The transfer portal became more electric on Wednesday when FAU Owls WR Jymetre Hester entered. The son of former Florida State WR Jessie Hester, Jymetre enters the portal with limited reps at the FBS level but a bevy of proven success on the JUCO circuit.
Hester could follow in his father’s footsteps or follow the path of his cousin, Devin Hester, to Miami. These are the realistic landing spots for the talented receiver.
Jymetre Hester Transfer Portal Landing Spots
First things first, we must get something clear. Jymetre Hester is not Devin Hester’s son as one site incorrectly reported. In fact, Hester is cousins with Miami Hurricanes and NFL legend Devin Hester, but certainly, they are not father and son.
Jymetre Hester’s father — Jessie Hester — was a first-round pick of the 1985 NFL Draft from Florida State. Throughout his college career, Jessie caught 107 receptions for 2,100 yards and 21 touchdowns. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders and had a 10-year NFL career that saw him play 147 games and haul in over 5,800 yards with 29 scores.
Now, his son Jymetre, is in the portal and could end up at a variety of schools.
MORE: College Football Transfer Portal Tracker
Though he logged only two receptions for FAU in two seasons, his track record on the JUCO circuit is notable.
During a breakout freshman season, Hester hauled in 48 receptions for 657 yards with 10 scores. He was limited a year after that, and his most recent dominant action is from the 2019-2020 season.
However, that doesn’t mean the talent that made him the sixth-best JUCO receiver for the class of 2021 and a high-profile recruit with at least six FBS offers isn’t there. Looking at his potential landing spots paints a clearer picture.
Florida State Seminoles
The Seminoles could very easily bring in the talent from a legacy player like Hester. Given their penchant for adding talent from the portal and the expected losses to the NFL Draft from the wide receiver position this year, the ‘Noles have a glaring need and it’s a personality fit as well.
FSU runs a vertical offense with run-first principles, so Hester’s blocking chops would be put to the test. But his ability in the open field from the slot is more than enticing enough for a one-year trip to Tallahassee.
Buffalo Bulls
Once offered by Buffalo, a trip to Northern New York could be in the cards for Hester. While the staff doesn’t remain completely intact from the original offer, the Bulls receiving corps took a hit when Marlyn Jackson transferred to — you guessed it — FAU.
The Bulls will be looking to the portal for new talent in hopes of returning to the top of the table in the MAC. Adding someone with Hester’s legacy and talents could do just that.
San Diego State Aztecs
Once upon a time, Sean Lewis and Co. offered Hester a scholarship to come to Kent State. In the portal now as a veteran receiver, it could very well be seen that Hester could land with Lewis once and for all.
Taking over the reins at SDSU, Lewis needs to get his personnel in at the skill positions to run his offensive scheme and that will be a complete roster makeover for the Aztecs. Grabbing Hester as one of many receivers in the portal would make sense.
Marshall Thundering Herd
Like Buffalo, the Marshall Thundering Herd also offered Hester out of high school and were on his trail following his JUCO stint. The Herd will start a new quarterback in 2024 and their playmakers need an overhaul as well.
Hester’s ability from an inside alignment could go a long way at bridging the gap until they can continually develop talent at the wide receiver position in the era of the transfer portal.
Utah State Aggies
Blake Anderson’s offense needs a ton of talent and a massive amount of weapons. Hester was offered out of JUCO and the Aggies were seemingly one of the finalists at landing him back in 2021, so the interest is likely still there.
Given the fact that Utah State has been active in the portal this offseason, it shouldn’t be a surprise for them to grab a few new weapons to play with at receiver. With their success at featuring smaller-framed receivers, it also wouldn’t be a surprise if Hester was all over their radar once again.