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Jackson State football coach T.C. Taylor is entering his fourth season with the Tigers, meaning his initial high school recruiting class is entering its senior year.
Taylor's 2023 class consisted of 14 players from high school and seven from junior colleges. As is custom in the transfer portal era, many of these players are no longer with the program.
Eight of the 21 players in Jackson State's 2023 class were ranked by the 247Sports Composite. All eight were rated as three-stars. Six of those ranked players are no longer on Jackson State's roster.
Here's a breakdown of JSU's 2023 class, including who stayed and who left.
Of the players from this class who transferred, only three ever saw significant playing time at Jackson State.
Running back Ahmad Miller led the SWAC with 1,054 rushing yards in 2025. He also had six rushing touchdowns. Miller was selected to the All-SWAC first team. This offseason, he transferred to Syracuse.
Isaiah Spencer was the No. 2 recruit in JSU's 2023 class. He spent two seasons at JSU, totaling 867 yards and four touchdowns in 25 games. He was JSU's leading receiver in 2024 with 660 yards. He transferred to Virginia Tech in 2025 and is now at Ole Miss.
Edge Jace Ward remained at JSU the longest of the Tigers' eight ranked 2023 recruits. At JSU, Ward switched from tight end to edge. As a reserve, he made 16 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception in 2025. He transferred to Prairie View A&M for the 2026 season.
Other players who transferred out of the program are: JSU's No. 1 2023 recruit wide receiver Isiah Kendall (Arkansas Tech), former three-star cornerbacks Nireek Sharpe (Charlotte) and Mike Williams (Co-Lin CC/Louisiana-Monroe), safety Bruce Mitchell (Mississippi Valley State/Eastern Illinois), edge Braxton Barney (Southwest Mississippi CC), linebacker Kalauti Heimuli (Northeastern State) and offensive lineman Christian Walker (Alabama State).
The other eight players have already used all of their eligibility or entered the transfer portal and never signed anywhere, including former three-star cornerback Tristen Sion.
The three players left from the 2023 class are defensive lineman Stanley Cooks II and offensive linemen Dequarious White and Quaveon Davis. All three could be starters this season.
Cooks, a former three-star recruit, will be JSU's only returning defensive lineman to have played in more than one game last season. He played in all 12 games as a backup, making 12 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack.
Davis started every game at right tackle, earning All-SWAC second-team honors. White, another former three-star recruit, started Week 1 at right guard and was injured. When he returned to play he became a backup.
Two players from Jackson State's 2023 class exhausted all of their eligibility at JSU.
Offensive lineman D'Andre Townes-Blue finished out his career in 2025 after starting his career at Lackwanna College. He was a two-time first-team All-SWAC selection.
Linebacker Javarian Jenkins ran out of eligibility in 2024. He previously played at Louisiana-Monroe and Jones College. In two seasons at JSU, he played in 19 games, including four starts, and totaled 23 tackles.
Here's where Jackson State's four completed signing classes have ranked nationally under Taylor, according to the 247Sports Composite:
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on X @tiareid65.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: TC Taylor's biggest hits, misses from first Jackson State recruiting class in 2023
Continue reading...
Taylor's 2023 class consisted of 14 players from high school and seven from junior colleges. As is custom in the transfer portal era, many of these players are no longer with the program.
Eight of the 21 players in Jackson State's 2023 class were ranked by the 247Sports Composite. All eight were rated as three-stars. Six of those ranked players are no longer on Jackson State's roster.
Here's a breakdown of JSU's 2023 class, including who stayed and who left.
Jackson State 2023 signees who transferred
Of the players from this class who transferred, only three ever saw significant playing time at Jackson State.
Running back Ahmad Miller led the SWAC with 1,054 rushing yards in 2025. He also had six rushing touchdowns. Miller was selected to the All-SWAC first team. This offseason, he transferred to Syracuse.
Isaiah Spencer was the No. 2 recruit in JSU's 2023 class. He spent two seasons at JSU, totaling 867 yards and four touchdowns in 25 games. He was JSU's leading receiver in 2024 with 660 yards. He transferred to Virginia Tech in 2025 and is now at Ole Miss.
Edge Jace Ward remained at JSU the longest of the Tigers' eight ranked 2023 recruits. At JSU, Ward switched from tight end to edge. As a reserve, he made 16 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception in 2025. He transferred to Prairie View A&M for the 2026 season.
Other players who transferred out of the program are: JSU's No. 1 2023 recruit wide receiver Isiah Kendall (Arkansas Tech), former three-star cornerbacks Nireek Sharpe (Charlotte) and Mike Williams (Co-Lin CC/Louisiana-Monroe), safety Bruce Mitchell (Mississippi Valley State/Eastern Illinois), edge Braxton Barney (Southwest Mississippi CC), linebacker Kalauti Heimuli (Northeastern State) and offensive lineman Christian Walker (Alabama State).
The other eight players have already used all of their eligibility or entered the transfer portal and never signed anywhere, including former three-star cornerback Tristen Sion.
Jackson State 2023 recruits who are still on the team
The three players left from the 2023 class are defensive lineman Stanley Cooks II and offensive linemen Dequarious White and Quaveon Davis. All three could be starters this season.
Cooks, a former three-star recruit, will be JSU's only returning defensive lineman to have played in more than one game last season. He played in all 12 games as a backup, making 12 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack.
Davis started every game at right tackle, earning All-SWAC second-team honors. White, another former three-star recruit, started Week 1 at right guard and was injured. When he returned to play he became a backup.
Two players from Jackson State's 2023 class exhausted all of their eligibility at JSU.
Offensive lineman D'Andre Townes-Blue finished out his career in 2025 after starting his career at Lackwanna College. He was a two-time first-team All-SWAC selection.
Linebacker Javarian Jenkins ran out of eligibility in 2024. He previously played at Louisiana-Monroe and Jones College. In two seasons at JSU, he played in 19 games, including four starts, and totaled 23 tackles.
Jackson State football recruiting rankings under TC Taylor
Here's where Jackson State's four completed signing classes have ranked nationally under Taylor, according to the 247Sports Composite:
- 2023: No. 133 (No. 1 in SWAC)
- 2024: No. 147 (No. 2 in SWAC)
- 2025: No. 160 (No. 1 in SWAC)
- 2026: No. 158 (No. 2 in SWAC)
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on X @tiareid65.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: TC Taylor's biggest hits, misses from first Jackson State recruiting class in 2023
Continue reading...
