We generally know who will start for JMU football in 2025. We even know the team’s likely stars.

Running back George Pettaway, wide receiver Nick DeGennaro, offensive tackle Patrick McMurtrie, defensive tackle Immanuel Bush, linebacker Trent Hendrick, and safety Jacob Thomas are all expected to play huge roles in 2025. Beyond those players, we even have a general idea of the next crop of top contributors.

But what about beyond that group? Who will surprise this season? For a team with as much talent as JMU, becoming a “sleeper” isn’t easy, but here are five guys we think could become valuable pieces for the Dukes this fall.

We went with mostly deeper sleepers for this thought exercise. Guys like DE Sahir West, DE Aiden Gobaira, LB Gannon Weathersby, etc. are more obvious breakout candidates that we avoided for this discussion.

Tyler Brown, S

Brown played 43 snaps against Western Kentucky in the bowl game as a true freshman, and he graded out above 70 on PFF. That signals to me that the Dukes’ coaching staff has significant trust in Brown’s ability.

Now a sophomore, look for Brown to make a leap. Starting opposite Jacob Thomas won’t be easy given the offseason addition of Holy Cross grad transfer Curtis Harris-Lopez, but Brown could very well earn that starting spot. If he plays anything like he did in the Boca Raton Bowl (four tackles with 1.5 TFL and a half sack), he’ll be impossible to keep off the field.

Logan Kyle, TE

You’re going to hear all preseason about JMU’s depth at running back and wide receiver. Nobody will mention the tight end group, but that’s a mistake.

Don’t expect Kyle to be the focal point of JMU’s offense, but that’s what makes him and fellow tight ends Josh Phifer and Lacota Dippre so dangerous. The ex-Vanderbilt tight end played just 159 offensive snaps in 2024, but he brought in 11 receptions for over 100 yards. He’s someone the Dukes can even use via jet sweeps — he had one carry in 2024 and two carries for Vanderbilt in 2023.

Kai Callen, Nickel

It’ll be hard to earn playing time at nickel with DJ Barksdale and KJ Flowe ahead of him, but Callen isn’t a typical newcomer. The true freshman joined JMU for the spring, and he drew rave reviews from teammates.

Flowe played as a true freshman, and Chase Regan became a special teams star as a true freshman DB. Callen might not be a starter, but look for him to work his way onto the field, even if that’s as an impact special teams player at first.

JaKobe Campbell, OG

The redshirt freshman played 13 snaps in 2024, earning a respectable 66.9 PFF grade against Georgia Southern. In his second season of college football, I’m expecting him to emerge as a potential future standout. The 6’3 and 282-pound guard from North Carolina reportedly received an Iowa State offer before committing to the Dukes. He’s an intriguing young player with upside.

Trashon Dye, LB

I love Dye’s athleticism. He was used on the scout team before the Dukes’ North Carolina win to simulate UNC running back Omarion Hampton — Dye is a freak athlete.

Highly recruited out of high school — Syracuse was among the schools pursuing him — Dye passed my eye test as a high schooler and freshman. He’s 6’0 and 227 lbs and he runs extremely well for his size. He might struggle to earn immediate reps given the Dukes’ depth at linebacker, but he can grow into a Sun Belt standout. Look for him to quickly emerge on special teams and slowly work his way into the linebacker rotation.

He appeared in four games in 2024, tallying two tackles. He’s just a redshirt freshman, meaning he still has four full seasons to become an impact player at the FBS level.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications