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FAMU football gets star QB Isaiah Knowles in NCAA Transfer Portal haul
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- FAMU football gets star QB Isaiah Knowles in NCAA Transfer Portal haul
Florida A&M football has landed its first set of transfers to launch the Quinn Gray era .
On Monday morning, Jan. 5, FAMU recruiting coordinator Casey Warming teased three Rattler commits for the 2026 season via X/Twitter.
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The trio of talent was led by Isaiah Knowles, a star quarterback from Albany State , where Gray coached for three seasons before being hired by his alma mater on Dec. 23, 2025 .
Knowles, a graduate student, spent the last three seasons playing for the Albany State Golden Rams after transferring from the Naval Academy. He started the latter two seasons, passing for 4,726 yards, tossing 50 touchdowns, and rushing for 11 scores against 14 interceptions.
When Albany State traveled to face FAMU on Sept. 13, 2025, Knowles went 17-of-31 for 201 passing yards, tossed a touchdown, and added seven rushing tries for 35 yards in a 33-25 loss.
Albany State quarterback Isaiah Knowles (6) throws during a game against Central State in Rochester, N.Y., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. The game was played at the Rochester Community Sports Complex as part of the Frederick Douglass HBCU Football Classic Weekend of Hope.
Knowles has one year of eligibility remaining.
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The 5-foot-11, 180-pound signal caller was named the 2024 and 2025 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and helped the Golden Rams win the league title, advance to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals, and claim the Black College Football National Championship before entering the transfer portal.
Albany State's 12-2 record was the most single-season wins in program history .
Knowles isn't arriving in Tallahassee alone, though.
Some of his favorite Albany State targets in wide receiver Corey 'Deuce' Petty and tight end Xavier Herndon also took to social media to announce they're also joining the Rattlers.
Florida A&M Rattlers defensive back TJ. Huggins (21) tries to tackle Albany State receiver Corey Petty as he runs out of bounds. The Florida A&M Rattlers defeated the Albany State Golden Rams during the first home game of the season on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025.
Petty, 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, had 26 receptions for 389 yards and three touchdowns as a redshirt junior last year.
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Meanwhile, Herndon had nine catches for 119 yards and scored three times in six games during the 2025 season. Herndon, at 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, was an All-SIAC first teamer in 2024.
There are now four transfers committing to Gray and the Rattlers. Terrell James, a defensive lineman from East Mississippi College, committed on Dec. 30, 2025.
The Rattlers have around 20 players departing through the transfer portal, with quarterback Tyler Jefferson , receiver Armand Burris, offensive lineman David Gardner, and defensive end Davion Westmoreland all announcing they're looking to play elsewhere in 2026.
Florida A&M football NCAA Transfer Portal
Who's Coming?
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Since Quinn Gray hire on Dec. 23, 2025
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Isaiah Knowles, Quarterback, Albany State
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Corey 'Deuce' Petty, Wide Receiver, Albany State
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Xavier Herndon, Tight End, Albany State
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Terrell James, Defensive Lineman, East Mississippi Community College
Who's Leaving?
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Tyler Jefferson, Quarterback
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RJ Johnson III, Quarterback
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Jett Peddy, Quarterback
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Jamal Hailey, Running Back
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Armand Burris, Wide Receiver
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Ja'Cory Jordan, Wide Receiver
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Goldie Lawrence, Wide Receiver
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Jalen 'Speedy' Rogers, Wide Receiver
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Kenari Wilcher, Wide Receiver
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Miles Campbell, Tight End
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Andrew Ritter, Tight End
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David Gardner, Offensive Lineman
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Davion Westmoreland, Defensive End
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Ah'Mare Lee, Cornerback
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Daniel Porto, Kicker
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Jack Carson-Wentz, Long Snapper
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 .
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Isaiah Knowles commits to FAMU football, star QB from Albany State
