Jalen Harvey, who started his college career at Syracuse, recently committed to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football program.
The 6-foot-2, 315-pound defensive tackle, who prepped at Clay-Chalkville High School in Alabama, redshirted in his only season with the Orange, then decided to transfer back home to be closer to family. He played the 2015 season at Northwest Mississippi Junior College, a team that won the National Junior College Athletic Association title.
The Rangers were 11-1 in 2015, defeating second-ranked Rochester 66-13 in the title game.
Harvey had 40 tackles – 7.5 for loss – and 3.5 sacks. All of his sacks came in a 26-10 win over ninth-ranked Gulf Coast on Sept. 9. His commitment is non-binding, but he would become only the second junior college player in the seven-year career of head coach Russ Huesman to play for the Mocs.
“My family and I really like coach Huesman,” Harvey said Sunday. “I wanted to play for a team that wanted me and needed me. Plus it’s only two hours away from the house so that made it even better.”