Veteran standout Nyqwan Murray gains a familiar ally as the Pirates sign dynamic playmaker Ja’Khi Douglas, reuniting the former Seminole stars to ignite Orlando’s arena league offense.
Leading up to a matchup against New Mexico in the consolation round of the IFL Cup, the Orlando Pirates realized one former Florida State receiver wasn’t enough.
So they went out and added another Ex-Seminole to their crew.
The Pirates recently signed former Florida State wide receiver Ja’ Khi Douglas, pairing him with fellow Seminole alum Nyqwan Murray.
Douglas, a 5'10", 190 lb. wideout from Houma, LA, spent five seasons with the Seminoles from 2020-2024, amassing 77 receptions for 1,256 yards and nine touchdowns in 49 games. He also rushed for 87 yards in 27 carries.
Douglas was also an All-ACC Academic Team selection in 2023. That year, the Seminoles went undefeated leading up to the postseason, but missed out on the playoffs because of the injury to their starting quarterback.
Douglas’ best season was his last in 2024, where he caught 32 passes for 519 yards and four touchdowns. He ranked eighth in the ACC with a yards per reception average of 16.22.
On the other side is Murray, who was one of the all-time leading receivers in Florida State history. From 2015-18, Murray ranked 17th all-time in receptions and receiving yards. Most notably, he played 30 straight games with at least one reception as a Seminole.
Murray has been with the Pirates ever since they moved to Orlando from Massachusetts and made him their first Floridian signing.
Murray has been on a roster for nearly every form of professional football. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He then signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League in 2020 and later joined the Jacksonville Sharks of the IFL in 2022. He played for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL in 2023 and also with the Carolina Cobras of the National Arena League.
Murray became an All-National Arena League First-Team performer with the Sharks in 2022 and in 2024 with the San Antonio Gunslingers. In 2024, Murray snagged 84 receptions for 1,089 yards with 35 touchdowns, and caught 64 passes for 858 yards and 20 touchdowns last season.
With the Pirates, Murray has eight touchdowns in seven games so far this season. Five of his eight TDs came in the past two games, providing quarterback Paxton DeLaurent with a reliable target.
The Pirates dropped the semifinal round of the IFL Cup against Vegas last week and will try to salvage their time in the inaugural tournament with a win over New Mexico in the consolation round on Sunday, at noon.
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