Billy Napier arrived at JMU just as the portal gates swung open. Since then, 23 players have entered their names into the portal, turning the celebration of a 12-1 season into a sense of urgency. JMU is working to stabilize a program, and an SEC-tested wideout’s visit seems like the first sign of how Napier plans to steady the ground and reshape what comes next.

Kylan Billiot, the former LSU wide receiver and a once highly touted in-state prospect, confirmed Sunday that he plans to visit James Madison on January 5 after he entered the transfer portal following two quiet seasons in Baton Rouge.

His departure represents the first roster change under the new Lane Kiffin era and suggests that LSU’s top-end depth at receiver is set to change. He redshirted last year and played in only one game this fall without recording a stat.

The voyage of Billiot started long before LSU. At a 7-on-7 camp, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound athlete received an invitation from the Tigers after impressing quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan and wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton with his long strides and ability to make over-the-shoulder receptions.

In the 2024 class, Billiot was ranked as the fourth-best wide receiver in Louisiana and had offers from Georgia Tech, Tulane, Memphis, and a number of other universities. He also excelled on the basketball court, showing the kind of athletic versatility that made him a prized prospect, and that’s exactly why he could be the perfect fit for Napier’s rebuild.

James Madison’s receiving corps is suddenly looking thin. The Dukes are losing both productivity and depth because of Wayne Knight leaving for a Power Four college following a breakout 1,000-yard season, Landon Ellis battling an ankle injury but leading the team in receiving, and Braeden Wisloski bringing late-season energy after transferring from Maryland.

The departures leave JMU with a significantly smaller pool of proven targets due to Knight’s dual-threat ability in the run and pass game, Ellis’s big-play potential, and Wisloski’s versatility as a receiver and returner.

With James Madison’s top playmakers departing and the receiving corps suddenly thin, the Dukes are entering a major transition. Now, the former QB Alonza Barnett III is officially heading to UCF for the 2026 season, leaving JMU without its leader at the helm.

Former JMU star QB Alonza Barnett III heads to UCF

Alonza Barnett III is heading to Orlando. The former James Madison quarterback, who led the Dukes to back-to-back 12-2 seasons and a trip to the College Football Playoffs, revealed that he will move to UCF for the 2026 season.

This past season, Barnett added 589 yards and 15 touchdowns on the run in addition to throwing for 2,806 yards and 23 touchdowns. He comes to Orlando with one year left in his eligibility after four seasons at JMU and a stellar career that included a Sun Belt Player of the Year title. He has the opportunity to fix a position that has been unstable for the Knights.

Last season, Tayven Jackson, who threw for 10 touchdowns against eight interceptions, was UCF’s primary quarterback after the team rotated through five different quarterbacks. Barnett’s arrival immediately changes the dynamic. The 6-foot-2, 217-lb signal-caller is a dual-threat quarterback who proved deadly at JMU due to his powerful arm and agility. He demonstrated his ability to compete on the biggest stage by throwing for 273 yards and two touchdowns while also adding a rushing score in the CFP first-round defeat to Oregon.

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For Scott Frost, it’s a big win in his second year back at UCF. The portal closes on January 16, but Barnett’s commitment has already reshaped the offseason story in Orlando.