Yet another honor arrived Tuesday for outgoing University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff wide receiver JaVonnie Gibson.
The sophomore was named a Second Team FCS All-American by the Associated Press, alongside Bryant University senior Landon Ruggieri and San Diego senior Ja’seem Reed.
Gibson was previously named an HBCU All-American by BOXTOROW and First Team All-SWAC. He caught 70 passes for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns this season, his only year with UAPB. After transferring from Arkansas-Monticello last year, Gibson has again entered the transfer portal.
The receivers named to the First Team were Eastern Washington senior Efton Chism III, Tarleton State senior Darius Cooper and Incarnate Word junior Jalen Walthall. These three are the only FCS receivers with more receiving yards this season than Gibson, though Cooper and Walthall played two more games than Gibson thanks to their teams’ participation in the FCS playoffs.
Gibson was one of seven SWAC players named an All-American by the AP. Southern defensive end Ckelby Givens and Grambling State linebacker Andrew Jones joined Gibson on the second team, while four others were named honorable mentions.
Central Arkansas defensive lineman David Walker, a Stuttgart native, was named to the first team. Teammate ShunDerrick Powell, a senior running back from Hoxie, joined Gibson on the second team. They were the only Arkansas natives named All-Americans.