James Madison is wasting no time to bolster its roster for 2020.
According to a source, Minnesota transfer defensive lineman Abi N-Okonji enrolled at JMU on Monday for the spring semester and has three years of eligibility remaining.
This addition comes just two days after the Dukes’ loss in the FCS national championship game to North Dakota State.
N-Okonji, a South Gwinnett High School (Snellville, Ga.) product, didn’t appear in any games with the Golden Gophers, but was a three-star prospect by Rivals.com as a prep standout. Before electing to go to Minnesota, he had scholarship offers from Boston College, Charlotte, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Rutgers and Wake Forest.
As a senior for South Gwinnett, he had 35 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and two sacks.
N-Okonji, at 6-foot-3, 262 pounds, will join a group of JMU defensive linemen trying to replace FCS All-Americans Ron’Dell Carter and John Daka. N-Okonji is the second FBS transfer defensive lineman the Dukes have taken in as many seasons. Former Temple import Antonio Colclough joined JMU before the 2019 campaign.