Alabama State introduces their 2025 Signing Class

by WAKA Action 8 News

Alabama State University football announced the addition of 17 signees during the 2025 Spring National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Alabama State’s signing class total is 29 that included 12 early signees. The Hornets signed 11 on offense and 17 on defense over the two signing periods.

The stets of Alabama, (17) Florida (5), Georgia (3), Illinois (1), Ohio, Tennessee (1), Washington (1) and Quebec, Canada (1) make up the class.

Signing Class Breakdown

Bonner is a transfer from Delta State where he spent the last three seasons as an edge rusher…2024: Played in eight games with 10 tackles and three sacks…2023: Saw action in seven games, registering eight tackles, and 1.5 tackles for loss…signed with DSU out of Southside of Selma, Ala… named Selma Times-Journal Defensive Player of the Year and All-Dallas County First Team in 2020…had 88 tackles, 30 solo tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, and 3 touchdowns as a senior…lettered in basketball…received Selma Quarterback Club Scholarship.

Brown played for Dillon Griggs at Russell County High School in Seale, Ala. He earned All-Chattahoochee Valley honors as a running back in 2024. Brown plans to major in sports management at ASU.
Candler was a standout offensive lineman for Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Fla., where he was an All-District selection in 2024. Candler plans on majoring in Criminal Justice at Alabama State.

Djete transfers to ASU from Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C…. 2024: played in eleven games with three starts at wide receiver… was fourth on the team with 20 catches for 209 yards, along with two touchdowns … In the season opener at Gardner-Webb (8/29) had four catches for 59 yards … At Western Carolina (10/5) led the team with five catches for 34 yards…2023: Played in nine games with two starts and had 12 catches for 132 yards and one touchdown…2022: Played in all eleven games with seven starts…finished second on the team with 27 receptions for 431 yards and one touchdown…named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team… HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Clearwater Academy International, primarily as a wide receiver along with quarterback and defensive back .. had 37 catches for 900 yards and 14 touchdowns in ten games leading the team to a state championship as a senior… As a junior, he had 31 catches for 780 yards and nine touchdowns…added 53 catches for 910 yards as a sophomore with five touchdowns, during his freshman season led the league with 754 rushing yards on 92 carries…a member of Team Canada and had four interceptions in three games as a defensive back …

Ford prepped at West Boca Raton High School in Boca Raton, Fla. Ford recorded 58 tackles for an average of 4.5 tackles per game. He recorded one interception, caused one fumble, and recovered two fumbles his senior year. He finished his career with 178 tackles,
112 solo, five interceptions and, 10 tackles for loss.

Gaines played for Juan Johnson at Baker High School in Baker, Ala. Gaines helped Baker to the 2024 AHSAA State Championship games. Gaines recorded 60 tackles with eight passes defended (2 INT/6 PBU) while averaging 3.0 tackles per game. Gaines has a 3.9 GPA and will graduate with honors from BHS. Gaines plans to be a computer science major at Alabama State.

Gardner is a transfer from the University of Alabama where he spent the last two seasons after signing with the Tide out of Gulf Shores High School in Gulf Shores, Ala… 2024: Played in three games as a reserve. Western Kentucky: Entered late against the Hilltoppers. Wisconsin: Saw time off the bench in Madison. Mercer: Earned his first career carries at UA, totaling five yards on two rushes….

Hall recorded 124 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, and six interceptions during his career at Armwood High School in Tampa, Fla. Hall also knocked down 10 passes, recovered two, and caused three fumbles. In 2024, Hall recorded 28 tackles, three interceptions, two sacks, and seven pass breakups from his safety position…entered late on offense for his first career action against UA in 2023.

Harkless transferred from Troy University and is a local product of Montgomery Catholic in Montgomery, Ala…redshirted in 2023 at Troy and did not play in 2024.

Jarrett transfers to ASU from Kennesaw State in Kennesaw, Ga…saw action in one game and received a redshirt in 2023…recorded his first career tackle in the season finale against Virginia-Lynchburg (Nov. 11)…played football at Pike Road High School under head coach Edward Rigby…during his senior campaign, recorded 68 tackles, 7.5 sacks, one interception, and one touchdown … he was named the defensive player of the year … ended his high school career with 35.5 sacks and 279 tackles…in his junior season, led Pike Road High School to the 2021 AHSAA 5A State Championship…during his freshman season, notched 61 tackles with eight sacks.

Johnson played defensive back for Coach Matthew Dubuc at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Johnson was named a Miami Herald 2A District Defensive First Team Safety and was a two-time Most Valuable Defensive player. Johnson is a US Army Bowl Game invitee and was a nominee for the Broward vs. Dade Florida Bowl Game …named the MVP of the Wisconsin and Illinois football camps. Johnson made the A-B Honor Roll and won the 4.0 and above GPA Award.

Jones played the last three seasons at Mississippi Valley State after signing out of Grissom High in Huntsville, Ala…played in 34 games for the Delta Devils…registered 97 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks…also had three fumble recoveries.
Owens played at Citronelle High School in Mobile, Ala. Owens recorded 84 tackles with 2.0 for loss, four interceptions, and seven total passes defended. In 2024, Owens made 48 stops with one tackle for loss, three interceptions, and four pass deflections.

Lee transferred to ASU from Jacksonville State where he spent two years with the Gamecocks…Redshirted for the Gamecocks in 2023…appeared in one contest on Sept. 9 against Coastal Carolina…did not see playing time in 2024…Prepped for head coach Laron White at Sparkman High School in Harvest, Ala…a key piece in an offensive line that paved the way for an offense that broke the school record for points scored in a season with 383 points in 10 games, 47 more than the previous record set back in 2015…the 38.3 points per game by the Senators was also a school record…played both the tackle and guard positions at Sparkman and earned all-region honors in 2022.

Lenore played the last three seasons at Central State (Ohio) where he recorded 282 career tackles with 18 tackles for loss and four sacks…also blocked seven kicks on special teams.

Ligon spent time a Southern University in 2022 and one year at East Central Community College. In 2024 at ECC, he played in 10 games rushing 115 times for 549 yards and five touchdowns while catching 17 passes for 118 yards. He rushed 62 times for 269 yards and three touchdowns and hauled in five passes for 40 yards in his one season for Southern. Ligon is a local product having prepped at Autauga Academy in Prattville, Ala.

Lucius is a transfer from Texas San Antonio after signing with UTSA out of Tampa Bay Tech High School in Tampa, Fla… he recorded 137 total tackles, 73 solo stops, nine tackles for loss, five sacks, two interceptions, one fumble recoveries, and five pass breakups in 12 games as a senior in 2022…played for Tampa Catholic High School as a junior…posted 59 tackles, four sacks and three interceptions in 2021 to help the Crusaders to a 7-4 record and a berth in the Class 4A playoffs…rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals…also competed for the track & field team.

Morris played the last three seasons at Kennesaw State after signing with the Owls out of Therrell High School…played in 20 games, recording 95 tackles with 22 passes defended (7 INT/15 PD)…forced two fumbles, and recovered one…named to the HERO Sports Sophomore All-American team and was an All-ASU defensive player…played at Therrell High School under head coach Greg Sullivan … As a senior, intercepted three passes and accumulated 242 all-purpose yards despite playing in only two games … named second-team all-region as a junior after six picks and 637 all-purpose yards … had 357 all-purpose yards and one interception his sophomore season … also competed in the 100 and 200-meter for the Panther track team.

Nwangweso transfers to ASU after one season at Morehead State in Morehead, Kent….he played in all 12 games with 29 tackles (17 solos, 12 assists)…tallied 0.5 tackles for loss…also recorded 3 pass deflections…Played two seasons at Arizona Christian (NAIA)…As a Sophomore (2023) credited with 28 tackles (15 solo, 13 assists)…tallied three passes broken up…one fumble forced.

Ragland is a transfer quarterback from Georgia State…redshirted in 2023 and did not see any snaps in 2024…named to the 2023-24 Academic Honor Roll…2024 Athletic Director’s Spring Honor Roll- Spring 2024 and Fall 2023…Played at Bartlett HS…Rated No. 4 on the Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Dandy Dozen, a collection of the top college football prospects in the Memphis area as picked by the newspaper … Ranked the No. 33 Class of 2023 player in Tennessee and No. 54 quarterback in the country….led Bartlett High School to the Class 6A semifinals and passed for 254 yards and four touchdowns… All-Region 8-6A selection…passed for 2624 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Smoot is a transfer quarterback from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Ala…Smoot was three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN coming out of Springfield High School in Springfield, Ohio…247Sports rated him the 84th-best quarterback in his class and one of the top 50 players in Ohio…prepped for head coach Maurice Douglass at Springfield High School in Springfield, Ohio…as a senior in 2021, was named the Division I all-Ohio Offensive Player of the Year, as well as to the First Team All-Ohio Team by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association…also named to the All-District Team and tabbed the Southwest District’s Offensive Player of the Year…in 2021, threw for 3,006 yards and ran for 973 in 15 games…he ran for 23 touchdowns and passed for 21 more…in his final game, he completed 29-for-43 passes for 349 yards and a touchdown…was part of a senior class that went 42-8 in their careers.

Thompson is a transfer from NCAA Division II Fort Valley State in Fort Valley, Ga…played in 15 career games with one receiving touchdown.

Todd prepped under Coach Tanner Harris at Houston County High School in Columbia, Ala. Todd played a host of positions, including running back, receiver, kick returner, quarterback, linebacker, and defensive end. Todd was named the team MVP and won a state track title during his prep career. Todd plans on majoring in sports management.

Tucker played for Coach John McKenzie at Vigor High School in Pritchard, Ala. Tucker earned offensive lineman of the week twice and was named the player of the week one time during the 2024 season. Tucker was on the A/B honor roll during his career while maintaining perfect attendance. Tucker plans to major in computer science at Alabama State.

Wright played two seasons at Vanderbilt University… played 24 games at corner and as a kick returner…recorded six tackles with a pick-six and three pass deflections.

Williams played for Tremain Hughes Sr. at St. John Paul Catholic in Tallahassee, Fla. Williams was selected First-Team All-Big Bend District two times and was a Third-Team All-State selection. Williams was named the Tallahassee Quarterback Club’s Defensive Player of the Year.

(Press Release from Alabama State University)