JMU football begins camp next week, with the season opener against Charlotte just over 30 days away. While much of camp happens behind-the-scenes – media access is limited – it’s one of the most important parts of the year as teams undergo final preparations for the season.

Bob Chesney, like every coach in the country, loves competition. If fall camp is anything like spring practices, expect the energy to be high and look for various individual and team competitions to help the coaches decipher which guys belong on the two deep.

Before fall camp begins, I’ll take a guess at what I think the two deep could look like for Week 1. It’s never too early for a JMU football roster projection. Well, at least that’s what I’m telling myself. This article is for the true JMU football sickos!

Depth Chart Projection

The offense

Here’s my estimated two deep as of late July:

QB – Dylan Morris, Alonza Barnett or Billy Atkins
RB – Ayo Adeyi, George Pettaway or Jobi Malary
WR – Taji Hudson, Maxwell Moss
WR – Cam Ross, Omarion Dollison or Yamir Knight
WR – Brionne Penny, Dylan Williams or Jayden Mines
TE – Kyi Wright, Taylor Thompson or Logan Kyle
LT – Tyshawn Wyatt, Luke Popma
LG – Carter Sweazie, Quincy Jenkins
C – Tanner Morris, Brett Davis
RG – Cole Potts, Josh Toner
RT – Patrick McMurtrie, Jesse Ramil

I feel confident in Morris, Adeyi, Hudson, Ross, Wyatt, Morris, and Potts earning starting gigs.

McMurtrie figures to have a strong chance of earning the right tackle spot as well, although Ramil and Toner are both talented offensive linemen who could play the position as well. Toner started at right tackle in JMU football’s bowl game against Air Force, but he began the 2023 season as Potts’ backup at right guard.

Toner is an incredible asset as a depth piece, as he can play just about any spot on the line. If he doesn’t earn a starting role, look for Toner to be one of the first offensive linemen off the bench in case of injury. The battle for left guard could be one of the most exciting in camp, with Sweazie, Jenkins, and Toner all possessing the needed skills to start at the position.

While Hudson (6’4 with a huge catch radius) and Ross (1,356 career receiving yards in 28 games at UConn) are obvious starters at wide receiver, there should be decent competition for the third wide receiver position. I’m high on Penny earning the spot, but Moss, Williams, Dollison, and Jayden Mines could all realistically earn the job.

Washington transfer Dylan Morris is the obvious pick to start at quarterback. As for running back, Tyler Purdy and Wayne Knight may also earn a few touches behind Pettaway and Malary. Adeyi, who ran for 1,017 yards for North Texas last fall, is the clear favorite for RB1. 

The Defense

DE – Eric O’Neill, Amar Thomas
DT – Immanuel Bush, Chris Fitzgerald
DT – Terry Lockett, Darold DeNgohe or Mychal McMullin or DJ Cotton
DE – Lloyd Summerall, Khairi Manns
LB – Taurus Jones, Trent Hendrick
LB – Jacob Dobbs, Raymond Scott
CB – Chauncey Logan, Evan Spivey
CB – Terrence Spence, Jordan Taylor
Nickel – Ja’Kai Young, DJ Barksdale
S – Jacob Thomas, Chase Regan
S – Ray Williams, Chris Shearin

Picking the two deep in the secondary is a major challenge, but the defensive line and linebackers are more straightforward. The starters along the defensive line feel fairly entrenched going into camp, with all four starters looking like All-Sun Belt caliber players. 

O’Neill, a preseason Second Team All-Sun Belt selection, recorded 23.5 tackles for loss for Long Island last season. Bush was in JMU’s interior rotation and is up to about 330 lbs. Lockett started eight games for Syracuse last fall and led the ACC with three fumble recoveries. Summerall tallied four tackles for loss for USF in 2023 in eight games, and the former Florida Gators’ defensive end (he was a highly recruited prospect out of HS) is one of JMU’s best athletes on the edge. It’s possible Thomas beats him out for a starting spot, but both guys should see the field regularly.

There should be strong competition for reserve roles along the defensive front. I included Thomas, Fitzgerald, and Manns due to their previous experience and production. Thomas started JMU football’s bowl game against Air Force, while Fitzgerald has 11.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons with Youngstown State. Manns was highly disruptive for Maine across the 2021 and 2022 seasons (85 tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss) before playing sparingly for Colorado in 2023.

A bunch of young names should be in the mix to serve as Lockett’s primary backup. If Lockett gets hurt, it’s possible the Dukes roll with Bush and Fitzgerald in the middle given the relative inexperience outside of those three in the middle.

As for the linebackers, Dobbs (432 career tackles) and Jones (124 career tackles) are obvious starters. Scott (a former highly touted recruit for USC) and Hendrick (six career starts for JMU football) will be the reserves, and each guy should rotate onto the field during games and in different packages. They’re both too good to spend entire games on the sideline.

At cornerback, Logan and Spence are favorites to earn starting roles. I like the athleticism of Taylor (a Division II transfer who also competed on the track team) and Spivey, a returning player with good size. Keep an eye on Trevell Mullen and true freshman Milt Ferguson, who could have a D’Angelo Ponds-like rise up the depth chart.

I went with Young (41 tackles, nine pass breakups, and two interceptions for Gardner-Webb in 2023) over Barksdale due to experience. Thomas should start at one safety position, although Shearin and Williams should both see the field plenty regardless of who starts next to Thomas.

Chase Regan is a true freshman to monitor, as he boasts top-end speed and athleticism. He also added 20-ish lbs over the spring and now stands at 6’ and 187 lbs. He’s ready to play at the FBS level.

Special Teams

Long snapper should be a competition, and please don’t ask me about punt or kickoff returners. I don’t know, although Barksdale should at least compete for the kickoff return spot. As for the punter and kicker positions, these are essentially set. JMU football is fortunate to have the best punter in the conference, and Ruelas went 15-20 on field goals during his UConn career with a long of 54 yards.

P – Ryan Hanson, Andrew VanSlyke
K – Noe Ruelas, Cristiano Rosa
LS – Jack Mowrey, Logan Ketcham

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications