Stampeding Through the 2025 USF Football Roster: #21 S Jaelen Stokes
Will Stokes be a starter in his final season with the Bulls?
PLAYER: Jaelen Stokes
POSITION: Strong safety
YEAR: Redshirt senior
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'1”, 198 lbs.
HOW DID HE GET HERE? A mid-three-star recruit from Auburndale High School, about an hour from USF’s campus, Stokes committed to Jeff Scott’s Bulls over offers from the likes of Illinois, Purdue, and Kansas State.
He redshirted his first season in 2021 and played sparingly in 2022, but had a breakout season in Alex Golesh’s first year in 2023. Stokes won the starting strong safety job in the fall and became notorious for his big hits from the secondary, finishing with 61 tackles, five TFLs, two sacks, and two interceptions. Click below for fun memories!
HOW WAS HIS 2024 SEASON? Tawfiq Byard beat out Stokes for the starting strong safety job in the offseason (no shame in that - Byard is now at Colorado), so Stokes was more of a rotational player last season. He still found a way to make an impact, appearing in all 13 games and making 13 tackles with one TFL and half a sack. What impressed me the most was his willingness to dive headfirst into special teams. After barely playing on special teams his first three years in Tampa, Stokes became a regular on the kickoff and punt units last season. He actually finished with the second-most special teams snaps on the team, behind only Amer Amer.
WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN 2025? As mentioned above, Byard transferred to Colorado this offseason. In addition, D’Marco Augustin - a frequent fill-in at strong safety - graduated, so the position is absolutely up for grabs. Stokes is certainly a contender to reclaim the starting spot in 2025. His ability to make plays in the backfield is a natural fit for the in-the-box, linebacker-lite responsibilities that USF asks of its strong safeties.
There are other strong contenders, though: promising rising sophomore Fred Gaskin filled in at strong safety when Byard departed before the Hawaii Bowl, and McNeese State transfer Boogsie Silvera played in the box quite a bit for the Cowboys. Still, Stokes will certainly be in the rotation even if he doesn’t win the job, and his willingness to contribute on special teams is a huge plus. He’ll be a valuable player in 2025, one way or another.