Week 5: Saturday, Sept. 27 ― vs. Alabama State (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO
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Week 6: Saturday, Oct. 4 ― vs. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC/at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium), 4 p.m., SWAC TV
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Week 7: Saturday, Oct. 11 ― vs. North Carolina Central, 3 p.m., HBCU GO
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Week 8: Saturday, Oct. 18 ― vs. Alcorn State (SWAC/Homecoming), 4 p.m., ESPN Plus
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Week 9: Saturday, Oct. 25 ― at Southern (SWAC), 5 p.m., SWAC TV
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Week 10: Saturday, Nov. 1 ― vs. Jackson State (SWAC), 7 p.m., ESPN Network
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Week 11: Saturday, Nov. 8 ― at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO
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Week 12: Saturday, Nov. 15 ― at Alabama A&M (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV
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Week 13: Saturday, Nov. 22 ― vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic at Orlando's Camping World Stadium), TIME TBA, ESPN Plus
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Saturday, Nov. 29 ― NCAA FCS Playoffs Begin (If Necessary)
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Saturday, Dec. 6 ― SWAC Championship Game (If Necessary)
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Saturday, Dec. 13 ― Celebration Bowl at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium (If Necessary)
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Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 ― NCAA FCS National Championship Game at Nashville's FirstBank Stadium (If Necessary)
All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee .
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football RB Thad Franklin, more named HBCU preseason All-Americans
