Pok’s Football Week in Review: Calm After the Storm

The lull in the football season has been reached in what feels like no time at all!

Between the Senior Bowl, Shrine Bowl, transfer portal windows, spring football, and the NFL draft, it is arguably a nonstop sprint from January until the end of April; that does not even include the Super Bowl or the College Football Playoff.

In a sense, it is very exciting to be in the busy season. There is so much football to cover and so many stories to follow; despite it being hard work for so many, the reward is arguably even better. But more or less, these months are a sprint to the end of spring and the beginning of summer.

However, just because there is a lull in the action does not mean that there is no action at all. That is especially the case for this week’s edition of Pok’s Football Week in Review!

Although no more players can enter the transfer portal, there is still plenty of action from teams trying to land players who entered over the spring window. Florida International, Florida Atlantic, and South Florida have been among the schools acquiring talent and bolstering their rosters for the 2025 season. Additionally, I have an early college football watchlist for the upcoming season, and an assortment of notes that I wanted to try to share in a written format.

Is this week’s edition as busy as previous editions of the column? No. However, I can assure you that sticking around will be well worth it! So, let us begin our trek throughout the week’s happenings.

Recruiting Recap: More Transfer Portal Tracking

You thought it was over? The transfer portal never sleeps!

In all seriousness, the only part of the transfer portal that closed was the ability for more players to enter it. For those already entered, they are free to look for a new home for the 2025 season. And in the case of FIU, FAU, and USF, multiple players have decided that they will call one of these schools home in 2025.

FIU Panthers

Over the course of the past week, the Panthers added two very high-impact players on the offensive side of the ball.

FIU’s first commitment of the week was running back Anthony Carrie. Carrie, a big-time running back prospect from the 2024 class, played at Georgia Tech last season and notched 87 snaps on offense. The Tampa, Florida native racked up 119 yards on the ground, averaging 4.9 yards per carry in the process.

Carrie has the upper-level speed to make an impact on any given play, along with the shiftiness to make defenders miss. He can contribute in the passing game, too, whether as a blocker or a dynamic weapon out in space. After losing Ajay Allen to Tulsa, Carrie is an amazing replacement, if not an upgrade, due to his eligibility and upside.

After Carrie, the Panthers landed former Louisville wideout JoJo Stone in the transfer portal. Despite not seeing the field for Louisville in 2024, Stone held a very impressive list of offers that included schools like LSU and Georgia.

The wideout has impressive route running, speed, and overall athletic ability at the position. This showed up in droves during his time in high school, as Stone recorded 17 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns.

Both players, when looking at their talent and eligibility, could easily be seen as “culture changers” for the Willie Simmons-led Panthers. Carrie and Stone are the type of players, from a pure talent perspective, that could be game-changers for FIU.

Carrie bolsters an intriguing FIU running back room that includes Kejone Owens, Devonte Lyons, and Jordan Clemons. Meanwhile, Stone adds a potential star talent to a room with fun players such as Alex Perry, Eric Nelson Jr., Kyle McNeal, and more.

Most importantly, it seems that these players fit Simmons’s foundational aspects of “faith, fundamentals, fast, fight, finish, fun, family,” which he lists in his X (formerly Twitter) bio. They are being brought in to add to a developing team’s culture and work to put FIU on the map of the greater college football landscape.

Programs are not built overnight in the sport, but achieving that task is a bit easier than it used to be. Based on what the Panthers looked like this spring and their ability to recruit, Simmons is putting FIU in a very good position to succeed in the near future.

FAU Owls

Just like they have over the course of the spring, the FAU Owls added more talent to their prospective 2025 roster this week.

FAU started off the week by adding yet another defense back in Chris Keys Jr. Keys logged snaps at both safety positions for Indiana and Mississippi State over the past three seasons, and is primarily a run-stopper. He has 26 tackles and six defensive stops in his career, with a career-best 83.3 PFF tackling grade back in 2023. He also offers some decent coverage potential, notching two pass breakups over the past three seasons.

The Owls then added to their linebacker room with Khmari Johnson. A junior who spent time at Coffeyville Community College, Johnson recorded 83 tackles, seven TFLs, and four sacks during the 2024 season. The linebacker will likely bring versatility and potential production to a defense looking for playmakers to step up.

To finish up the week, the Owls added two defensive linemen in Cam Done and Joe Moore III. Done, another JUCO product, recorded 42 tackles and 4.5 sacks in his time at Iowa Western Community College.

Moore III, a grad transfer, has logged snaps for Arizona State and Missouri over the past four seasons. He has 57 pressures, six sacks, and 30 tackles in is career. Moore III also has 28 defensive stops in his career.

These additions have shown that FAU is looking to add players who are immediate contributors and those who can develop into them over time. Moore III and Keys. Jr. are veterans looking to play and leave their mark, while Johnson and Done are JUCO products who could be big contributors for the Owls in the future.

More than anything, though, I am fascinated to see how the depth chart shapes up for FAU. Head coach Zach Kittley has brought in a ton of talent at multiple key positions. However, there were plenty of players at those positions before the school’s heavy activity in the portal. As we approach training camp, this is a storyline to watch.

USF Bulls

Similar to their AAC counterpart, the USF Bulls made some more key additions in the transfer portal this week, adding safety Cedrick Hawkins, defensive lineman Devin Lee, edge rusher Dennard Flowers, and linebacker Rocco Nicholl to their roster.

Hawkins is a former four-star commit in the 2023 class. He originally signed with Ohio State and spent time with UCF this spring. In high school, Hawkins had 50 tackles, one interception, and three passes defended in his senior season. In his overall career, he racked up 309 total tackles, 14 interceptions, and 43 pass breakups.

Lee, a Vanderbilt transfer, has contributed as both a run defender and a pass rusher. Over four years in the SEC, the defensive lineman has 25 pressures, four sacks, 23 tackles, and 22 defensive stops.

Flowers, who spent his 2024 season with Murray State, is an extremely productive edge rusher. In a breakout season, Flowers recorded 25 pressures, 18 tackles, three sacks, and 14 defensive stops. He also had impressive PFF pass rushing and run defense grades, which both registered at 72 or higher.

Nicholl was a three-year contributor on the defensive side of the football for Kent State and looks to bring the same to USF. In 2024 alone, Nicholl, who went by “Weapon X” in high school, had 44 tackles and 24 defensive stops in eight games. He added two pass breakups and four pressures as a pass rusher.

Meanwhile, departing from USF is edge rusher Immanuel Hickman to the Virginia Tech Hokies. Hickman did not play in 2024, but has been a stout run defender for both the Bulls and the East Carolina Pirates in his career.

The Bulls continued a trend of their own in adding Flowers, Hawkins, Lee, and Nicholl. Between these four players, there is plenty of potential and ability to contribute in 2025. Lee and Nicholl will likely challenge for snaps right away, while Flowers and Hawkins could be seen as contributors beyond this year, even if they make an impact in 2025.

Overall, I have truly enjoyed how the Bulls have attacked their recruiting. They are executing their plan and ensuring that their roster is ready to roll. All that is left now is for USF to have the execution on the field to vault itself into contender status.

A Look Ahead: Five Players On My Watch List

Now, I understand that it is only May. We still have a few more months until college football training camps get underway. However, I want to give you all a little preview of some players I have on my watchlist for this season.

This will not be the full list as I will save that surprise a little further down the line. But as a preview for the readers of this column, here are five players on my personal watch list for the 2025 season.

• C.J. Campbell, RB, Rutgers: A breakout star for FAU last season, Campbell has everything you want in a modern-day running back. In a more talented scheme and set to be heavily involved in the Rutgers offense, I am excited to see how the running back performs. He is a sleeper to watch right now, and I do not think that he will be one for much longer.
• Deshawn Purdie, QB, Wake Forest: Purdie had one of the best games I have seen from a freshman quarterback against FAU last season while he was playing for the Charlotte 49ers. In that game, Purdie threw for 401 yards and three touchdowns. He has a rocket of an arm, great mobility, and the accuracy to hit every throw on the field. He is very under the radar at the moment, but in a fun Wake Forest offense filled with talent, a breakout could be on the horizon.
• Devonte Lyons, RB, FIU: While I think Carrie will play a huge role in 2025 for the Panthers, he will not be alone at the running back position. Devonte Lyons has the vision, speed, balance, and versatility to be an impact running back at the college level. If the Panthers give him touches, he could form a lethal trio with Kejon Owens and Carrie.
• Cameron Goggins, CB, FAU: Goggins received a decent amount of snaps in 2023, but he looked like a player who took his game to another level this spring. Between his speed, man coverage ability, and versatility to play all over the defense, Goggins is shaping up to be a key member of the Owls’ new-look defense. Like the other players on the list, I expect Goggins to firmly put his name on the map in 2025.
• Byrum Brown, QB, USF: The key to the Bulls’ offense in 2025 is Byrum Brown. USF has great talent all over the unit. From wideout to offensive line, this looks like a team ready to compete in 2025. If Brown stays on the field, that can be a reality; the quarterback threw for 3,315 yards and 26 touchdowns back in a healthy 2023. Brown has the talent and traits to be a star quarterback who can emerge for the 2026 draft class. Add in what his further ascension could mean for USF, and the Bulls’ quarterback firmly earns a spot on this list.

Grab Bag: My Other Notes from the Week

To wrap up the week, here are some other notes from the week:

• USF’s on-campus football stadium is on target to be completed by May 2027, as the school’s Board of Trustees approved the start of its construction. Once completed, the Bulls will likely have one of the best stadium situations in the G5 and be primed to continue to grow in the college football world.
• I am trying my hand at something new this offseason: summer scouting! I am excited to dive into some players for the 2026 NFL draft. And first up on my list: the quarterback position. Stay tuned for more!
• It is very fascinating to see how different coaches attack the transfer portal. In my case, I have seen FAU, FIU, and USF utilize it in different ways. As we further progress into the NIL era, I wonder if there will be specific “camps” of coaches when it comes to portal utilization versus high school recruiting. I also wonder if any coaches will try to throw any curveballs into the system again.

The Week Ahead

Nothing!

In all seriousness, stay tuned for upcoming thoughts on college players and more college football analysis ahead of the 2025 season. I appreciate all of you who take the time to read these articles; it means a lot to me as I try to grow and develop within this industry.

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope to catch you next time. Goodbye for now!