Cignetti Announces Three More Defensive Transfers to 2021 Roster

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison Head Coach Curt Cignetti announced the addition of three transfers for the 2021 season in defensive lineman Jordan Funk, safety Jalen Phelps and safety Josh Sarratt.

Funk will have four years of eligibility, Sarratt has three years remaining and Phelps will have one season to play for the Dukes.

Funk spent one season at Army West Point (2020), playing in nine game last season. He recorded five tackles (two solo) with a tackle for loss, making a season-high three tackles at Tulane. Funk also recorded his first career TFL in the Liberty Bowl against West Virginia. Prior to college, he was a Washington Post First Team All-Metro selection and two-time All-Montgomery County pick at Damascus.

Phelps comes to Harrisonburg after playing four seasons at Eastern Michigan (2016-19). He played in 42 career games with nine starts in the defensive backfield. Phelps made 88 total tackles (51 solo) to go with eight breakups. He had a single-season best 29 stops in 2018 and had 27 as a true freshman in 2016. He has two games with six tackles, which included a six-tackle, two-pass breakup performance in his first career game.

Sarratt played the past two seasons down the road at VMI, quickly earning a starting role at safety. He played in 13 games for the Keydets, making 11 starts. In his two campaigns, he tallied 71 tackles (42 solo) to go with 3.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble. This past season while helping VMI to a Southern Conference title and its first FCS playoff appearance, he produced 52 tackles, 3.0 TFL, two interceptions and three breakups. Sarratt registered a career-high 11 tackles in 2019 at ETSU and had 10 tackles this past year at Samford.

JMU begins its offseason summer training next week in preparation for the 2021 season, which kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 4 against Morehead State.

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