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FAMU football's QB depth provides abundance of options to win starting job for 2025 season
A potent offense starts with a good quarterback.
Florida A&M football is doing the groundwork to ensure it has viable options for the starting quarterback job for the 2025 season.
The Rattlers have landed five quarterbacks this offseason, with RJ Johnson III, Tyler Jefferson, Jett Peddy, and Lawrence Wright IV transferring in. RJ Mayes, out of Marianna, is the Rattlers' lone high school quarterback addition.
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FAMU's quintet of new quarterbacks joins returners, Traven Green and Bryson Martin.
That makes it a total of seven quarterbacks for the Rattlers.
Whoever starts at quarterback for FAMU this season will follow in the footsteps of two consecutive standout Rattler signal callers, Jeremy Moussa from 2022-2023 and Daniel Richardson from 2024. Both were top quarterbacks in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and HBCU All-American honorable mentions.
So, who will take the first snap under center when FAMU football opens its season versus the Howard Bison at Miami's Orange Blossom Classic on Saturday, Aug. 30?
Head coach James Colzie III coaches the The Florida A&M Rattlers as they take on Southern University, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Let's look at the options.
Traven Green, Returning
Florida A&M quarterback Traven Green attempts a pass during the Rattlers' first spring football practice of 2025 on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, Friday, March 7, 2025.
Classification: Redshirt Freshman
Hometown: Rockledge, Florida
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 170 pounds
2024 Stats: Did Not Play
RJ Johnson III, Transfer from Toledo
Classification: Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 210 pounds
2024 Stats: Did Not Play
RJ Mayes, Signee from Marianna High School
Classification: Freshman
Hometown: Marianna, Florida
Height/Weight: 5-foot-10, 150 pounds
2024 Stats: 106 completions on 170 attempts (62 percent), 1,678 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, five interceptions, 46 carries for 382 rushing yards and five touchdowns
Tyler Jefferson, Transfer from Central Michigan
The Florida A&M Rattlers football team hold their annual spring game at Bragg Memorial Stadium Saturday, April 12, 2025.
Classification: Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown: High Springs, Florida
Height/Weight: 6-foot, 235 pounds
2024 Stats: 27 completions on 58 attempts (47 percent), 286 passing yards, one interception, 43 rushing attempts for 282 yards and one touchdown
Bryson Martin, Returning
The Florida A&M Rattlers football team hold their annual spring game at Bragg Memorial Stadium Saturday, April 12, 2025.
Classification: Redshirt Junior
Hometown: Clearwater, Florida
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 195 pounds
2024 Stats: one completion on one attempt, six passing yards
Jett Peddy, Transfer from Long Beach City College
Jett Peddy announced his commitment to Florida A&M football on social media on Thursday, May 29, 2025. The right-handed all-conference quarterback is transferring from Long Beach City College, a junior college in California.
Classification: Junior
Hometown: Torrance, California
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 191 pounds
2024 Stats: 200 completions on 339 attempts (59 percent), 2,706 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions
Lawrence Wright IV, Transfer from Florida
P.K. Yonge Blue Wave Lawrence Wright IV (1) looks to throw during a game between P.K. Yonge and Keystone Heights at P.K. Yonge School in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, November 2, 2023. [Chris Watkins/Gainesville Sun] Chris Watkins/Gainesville Sun
Classification: Redshirt Freshman
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 243 pounds
2024 Stats: Did Not Play
Florida A&M Football 2025 Schedule
Week 1: Saturday, Aug. 30 ― vs. Howard (Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens' Hard Rock Stadium), 4 p.m., ESPNU
Week 2: Saturday, Sept. 6 ― at Florida Atlantic, 6 p.m., ESPN Plus
Week 3: Saturday, Sept. 13 ― vs. Albany State, 7 p.m.
Week 4: BYE/OPEN WEEK
Week 5: Saturday, Sept. 27 ― vs. Alabama State (SWAC), 3 p.m.
Week 6: Saturday, Oct. 4 ― vs. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC/at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
Week 7: Saturday, Oct. 11 ― vs. North Carolina Central, 3 p.m.
Week 8: Saturday, Oct. 18 ― vs. Alcorn State (SWAC/Homecoming), 4 p.m.
Week 9: Saturday, Oct. 25 ― at Southern (SWAC)
Week 10: Saturday, Nov. 1 ― vs. Jackson State (SWAC), 7 p.m.
Week 11: Saturday, Nov. 8 ― at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC), 3 p.m.
Week 12: Saturday, Nov. 15 ― at Alabama A&M (SWAC), 3 p.m.
Week 13: Saturday, Nov. 22 ― vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic at Orlando's Camping World Stadium)
Saturday, Nov. 29 ― NCAA FCS Playoffs Begin (If Necessary)
Saturday, Dec. 6 ― SWAC Championship Game (If Necessary)
Saturday, Dec. 13 ― Celebration Bowl at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium (If Necessary)
Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 ― NCAA FCS National Championship Game at Nashville's FirstBank Stadium (If Necessary)
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All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on and contact him via email at GDThomas@ or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football QBs: A look at the Rattlers' options for starting job
