UConn Football Announces Additions to the Roster
STORRS, Conn. – Head Coach Jim Mora announced that the UConn football program has officially added 10 transfer student-athletes who will join the Huskies for the upcoming 2024 season.
Ezeriah Anderson, Wide Receiver
Seffner, FL / Armwood HS / Campbell
Transfers to UConn with one year eligibility remaining…Comes to Storrs after the last two seasons at Campbell University…Started his collegiate career at Iowa State…In his two seasons for the Camels, he played in 19 games catching 64 passes for totaled 882 yards with six touchdowns…In 2023, he caught 35 passes for 489 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games, averaging 13.97 yards per catch…He pulled down a career-high nine passes for 102 yards at North Carolina (11/4/23) and followed that with a six catch day for 84 yards against Delaware (11/11/23)…He had two touchdown catches against Hampton (10/7/23)…During 2022, he hauled in 28 passes for 387 yards and three scores in eight games…He started the first seven games of the season but saw his time limited the rest of the year due to injury…He posted a season-high eight catches for 115 yards and a TD at Bryant (11/5/22)…Transferred to Campbell after three seasons at Iowa State…Played in nine games on special teams in 2020…Saw action in 11 games in 2021 and had a catch for 22 yards against UNLV (9/18/21)…Coming out of high school, chose the Cyclones over Missouri, Oregon, Syracuse and Boston College…Was a three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN…Rated as the No. 106 wide receiver nationally by 247Sports' composite ratings.
Jevon Banks, Defensive Line
Olive Branch, MS / Olive Branch HS / Kansas State
Transfers to UConn with one year of eligibility remaining…Comes to Storrs spending 2023 at Kansas State…Spent previous three seasons at Mississippi State…Last fall, finished with nine tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery in 13 games for the Wildcats…In his three seasons at MSU he appeared in 20 games making 26 total tackles…In 2022 he played in10 games with 17 total tackles, two for a loss, and a half sack…Had a career-high six tackles against ETSU (11/19/22)…Played in six games in 2021 with five tackles on the books…Was one of nine true freshmen at MSU to debut in 2020…Chose MSU out of Olive Branch HS where he was rated three-star linebacker by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports…Top-20 recruit in Mississippi per ESPN (No. 19), Rivals (No. 14) and 247Sports (No. 17).
Jack Barton, Defensive End
Alpharetta, GA / Centennial HS / Furman
Transfers to UConn with one year of eligibility remaining…Comes to Storrs after playing at Furman from 2019-23…Spent the spring of 2023 at Georgia Tech before re-entering the transfer portal…Appeared in 40 career games for the Paladins, making 63 career tackles, 13 for a loss including 5.5 sacks…He also blocked six kicks over his career…In 2023, appeared in 13 games and helped lead Paladins to Southern Conference championship…He was named second-team all-SoCon after finishing the season with 25 tackles (10 solo), 6.0 tackles for loss and three sacks while also blocking two kicks, defended three passes and recovered a fumble…In 2022, he emerged as a principal performer on Furman's defense, seeing action in all 13 games and making nine starts at defensive end…He helped lead a Furman team to a 10-3 season that featured a stretch of seven consecutive wins and an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs…Helped fuel Furman's defense, which led the FCS in turnovers gained (29), and by superior special teams play that saw the Paladins also top the FCS in blocked kicks (10)…Registered 30 tackles on the season, including seven for-loss and 2.5 sacks…Paced the FCS with a school record four blocked kicks…Was named to both 2022 SoCon All-Academic Team and SoCon Academic Honor Roll for the 2022-23 school year…Earned playing time in eight games in 2021 and totaled four tackles…Graduated from Furman with a bachelor's degree in information technology.
Jayden Bass, Offensive Line
Springfield, MA / Springfield Central HS / Syracuse
Transfers to UConn and will have four years of eligibility…Comes to Storrs after one season at Syracuse…Used his redshirt season in 2023…Appeared in two games as a reserve offensive lineman for the Orange...Made his collegiate debut against Colgate (9/2), also saw time against Western Michigan (9/9)…Decided on Syracuse out of Springfield Central HS…Was rated three-stars by the 247 Sports composite rankings…Rated as the eighth-best prospect in Massachusetts by On3… All-state selection and was the conference offensive lineman of the year…Was named First Team All-Western Mass…Helped lead his team to multiple state championships.
Dean Engram, Defensive Back
Columbia, MD / Gonzaga College HS / Wisconsin
Transfers to UConn and will have one year of eligibility remaining…Comes to Storrs after playing at Wisconsin…Entered the transfer portal after the 2022 season…He moved from defensive back to wide receiver prior to the 2022 season…Played in 13 games, all at receiver and on special teams, totaling 13 catches for 152 yards and returned 24 punts for 132 yards…Played nickel corner during the 2021 season, appearing in all 13 games…Made 20 tackles, broke up 3 passes and recorded an interception...Was UW's primary punt returner, returning 15 punts for 76 yards, including a long of 20 yards...Recorded his first career interception in win over Nebraska...Had a career-high 5 tackles in win at Purdue… Played in all seven games during covid shortened 2021 season...He returned 9 punts for 14 yards…In 2020 was an Academic All-Big Ten scholar-athlete…Coming out of HS, was a three-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN and Rivals…Helped Gonzaga HS to Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship as a senior and was a three-time All-WCAC se-lection, earning first-team honors at cornerback as a sophomore and senior and a second-team nod at wide receiver as a junior...A first-team All-DC State Athletic Association at cornerback as a freshman.
Nick Evers, Quarterback
Flower Mound, TX / Flower Mound HS / Wisconsin
Transfers to UConn and will have three years of eligibility…Comes to Storrs after spending 2023 season at Wisconsin…Did not see any game action last fall…Began his college career at the University of Oklahoma…In 2022 played in one game, finishing 0-1 passing in a loss to Texas…Became a Sooner, choosing OU over Auburn, Florida and others as a consensus four-star prospect…Touted as the No. 4 dual-threat quarterback in the class by Rivals, the No. 7 pocket-passer QB by ESPN, the No. 7 QB by On3 and the No. 8 QB by 247Sports…Ranked the No. 77 player in the country by On3…Rated as the 17th-best prospect in the state of Texas by On3, No. 24 by 247, No. 28 by ESPN and No. 37 by Rivals…A 2021 Elite 11 Finals participant…Named a 2020 Texas District 6-6A First Team selection…Threw for nearly 5,000 yards and 44 touchdowns and rushed for 18 TDs over his junior and senior seasons in HS…Rushed for 648 yards his senior year.
Ja'khi Green, Offensive Line
Palmer Park, MD / Saint Frances Academy / Charlotte
Transfers to UConn with two seasons of eligibility remaining…Comes to Storrs after a season at Charlotte and three years at Maryland…At Charlotte in 2023 he played in 10 games, making eight starts…Started the first seven games he played and the season-finale at South Florida…Played for Maryland from 2020-22…He played in two games over three seasons…Coming out of high school at Saint Frances Academy he was a three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN.com, Rivals and On3 Consensus...Was ranked No. 41 overall in Maryland by 247 Sports…Helped lead his HS to a 44-3 in high school…Chose Maryland over Kansas, Kent State and West Virginia.
Jayden McDonald, Linebacker
Suwanee, GA / North Gwinnett HS / Troy
Transfers to UConn and will have one year of eligibility remaining…Comes to UConn after playing at Troy from 2020-23… Spent the spring of 2023 at Indiana before re-entering the transfer portal…Played in 35 games over four seasons at Troy, finishing his career with 191 total tackles, 22.0 for a loss including 2.5 sacks, an interception, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble…This past fall he played in 13 games and led the defense in tackles, finishing with 75 total tackles, 9.5 for a loss…Saw his junior (2022) and sophomore (2021) seasons cut short due to injuries…In his debut season with the Trojans in 2020, he finished second on the team with 67 tackles over 11 games…Rated the No. 7 linebacker in the country per Pro Football Focus in pressuring the quarterback with an 88.8 grade (min. 400 snaps) … Recorded a season-high 16 tackles with three stops behind the line against Georgia State – the 16 tackles were the 29th most by a player in the country in 2020…Committed to Iowa and redshirted the 2018 season and didn't see before transferring to Troy…Named Georgia High School Defensive Player of the Year by Georgia High School Coaches Association at North Gwinnett HS...Earned first team all-state, all-region and all-county honors as a senior…Named first team all-state by GHSA and Atlanta Touchdown Club…Named Gwinnett Daily Post Defensive Player of the Year as a senior...Helped North Gwinnett earn its first-ever state title as a senior, winning 14 straight games after opening the season with a three-point loss.
Shamar Porter, Wide Receiver
Nashville, TN / Ensworth HS / Kentucky
Transfers to UConn and will have four years of eligibility remaining…Comes to Storrs from the University of Kentucky…Used his redshirt season in 2023…Chose Kentucky over Georgia, Tennessee and Ole Miss…Was a four-star wide receiver by 247 Sports and On3.com…Ranked as the No. 29 wide receiver in the country and No. 5 in Tennessee according to the On3 Consensus…Was named first-team All-State after totaling 32 catches for 557 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns in 10 games as a senior at Ensworth HS…Earned U.S. Army Bowl All-America honors…Named to the 2022 Division II-AAA West All-Region Team.
TJ Sheffield, Wide Receiver
Thompson's Station, TN / Independence HS / Purdue
Transfers to UConn and will have one year of eligibility remaining…Comes to Storrs after playing at Purdue from 2019-23…Appeared in 46 career games for the Boilermakers, making 118 catches for 1209 yards and 11 touchdowns…He averaged 10.2 yards per catch over his career…As a special teams players, had 29 career kick returns, averaging 17.4 yards per return and 32 career punt returns for 261 yards. In 2023, caught 32 passes for 381 yards and two scores in 11 games, posting a career-best 11.9 yards per catch…In 2022 he appeared in all 14 games with 12 starts, finishing third on the team in 840 yards receiving on 46 catches, averaging 10.4 yards per reception…Had four touchdown catches on the season…Caught a pair of touchdowns against Nebraska (10/15/22)…Made a season-high seven catches with a sore against LSU (1/2/23)…Played in 12 games in 2021 with three starts…Had 36 catches for 325 yards and five touchdowns while also leading the team in punt and kickoff return yards…Averaged nine yards per catch, 10.7 yards per kickoff and 7.8 per punt return with 42.1 all-purpose yards per game…Caught four passes for 27 yards and a touchdown against UConn (9/11/21)…Had a career-best eight receptions for 48 yards and a score against Iowa (10/16/21)…Played in six games in his r-freshman season…Was named Academic All-BIG TEN…Chose Purdue as a ranked four-star wide receiver by ESPN…Was a three-star wide receiver by 247Sports and by Rivals…A finalist for the Tennessee Titans' Mr. Football as a senior.
Jordan Wright, Defensive Back
Memphis, TN / Collierville HS / Kansas State
Transfers to UConn with one year of eligibility remaining…Comes to Storrs after stops at Kansas State and Fullerton College… Appeared in 13 total games at Kansas State, registering 8 total tackles and 2 pass deflections…In 2023, played in 11 games as both a reserve defensive back and on special teams... Set a career high with two tackles against Baylor, while he logged two more against Kansas...Tallied pass breakups against both TCU and Baylor…Was a first team Academic All-Big 12 student-athlete in 2023…In 2022, played in three games including the Big 12 Championship against TCU and Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama…At Fullerton College, Wright posted 21 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions and 10 pass deflections during the 2021 season earning him All-Region and All-Conference honors… Prior to his time at Kansas State and Fullerton College, Wright finished his high school career playing at Collierville HS in Tennessee… Over his high school career, Wright registered 41 tackles, 2 interceptions and 22 pass deflections.