The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders are starting a new era after the dismissal of longtime head coach Rick Stockstill. Derek Mason is in, and he brought a host of familiar transfers with him to Murfreesboro, Tenn., as he hopes to reinvigorate the fanbase and improve a team that went 4-8 a season ago.
Who are the Blue Raiders’ best returning players?
Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders’ Top 10 Returners in 2024
Analyzing the returning players at every school is a difficult task in the transfer portal era. As such, we’ve included transfer-portal athletes that were included on each team’s roster page to open fall camp in addition to the rostered players from last year.
10) Ellis Adams, OG
Ellis Adams is a massive human being, even for a college offensive lineman. He’s listed as 6’4″ and 372 pounds and was a three-year starter at Tennessee Tech. He got injured last season after four games, which may have ended up being a blessing in disguise, as he took a redshirt and now gets to finish his career at the Group of Five level.
9) Marvae Myers, S
There are several defensive backs on this list, but unfortunately, that says a bit more about the lack of depth on the offensive and defensive lines than it does about elite talent in the secondary. Still, Marvae Myers was excellent in limited reps last season, and he’s likely going to see a bigger role in 2024.
8) Tyrell Raby, CB
Tyrell Raby was a pleasant surprise for the Blue Raiders last year, allowing just 42% of the passes thrown at him to be completed and picking off two balls. This year, he’s one of the veterans on the defense and will likely be a full-time starter at one of the corner positions.
7) Brendon Harris, S
A transfer from Wake Forest (most recently), Brendon Harris was recruited to Vanderbilt by Mason and was a key player in the secondary for his first two years before Mason was fired. He never really gained any traction in the starting lineup after transferring to Wake Forest, but he’s back under Mason and will likely hold down one of the safety positions.
6) Frank Peasant, RB
Last year, Frank Peasant was a bit banged up, but he was awesome in 2022 as the primary option at running back. He seems to be healthy now and will be looking for a return to his form when he had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage. He’s an excellent receiver out of the backfield and is probably the main guy in the backfield this year.
5) Jalen Jackson, CB
Another experienced defensive back, Jalen Jackson is likely one of the top returning players on the defensive side of the ball. He was hurt last season and played just one game but was a strong rotational player in 2021 and 2022 for the Blue Raiders. Now he’s a likely starter and is a strong tackler for Middle Tennessee State.
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4) Devyn Curtis, LB
The linebackers are the strength of the defense, and Devyn Curtis is a big reason for that. A two-year starter, Curtis finished last season by playing some of the best football he’s played in his career. He racked up 45 tackles and 14 run stops a year before.
3) Parker Hughes, LB
Parker Hughes is the other starter at linebacker for the Blue Raiders, and he had a somewhat volatile sophomore year in 2023. It was mostly positive for Hughes though, and he should be able to take a big step forward with Mason at the helm.
2) Holden Willis, TE
Holden Willis by far the most consistent receiver among the returners for the Blue Raiders. This year, it’ll be extremely important that Middle Tennessee State gets him the ball as the wide receivers are unproven and the offensive line is shaky at best. He’s a reliable, big-bodied target who can do some nice things after the catch.
1) Nicholas Vattiato, QB
Nicholas Vattiato is one of the most fun quarterbacks in football, and he’ll likely need to be at his backyard best in 2024. Vattiato loves to break the pocket and create off-script, which will be important with the lack of proven talent at receiver and on the offense line. He’s a solid runner and can make things happen with his feet.