RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University head football coach Walt Wells has officially announced the signing of nine new Colonels on Monday.
 
These new additions in the final spring window of the transfer portal make up a class that was ranked No. 18 in all of the FCS by FCS Football Central for "Post-Spring Transfer Portal Classes".
 
"Excited to add these men to EKU and EKU Football," said Wells. "Each brings a unique set of qualities. We are looking forward to seeing them compete this, Summer.  Our assistant coaches did an outstanding job of working through the portal & identifying these men."
 
The transfer portal class comprises five additions on offense (1 QB, 1 TE, 3 OL), three on defense (2 DL, 1 DB), and one kicker.
 
Under center, the Colonels add Jordyn Potts, a junior from Tennessee Tech, originally from Powell, Tennessee.
 
In the past two seasons in Cookeville, Potts has played in 15 games, throwing for 2,097 yards and 14 touchdowns while also adding three touchdowns on the ground.
 
At tight end, EKU welcomes CJ Tolbert, a 6-foot-1 junior from Bakersfield Community College in California.
 
At BCC, Tolbert recorded 24 receptions in eight games, averaging 10.6 yards per catch with two touchdowns.
 
A native of Katy, Texas, at James E. Taylor High School, Tolbert recorded five touchdowns and 979 yards of total offense.
 
Up front, the Colonels made three additions, beginning with twin brothers Brody and Graysen Riffe, redshirt sophomores from Pittsburgh.
 
Standing at 6-foot-8, the duo were three-year lettermen on the offensive line at West Orange High School in Ocoee, Fla, helping the Warriors to three district championships while lettering in volleyball and track & field.
 
Also joining the offensive line is Blake Gamez, a Buckeye, Ariz., product, most recently of Tennessee State.
 
Entering his final season of eligibility, Gamez played in 11 games for the Tigers in 2024, helping them reach the FCS Playoffs.
 
EKU's defensive additions begin in the trenches with Ramontei Dardy, a redshirt sophomore from Kennesaw State.
 
A product of Dublin High School in Dublin, Ga. Dardy was an All-Georgia selection and Defensive Line Player of the Year as a senior in 2022.
 
Also joining the defensive line is a local product in Jalen Hand of Lexington (Frederick Douglass HS).
 
Transferring from Western Kentucky as a redshirt sophomore, Hand was a two-star recruit out of high school by Rivals.com.
 
He appeared in WKU's win over UTEP in 2024, recording one tackle and one quarterback hurry.
 
Another Kentucky native in Aden Nelson (Woodford County), will be joining the Colonels in the secondary from West Virginia.
 
Coming to Richmond as a redshirt sophomore, Nelson was a 2022 All-District First Team honoree, finishing his senior year with 56 total tackles, two sacks, four tackles for loss, and three interceptions.
 
A two-sport athlete, Nelson was also a member of the Mountaineers basketball team, seeing action in three games over two seasons.
 
Rounding out the transfer portal class is kicker Buzz Flabiano, a redshirt junior from Plano, Texas, joining EKU by way of UTEP.
 
In two seasons with the Miners, he played in all 24 games, hitting 20-of-31 field goal attempts, and recording 36 touchbacks in 79 kickoff attempts, totaling 4,877 yards.
 
The Colonels will begin their 2025 season on August 30, on the road against in-state foe Louisville.