Delaware State’s nation-leading ground game will likely need some new running backs next season.
James Jones, who finished second behind graduate student Marquis Gillis in rushing, has told 24/7 Sports’ Chris Hummer that he intends to enter the transfer portal.
Delaware State star RB James Jones (@Tramoney11) plans to enter the portal, he tells @chris_hummer.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Jones ran for 958 yards and 9 TDs this season on an eye-popping 9.8 yards per carry.
He spent the 2024 season at ULM. https://t.co/arx0ls5EDV pic.twitter.com/SS9063N07Z
— 247Sports Transfer Portal (@247SportsPortal) December 24, 2025
Jones, a native of Baltimore, transferred to Delaware State from Louisiana-Monroe and ran for 985 yards on just 98 carries (10 yards per carry) and scored 12 touchdowns.
He ran 90 yards for touchdowns twice during the 2025 season, tying a 40-year-old school record for longest scoring run ever. Jones also had a 76-yard rushing touchdown to help the Hornets hold off Norfolk State 27-20 in the HBCU Legends game played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
