The HBCU football stars of tomorrow are making their commitments official, putting pen to paper with the team they will begin or continue their collegiate legacies.
Here are some of the most notable signings of the day:
We begin with the reigning Celebration Bowl champion Jackson State Tigers, whose signing day class featured two FBS transfers, including former Power Four linebacker Carmello Jones.
Welcome to Thee Family Carmello Jones!!!@carmellojones5 #JSUNSD25 #WhyNotJSU pic.twitter.com/nVY2WvxyU8
— Jackson State Football (@gojsutigersfb) February 5, 2025
The reigning MEAC champion South Carolina State Bulldogs also re-tooled its defense, adding FBS transfer and former preseason all-conference safety Charles Arnold.
Charles Arnold is a name that you need to remember! This DB is a GAME CHANGER that we can’t wait to see make plays on Saturdays! Welcome to the Burg @ch_v_ck @SCSTATE1896 @SCStateAthletic @MEACSports @coachberry77 #PayTheFEE#DigDEEP#FearTheBITE#CWCW#BBB
🔴🔵🐶🏈 pic.twitter.com/popnlQXp5Y— South Carolina State Football (@SCState_Fb) February 5, 2025
The Michael Vick era has officially begun at Norfolk State, with a signing day class that features seven HBCU transfers, including three from rival Hampton.
The SWAC championship runner-up Southern Jaguars are bringing in 2023 Louisiana State championship MVP quarterback Zackeus Malveaux. In Terrence Graves’s first true recruiting class, the Jaguars received 29 commitments, highlighted by 10 junior college transfers.
Grambling State enters its second year under Mickey Joseph, boasting a class headlined by former Southern quarterback Zae Teasett.
Alcorn State focused on building up its offensive line, fielding three signings to the unit, one of which is Norfolk State transfer Jaden Bryant.
Dipping into Division II waters, the reigning CIAA champion Virginia Union Panthers begin their quest for a three-peat with a signing day class comprised of 10 defenders.
Florida A&M, which is coming off a disappointing 2024 season, signed 27 players, including FBS transfer quarterbacks Tyler Jefferson from Western Michigan and Roman Purcell from Indiana, to replace Daniel Richardson.
“Offensively, I thought we did a very good job identifying needs and getting specific plays for our needs,” Rattlers head coach James Colzie told the Tallahassee Democrat. “I like where we are on the offensive side. But we still need to make sure to plug in a couple of guys, and we’ll do that through our transfer portal process once it opens up again in April.”
The MEAC champion South Carolina State Bulldogs signed 16 players in a 2025 class that featured eight transfers. Head coach Chennis Berry indicated that he wanted to target recruits from the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida.
“As a staff, we were very intentional about this 2025 signing class as we blanketed the states of South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida to find the right fit of student-athletes for our culture,” Berry said about the class that features seven recruits from Georgia and five from South Carolina.
Shawn Gibbs, for his first recruiting class as the new North Carolina A&T coach, loaded up on five offensive linemen on National Signing Day. Fort Valley State transfer Andrew Dorsey headlined the group.
The 6-3, 300-pound lineman earned a spot on the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA) Football All-South Region team and earned first-team All-SIAC honors as a sophomore in 2024.
Mississippi Valley State officially announced on Wednesday that 27 players signed with the Delta Devils and new head coach Terrell Buckley.
