Mekhi Hagens will don a new uniform when he returns to the gridiron for the 2025 HBCU football season. The former Arkansas-Pine Bluff quarterback committed to Alabama A&M after playing two seasons for the Golden Lions, a rival SWAC school. Hagens’ decision to join the Bulldogs’ program comes after he initially signed with Lamar in February. However, he officially entered the transfer portal on April 29 and elected to bring his talents to Huntsville, Alabama.
“#Committed @CLatsonWrU @Coach__Evans @Coach_Sam_Shade Let’s Do It?,” Hagens tweeted on X, formerly Twitter.
Although UAPB was limited to five victories in two seasons under Golden Lions football coach Alonzo Hampton, Hagens built a name for himself as one of the SWAC’s most prolific passers. He finished the 2024 campaign with the second-most passing yards (2,541) and passing touchdowns (16) behind former Florida A&M signal caller Daniel Richardson. He also rushed for 134 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
The St. Louis native threw for 200 or more passing yards in eight contests and three or more touchdowns in four games last season. In two seasons at UAPB, Hagens tallied 3,093 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while completing 49.4% of his passes.
Mekhi Hagens joins an Alabama A&M program under first-year Bulldogs coach Sam Shade, who starts his HBCU football tenure with the program after leading Miles College to a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs during the 2024 season.
AAMU hired Shade as head coach after the program parted ways with former head coach Connell Maynor in December after seven seasons leading the program. The Bulldogs finished the 2024 campaign at 6-6 overall and 4-4 in SWAC play.
