State champs highlight UAPB signing class

Four Louisiana high school state champions headline the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff football team’s 2025 signing class, which the school announced Wednesday as part of National Signing Day.

UAPB signed 14 high school seniors Wednesday, joining the one senior and 10 college transfers the Golden Lions signed in the December early signing period.

Nine of Wednesday’s signees hail from Arkansas, with another five coming from Louisiana, and one from Oklahoma. UAPB also signed a high school senior from Mississippi in December.

UAPB coach Alonzo Hampton said this is probably his best signing class since coming to Pine Bluff.

“This is the first year I’ve been able to beat people on kids,” Hampton said. “Before, we were getting just whatever. … These guys here had multiple offers from other teams in the SWAC, and when they came here on campus, they saw the vision. They believed in it, and they were able to sign with us. We got a chance to do some special things, but we gotta add some more.”

Hampton said UAPB has around 10 more spots to fill this Spring.

Four of the five Louisiana signees won state championships this past fall, three at Edna Karr High School in New Orleans and one at Cecilia High School in Breaux Bridge.

Wide receiver Bryant Sanchez was Edna Karr’s leading rusher. Defensive back Tyrik Brigalia made 80 tackles, 15 for loss, with three interceptions. Linebacker Arsenio “Ace” Bolds Jr. made 80 tackles, 21 for loss, with three interceptions. Brigalia and Bolds were team captains. Cecilia wide receiver Ellis Stewart was an all-state multisport athlete.

Hampton credited offensive coordinator Tony Hull, who was once a high school coach in New Orleans, for getting the Louisiana players thanks to his relationships with high school coaches in the area.

The December signees included two transfers who won high school state titles. Former Maryland wide receiver Josh Richards and Lincoln (Calif.) University offensive lineman EJ Pullins both won high school titles in 2021 at East Orange (N.J.) Campus High School.

Hampton said players who come from winning programs are key to turning things around at UAPB.

“When the going gets tough, they don’t quit,” Hampton said. “When you get guys that come from winning programs, it just makes it a lot different, because they can change the culture of your football team faster than any coach can. I can’t run no more.”

The Arkansas signees included a state runner-up, Ja’Quae Walden from Elkins. Listed as an athlete, Walden had 2,481 all-purpose yards and 39 touchdowns last season.

Four other signees reached state semifinals last year: Mills offensive lineman Nick Carter and defensive back Azayvonne Stribling, Junction City athlete Dominique Grimes, and Edmond (Okla.) Memorial kicker Ty Ackerman.

UAPB signed nine receivers after losing several to the transfer portal following the season, most notably JaVonnie Gibson, who transferred to UAPB from Arkansas-Monticello and had a breakout season, catching 70 passes for 1,215 yards before transferring to Oklahoma.

Hampton said Gibson going from Division II to the SEC after one year at UAPB has made other receivers want to play for the Golden Lions.

“We knew within the first week of watching (Gibson) that he was special,” Hampton said. “I don’t know how he only had 20 catches at the last place … We’re getting guys that we can develop. We see something nobody else seeing in them. … He’s made it very appealing for other receivers to come here, because they’re all saying, ‘I want to wear jersey No. 11. I’ll be like JaVonnie.'”

Two of those receivers hail from southeast Arkansas: De’Onte Clark of Stuttgart and Raylen Spratt of Dumas. Clark had 1,200 receiving yards last year, while Spratt had 670. UAPB also signed a Pine Bluff native, Arkansas Tech transfer Jordan Jackson.

Starting quarterback Mekhi Hagens transferred to Lamar, leaving the school in need of a replacement. Holmes County Central High School senior Garrison Davis and Shaw University transfer Christian Peters, who both signed in December, will join the quarterback battle.

UAPB also signed two tight ends and four offensive linemen, rounding out an offense-heavy class with just five defensive players. Hampton said UAPB had a lot of young defensive players last season who are back, so the Golden Lions didn’t have as many spots to sign defensive players, but the coaching staff will evaluate what they still need to get in the spring.