With the portal officially open for FCS and FBS players, JMU football has made offers to several FCS and FBS players in addition to previous D2 and JUCO offers. The Dukes are pushing to reload a roster decimated by portal defections and graduations. 

The window for players to enter the portal closes on Jan. 16, but players can commit to new schools at any time before the 2026 season. That means there isn’t a spring window for entrants, but JMU could theoretically add a couple of guys in the spring/summer who have been in the portal since January. Not all of the Dukes’ portal work will conclude this month, but it’s a huge month to retool the team. 

Here are some news and notes from the Dukes’ recent portal efforts. 

Upcoming visitors 

Among those visiting soon (or even today) are:

Terrence Jones, Fordham DB — He posted a PFF grade above 80 in 2025 as a sophomore, racking up 54 tackles. He’s a good player and will visit this weekend, according to SeaTown Sports. 

Wisdom Simms, NC Central DT — The big-bodied defender (6’4 and 315 lbs) posted a 70.9 PFF grade in 2025. He’s a solid run stopper with pass rushing upside. He’ll visit Boston College, Purdue, and JMU in the next week, according to his agency. 

Landen Clark, Elon QB — A stud QB from the CAA, Clark is visiting on Saturday (Jan. 3), per 247Sports. He’s also going to visit several SEC schools, although it seems as if they’re recruiting him as a depth piece. Clark could compete for JMU’s starting job in 2025. He threw for 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a redshirt freshman in 2025. He added another 11 rushing touchdowns and finished the season with 2,900 total yards. He posted an 84.2 PFF grade. Solid player with multiple years of eligibility.

Corey Scott, West Florida WR — The West Florida standout set to visit the Dukes on Jan. 5 and 6. That’s after taking trips to Michigan State and Virginia Tech. He went over 1,000 yards in 2025 and could be a game-changer in the Sun Belt. 

Mason Purham, Emory & Henry DE — He’s visiting JMU this month, and he’ll also visit Missouri, per On3. He has great size (6’6 and 250 lbs) and should become a solid FBS player. Keeping the Virginia native in state would be a big win for Billy Napier. 

Lucas Simmons, Florida State OL — A reserve with the Seminoles, Simmons has talent. He’s also visiting Georgia, Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, and Mississippi State will also host Simmons, per 247Sports.

Damier Minkah, Shepherd DB — 247Sports says the D2 star will also visit Iowa State, among others. He could become an instant starter at the G5 level.

Frankie Tinilau, East Tennessee State LT — The former Miami Hurricane had a decent 2025 season with ETSU and new JMU OC Cam Aiken. His agent says he’s visiting JMU, among a few other G5 programs. His pass blocking improved in the second half of 2025, although his season-long PFF grade of 50.7 suggests he’s still developing as a prospect. With more reps he should only improve. 

Danny Royster, University of Indianapolis DE — Royster, who was also recently offered by Memphis, visits JMU on Jan. 3 and Arkansas State on Jan. 4, per 247Sports. The former Ball State prospect is a productive pass rusher.

Notes

JMU is competing with a different tier of program during this portal cycle, likely a result of improved roster financing and making the College Football Playoff. It’s been more common this winter than recent seasons to see players visiting P4 programs and JMU. The Dukes’ recruiting level has raised dramatically over the past decade. 

The Dukes have also had a few notable players confirm they are returning in 2025, including C Zach Greenberg, RB George Pettaway, OT Deacon Rawls, DB KJ Flowe, and WR Michael Scott. Pulling a couple players back out of the portal would be beneficial, if the Dukes can pull it off. Guys like DE Amar Thomas, DE Aiden Gobaira, and OL Carter Sweazie would be major retentions, if the Dukes can make a late push to keep them.

UCLA is making a strong effort to land JMU’s portal players, according to On3. LB Drew Spinoggati and DE Sahir West are among the players visiting Bob Chesney’s new program. We’d expect at least a handful of guys to follow Chesney to the Big Ten, given their familiarity with his coaching style and scheme and UCLA’s NIL budget. 

Alonza Barnett is reportedly visiting UCF. The Big 12 school went 5-7 in 2025 and could use a quarterback to help Scott Frost’s offense. Barnett seems like a possibility. 

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications