After a breakout season with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, wide receiver JaVonnie Gibson seems to have found his next home.
On3Sports reported Wednesday that Gibson has committed to Oklahoma in a post Gibson reposted on his account on the social media platform X.
Gibson, who transferred to UAPB from Arkansas-Monticello last year, announced he planned to transfer two days after the Golden Lions’ final game this season. The Louisiana native posted on X he had received interest from numerous FBS schools such as Virginia Tech, SMU, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Utah, Illinois and others.
He finished his lone season at UAPB with 70 catches for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns and racked up postseason honors including FCS All-American, HBCU All-American and All-SWAC.
Now, Gibson will take his talents to the SEC. Oklahoma is coming off a rocky debut in that conference, which saw the Sooners finish 2-6 in SEC play and 6-6 overall. They will play Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Gibson is not the first UAPB wide receiver to transfer to Norman, Okla. Pine Bluff native Mark Bradley played for the Golden Lions from 2001-02, then played for the Sooners from 2003-04. In two years at Oklahoma, Bradley caught 34 passes for 685 yards and nine touchdowns.
Bradley was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Bears and Kansas City Chiefs.
DAWKINS DECLARES FOR DRAFT
UAPB wide receiver Daemon Dawkins declared Wednesday he will enter the NFL Draft.
“I want to thank Coach Alonzo Hampton and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff for taking a kid from District Heights and giving him a home for four years,” Dawkins posted on X, in part. “Thank you for molding me into the man you see today. It’s been a journey, and I am thankful for it.”
The District Heights, Md., native spent his entire college career at UAPB. Across four seasons, he caught 82 passes for 968 yards and four touchdowns.
The 2025 NFL draft will be held in Green Bay, Wis., April 24-26.