Former Nease High School quarterback Marcus Stokes is back in Division I football, signing with the Memphis Tigers after an explosive season at Division II West Florida.
Hayes Fawcett of ON3 reported the news on Instagram Thursday.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder threw for 3,664 yards and 40 touchdowns this past year, establishing himself as one of Division II’s top quarterbacks and earning a spot as a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the division’s equivalent of the Heisman.
Stokes was originally a four-star recruit out of Nease and drew an offer from the University of Florida in 2022 after initially committing to Penn State.
The Gators later rescinded the scholarship after a social media clip surfaced where Stokes used a slur while rapping along to a song in a car.
He took responsibility for the incident and committed to rebuilding his career, a promise he kept during his time with West Florida.
The signal-caller propelled the Argonauts offense both in the air and on the ground, attracting attention from 26 schools, including Florida State, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Syracuse.
Memphis ultimately secured his commitment.
With the Tigers’ quarterback room all but empty after portal departures and last year’s starter out of eligibility, Stokes appears poised to compete for a starting spot.
Memphis went 8-5 last year and finished in sixth place in the AAC Conference.
