Home Sports College football: NSU announces nine transfers for 2025

College football: NSU announces nine transfers for 2025

by Russell Hedges

By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for External Relations

NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State football team announced the addition of nine transfers to its 2025 roster Thursday.

Head coach Blaine McCorkle and his staff buttressed their roster with an influx of five offensive players and four on the defensive side. Included in those numbers are seven newcomers from four-year schools – including two with previous experience at power-conference schools – and two junior college signees.

“I am very happy to welcome this group of young men to our program,” McCorkel said. “Our staff went to work in the portal and was extremely selective in finding the right group of players that can come in and make our team better on and off the field. We will always work to replace our graduating seniors with high school talent and the guys that quit with players from the portal. Fortunately, we lost very few players in comparison to our SLC counterparts. With that, we set out to find guys who are solid contributors on the field, fit our geographic footprint and would bolster the strong culture we’ve worked to create in the locker room, and I think we hit each of those benchmarks”

2025 Transfer Bio Capsules

Eli Anderson, QB, 6-2, 200, Sr., Philadelphia, Miss./Neshoba Central HS (Mississippi College/East Mississippi CC/Mississippi Gulf Coast CC)

Prior to NSU: Spent one season each at Mississippi College, East Mississippi Community College and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College … appeared in seven gamest at Mississippi College, throwing for 470 yards and adding 36 rushing yards … accounted for more than 2,100 yards and 24 touchdowns in one season at Mississippi Gulf Coast … helped East Mississippi win the state championship, starting eight games and throwing for 2,228 yards and 15 touchdowns.

High School: Four-year letterman for coach Patrick Schoolar’s Rockets … played in the North/South All-Star Game as a senior after being named first-team all-state … as a senior, threw for 3,383 yards and 42 touchdowns, adding 437 yards and eight scores on the ground for a 13-1 Neshoba Central team … threw for more than 700 yards and eight touchdowns as junior, helping Neshoba go 9-2 … threw for 997 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading the Rockets to a 10-4 marks as a sophomore … accounted for more than 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns as a freshman, helping the Rockets go 8-2 and finish as the conference runner up … also lettered in baseball and track and field … honor roll student graduated with a 3.5 grade point average.

Luke Carter, TE, 6-4, 240, Fr., Houston, Texas/Katy HS (North Texas)

Prior to NSU: Redshirted one season at North Texas.

High School: Played for coach Gary Joseph’s Tigers … was a three-star prospect according to On3 and a two-star by Rivals … named first-team all-district tight end and long snapper as a senior and was an all-state selection … first-team all-district selection had 12 catches for 182 yards and six touchdowns as a junior … was also a first-team all-district long snapper … was rated as the No. 10 tight end in Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.

Preston Hickey, DL, 6-1, 300, Jr., Mandeville, La./St. Paul’s (LSU/Oklahoma State)

Prior to NSU: Spent two seasons at LSU, appearing in two games … redshirted one season at Oklahoma State.

High School: Lettered for former Demon Ken Sears’ Saints … as a senior, earned first-team all-state, all-metro, all-parish and all-district honors after setting the St. Paul’s single-season tackle for loss record with 25 … two-way standout also caught a touchdown and 2-point conversion against rival Mandeville in the state playoffs … helped St. Paul’s reach the state semifinals as a senior … won a state wrestling championship and earned first-team all-district honors for coach Matt Pinero.

Myion Hicks, RB, 5-11, 210, Sr., DeSoto, Texas/Pantego Christian Academy (Furman)

Prior to NSU: Spent four seasons at Furman University … helped the Paladins to two FCS Playoff appearances and a Southern Conference championship … rushed for a career-high 442 yards as a junior in 2024, scoring four touchdowns and catching six passes … had a season-best 68 yards against Charleston Southern on Sept. 7, one of three games with at least 65 yards on the ground … added touchdowns against Chattanooga, Wofford and ETSU … rushed for 229 yards on 36 carries as a sophomore, averaging 6.4 yards per carry … rushed for a career-best 70 yards and a touchdown against Wofford … also scored touchdowns against Mercer and The Citadel in 2023 … ran for 65 yards against North Greenville in his first collegiate game in 2022 … four-time member of the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and was part of the 2023 SoCon Fall All-Academic Team … three-time Dean’s List student has a 3.5 grade point average.

High School: Played four seasons for coach Drew Sells’ Panthers … two-way standout helped Pantego Christian to a pair of playoff appearances as a junior and senior … helped Pantego go undefeated (6-0) for the first time in 30 years … two-time district defensive player of the year and first-team all-state selection at linebacker … rushed for 678 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching four touchdown passes as a senior … named second-team all-state as a junior after rushing for 1,042 yards and 10 touchdowns … led Pantego with 110 tackles in a 9-2 season .. four-time team captain … also lettered in baseball and track and field, winning the 4×200 relay district title as a sophomore … two-year baseball team captain.

Anthony James II, DE, 6-5, 270, So., Wylie, Texas/Wylie East HS (Washington/Eastern Washington)

Prior to NSU: Spent one season each at Eastern Washington and Washington … redshirted with the Huskies, who won the Pac-12 and the Sugar Bowl before falling in the CFP National Championship Game.

High School: Lettered three seasons for coach Marcus Gold’s Raiders … named an All-American and played in the Adidas All-American Game as a senior … finished his senior year with 24 tackles, 13 quarterback hurries and four sacks, helping the Raiders to the district title. 

Dylan Rhodes, WR, 6-2, 2-2, So., McKinney, Texas/McKinney HS (Texas State)

Prior to NSU: Spent two seasons at Texas State … saw action in three games as a redshirt freshman.

High School: Lettered for coach Marcus Shavers’ Lions … also lettered in baseball for coach Mason Leach … member of the PALs (Peer Assistance Leadership Skills) organization.

Rahmaan Rinkin, CB, 6-0, 175, Jr., Memphis, Tenn./Bartlett HS (Coahoma CC)

Prior to NSU: Played two seasons at Coahoma Community College … was named a second-team preseason All-American ahead of his sophomore season … finished his sophomore season with 34 tackles (one for loss), two interceptions, one pass breakup and a blocked kick … added a 6-yard rush and a 2-yard catch on offense … had 34 tackles (two for loss), one interception and one pass breakup as a freshman … graduated with a 3.0 grade point average.

High School: Four-year letterman for the Panthers … named first-team all-state and all-region as a senior, intercepting six passes and helping Bartlett post an 11-3 record … also added a 99-yard kick return and a field goal on special teams … switched to cornerback as a junior and intercepted three passes while making 21 tackles … lettered as a wide receiver as a freshman and sophomore, catching 15 passes for 321 yards as a freshman … was the regional champion in the 110-meter hurdles.

Tyler Siddons, TE, 6-5, 250, Jr., Salem, Ark./Salem HS (Central Arkansas)

Prior to NSU: Spent three seasons at Central Arkansas, earning two letters … made his first career catch against Abilene Christian in 2024.

High School: Played for coach Josh Watson’s Greyhounds … also lettered in basketball and track and field … was a member of the FFA and graduated with a 3.0 grade point average.

Fernando Washington, LB, 6-1, 220, Jr., Macon, Ga./Academy for Classical Education (Copiah-Lincoln CC)

Prior to NSU: Played two seasons at Copiah-Lincoln Community College … recorded 50 tackles (seven for loss), two fumble recoveries, one sacks and one pass breakup in nine games as a sophomore … had 10 tackles (1.5 for loss) and a sack in six games as a freshman.

High School: Three-year letterman for the Gryphons … named first-team all-state and all-region in both his junior and senior seasons, helping the Gryphons produce 13 wins in those two seasons … first-team all-region and honorable mention all-state as a sophomore … member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Related Posts