Massachusetts Football Announces Addition Of 13 Transfers

AMHERST, Mass. – Ahead of the start of the new semester, head coach Don Brown and the University of Massachusetts football staff announced the next set of roster additions, including 13 transfer student-athletes.

Among the 13 transfers listed below are seven on the offensive side of the ball and six on the defensive side. Additionally, there are five former four-star recruits in the group.

Previously, Brown announced the signing of six student-athletes to National Letters of Intent on the first day of the December Early Signing Period (Dec. 21), including Zachary Anderson (OL), Donovan Dyson (SAM), Ahmad Haston (QB), Chris Lebrun (VIPER), Peyton Miller (OL) and Jyree Roberts (LB). Dyson, Haston and LeBrun will also enroll early to join the Minutemen for the upcoming spring semester.

Additional transfers could be announced in the coming days.

Carlos Davis
QB | 6-3 | 225 | Baltimore, Maryland | Western Carolina | 1 YOE

Played in seven games for Western Carolina in 2022 while compiling a 149.59 passer rating
Went 148-for-220 (67.27%) and threw for 1,837 yards (262.43 per game) and 16 touchdowns
Was also the team's third-leading rusher in 2022, totaling 221 yards (31.57 per game) on the ground
As a redshirt sophomore 2021, saw action in five games with a pair of starts while throwing for 902 yards on 75-of-115 passing with six touchdowns
Also rushed 28 times for a total of 85 yards
Had a career-high 401 yards and three touchdowns on 31-of-40 passing as the starter in a road win at The Citadel (Oct. 23), earning Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors (Oct. 25, 2021)
As a redshirt sophomore 2020, played in two games in the spring semester
Joined Western Carolina as a mid-semester transfer in January 2020 from East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Mississippi, where he earned an associate's degree
Also played at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas
Son of Chardrie Snider and his sister, Mia Davis, played women's basketball at Temple where she was a USBWA All-American honorable mention in 2020 and scored 2,376 career points in 140 career games played

Jalen Harrell
VIPER | 6-2 | 210 | Hollywood, Florida | Miami| 3 YOE

Spent the past three seasons at Miami
Saw action in three games in 2021, playing largely on special teams while totaling three tackles
In 2020, played in five games, also on special teams, and had one tackle
Made career debut and had first tackle in win over Florida State (Sept. 26)
Competed in 2020 Cheez-It Bowl against Oklahoma State (Dec. 29)
Was a consensus four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals coming out of high school
Ranked No. 117 in the Rivals Top 250 and was rated the No. 8 player at his position nationally and No. 18 player in Florida by Rivals
Listed as the No. 236 player in the Top247 Composite
Ranked as the No. 22 safety in the country and the No. 38 player in Florida by 247 Composite
Listed as the No. 26 player at his position nationally and No. 62 player in Florida by ESPN
Helped lead Champagnat Catholic HS to a Florida Class 2A state championship
Finished the 2019 season with 62 tackles, one interception, three passes defended and one forced fumble

Shambre Jackson
DL | 6-3 | 280 | Orlando, Florida | Florida State | 3 YOE

Played in two games at Florida State in 2022 after redshirting during the 2021 season
Was a four-star prospect coming out of high school
Ranked 243rd in ESPN300 and ranked as nation's 11th-highest strong-side defensive end and Florida's 34th overall prospect by Rivals
Ranked 18th nationally at his position and No. 40 overall prospect in Florida on 247Sports Composite
Earned District Player of the Year honors following senior season
Helped lead Boone to region semifinal round of 8A state playoffs as a senior
Earned first-team all-area honors as a junior after recording 56 tackles, including 22.0 for loss with 14.5 sacks
Also played basketball for Braves

Dashaun Jerkins
DL | 6-0 | 200 | Woodbridge, Virginia | Ole Miss/Vanderbilt | 1 YOE

Spent last season at Ole Miss where he saw action in five games primarily as a backup safety and on kick coverage
Tallied three tackles on the season and had one interception (versus Central Arkansas on Sept. 10, 2022)
In the game at Georgia Tech (Sept. 17, 2022) he made two tackles and added a pass breakup
Prior to Ole Miss, he appeared in 33 games at Vanderbilt including 27 starts
Led the Commodores with three interceptions in 2021 and added 42 tackles
Tallied 45 tackles, two caused fumbles, one fumble recovery and three pass breakups in 2020
Registered 14 tackles (10 solo) in first career start against Georgia as a sophomore (2019)
Finished sophomore season with 58 tackles (34 solo), two pass breakups and one fumble recovery
Prepped at Woodbridge (Va.) and was a three-star prospect
Led team to 12-2 record and region championship in 2017
Was a 2017 all-state first team selection and an all-region selection in 2016 and 2017

Jalen John
RB | 5-11 | 225 | Lake Oswego, Oregon | Arizona | 3 YOE

Spent the past three seasons at Arizona but did not see any action during the 2022 season
In 2021, played in nine games and made three starts while gaining 250 yards on 62 carries (four yards per carry)
Also caught eight passes for 42 yards
Had 11 carries for a career-high 71 yards versus Colorado
Played in two games as a true freshman
A three-star recruit out of Lakeridge HS
Over three varsity seasons and 26 games in high school, totaled 4,067 yards and 48 touchdowns on 476 rushing attempts
As a senior, rushed for 2,074 yards and 21 touchdowns on 234 carries, all career-high mark and earned Class 6A All-State honors
Also tabbed with all-conference recognition in all three seasons

Brandon MacKinnon
OL | 6-6 | 280 | Lakeville, Massachusetts | Northern Illinois | 3 YOE

Spent the past two seasons at Northern Illinois, appearing in one game in 2022
Did not see any game action during his redshirt season (2021)
Played a post-graduate year at The Hun School in Princeton, N.J.
A first team All Mid-Atlantic Prep League and All-Prep New Jersey selection
Named first team all-conference at Apponequet Regional HS in 2018 and 2019
Also played on the defensive line in high school
Set school record for the dead lift and was a three-sport athlete who also ran track and played lacrosse

Tyler Martin
LB | 6-3 | 235 | Acton, Massachusetts | Arizona | 4 YOE

Did not appear in any games with Arizona in 2022
Attended Buckingham Browne & Nichols HS and was a three-star recruit
Played middle linebacker and fullback for BB&N
Made 102 tackles over eight games with one interception, four forced fumbles and 5.5 sacks
On offense he totaled 350 receiving yards, two touchdowns, 123 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown
Named League MVP, team captain, team MVP, All-Conference, All-City, All-District, All-Region, and All-State
Also played basketball and lacrosse in high school
New England Champion and school record holder in the javelin, as well as two-time track captain and basketball captain
His mother, Naomi, played volleyball at Amherst College

Steven Ortiz
DB | 6-0 | 180 | Goodyear, Arizona | Minnesota | 3 YOE

Spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with Minnesota, making his collegiate debut against Western Illinois in 2022
A consensus four-star recruit coming out of high school and ranked as the No. 23 defensive back in the nation and the No. 4 prospect in Arizona according to 247Sports
As a senior at Desert Edge HS, recorded 35 tackles and two interceptions
Led team to an undefeated regular season and its first appearance in the AIA's Open Division Playoffs in school history
As a junior, recorded 83 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery as he helped lead the team to the state 4A championship game
As a sophomore, tallied 57 tackles, five interceptions and two fumble recoveries
Also competed in track and field in high school

Jackson Paradis
RB | 6-0 | 225 | Kingston, New Hampshire | Buffalo | 4 YOE

Did not appear in any games as a freshman in 2022 with Buffalo
While playing with the Tilton School, was named the 2021 New Hampshire Gatorade Football Player of the Year
Rushed for 1,851 yards and 23 touchdowns while averaging 10.2 yards per carry his senior season
Had five 200-yard games, including a 332-yard, four-touchdown performance against Kingswood Oxford School
Named the 2021 NEPSAC football Player of the Year

Taisun Phommachanh
QB | 6-3 | 215 | Bridgeport, Connecticut | Georgia Tech/Clemson | 2 YOE

Played in two games at Georgia Tech in 2022, finishing 2-for-5 passing and adding 15 rushes for 56 yards and two touchdowns
Played at Clemson from 2019-21 while appearing in 13 games over the three seasons
Amassed 354 yards of total offense in his 13 appearances (204 passing, 150 rushing)
As a redshirt freshman in 2021, completed 11-of-19 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown and also rushed 11 times for 69 yards and a score in six games
Appeared in four games during Covid-shortened season in 2020 and three games while redshirting as a true freshman in 2019
Rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN
Ranked as the No.3 quarterback in the nation by 247Sports, the No. 5 QB in the nation by Rivals and the No. 8 pocket passer in the nation by ESPN
Played two seasons at Harding HS before transferring to Old Avon Farms for final two campaigns
Completed 339-of-556 passes and 46 touchdowns during prep career and rushed 300 times for 1,264 yards, good for 6,492 yards of total offense and 71 total touchdowns
Threw for 1,066 yards and nine touchdowns over six games during injury-plagued senior campaign (2018)
Completed 135-of-192 passes for 2,253 yards, 22 touchdowns and just one interception, while also running for 633 yards and 17 scores during junior campaign (2017)

Mark Pope
WR | 6-1 | 180 | Miami, Florida | Miami/Jackson State | 1 YOE

Spent the spring of 2022 with Jackson State after playing for Miami during the previous four seasons
At Miami, played in 34 career games and totaled 680 receiving yards and 39 rushing yards
Caught 52 career passes for 680 yards (13.1 average) and four touchdowns
Started 10 of 11 games for the Hurricanes in 2020, while catching two touchdown passes
Also had a pair of touchdown catches in 2019 when he appeared in 12 games, including one start
A consensus four-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports.com and Rivals.com coming out of Miami Southridge HS and he was selected to the 2018 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio
Ranked among top 300 recruits by ESPN.com (No. 227)
Rated the No. 5 wide receiver, No. 9 prospect in Florida and No. 28 recruit nationally by Rivals.com
Listed as 11th-best wide receiver prospect in nation and 13th-best player in state of Florida by 247Sports.com
Ranked No. 35 at his position and 227 overall by ESPN.com
Participated in The Opening in summer of 2017
Named to the 2017 Miami Herald All-Dade First Team
Totaled over 1,000 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns throughout prep career
Had 37 receptions for 619 yards and seven touchdowns during junior season
Registered 117 yards receiving and caught pair of touchdowns in 2017 FHSAA Regional Playoffs against Miami High School
Named to 2016 Miami Herald First Team All-Dade Football Team

Anthony Simpson
WR | 5-11 | 180 | Pawling, New York | Arizona | 2 YOE

Spent the past two seasons at Arizona
As a true sophomore in 2022, played in 11 games for the Wildcats primarily on kick return
On the season, recorded a career-high 342 return yards on 18 attempts with a long of 39 yards and an average return of 19.0 yards (averaged 31.1 return yards per game)
Also had two rushing attempts for eight yards and caught four passes for a career-high 56 yards with a long of 51 yards and an average of 14.0 yards per catch
Played in the final seven games of the season and started vs. Cal and Arizona State
Caught four passes for 46 yards
Prior to Arizona, was a two-way star in 22 games at Bloomfield HS in Connecticut
At wideout he totaled 92 career receptions for 1,731 yards and 27 touchdowns
As a senior, tallied 75 catches for 1,249 yards and 19 touchdowns; averaged 16.7 yards per catch and 96.1 yards per game
Also rushed the ball 131 times in prep career, going for 1,473 yards and 29 touchdowns
On defense, posted 11 career interceptions, including 10 in his senior campaign
Was the 2019 All-Courant Offensive Player of the Year
A three-star prospect coming out of Bloomfield

Jermaine Wiggins Jr.
DL | 6-3 | 230 | Boxford, Massachusetts | Arizona | 4 YOE

Did not see any action in 2022 as a freshman at Arizona
Prepped at Bridgton Academy (Maine) after playing for Central Catholic HS
A three-star recruit by Rivals and 247Sports and the No. 1 ranked Massachusetts recruit in his class according to 247Sports
Played both ways for Central Catholic beginning his sophomore season and caught 11 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns
As a junior earned All-MVC Division 1 honors after finishing the season with 35 tackles, 11 for a loss, and catching 16 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns
Had the go-ahead, fourth quarter touchdown against Springfield Central
Senior season was played in the spring of 2021, and he also played basketball at Central Catholic
His father, Jermaine Sr., was a 10-year NFL veteran tight end who was part of the Super Bowl XXVI champion New England Patriots

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Zachary Anderson

Carlos Davis

Donovan Dyson

Jalen Harrell

Ahmad Haston

Shambre Jackson

Dashaun Jerkins

Jalen John

Brandon MacKinnon

Tyler Martin

Peyton Miller

Steven Ortiz

Jackson Paradis

Taisun Phommachanh

Mark Pope

Jyree Roberts

Anthony Simpson

Jermaine Wiggins Jr.

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics