A-State signs 24 in 2026 recruiting class
Arkansas State head football coach Butch Jones introduced a 24-player 2026 signing class Wednesday that he says brings depth, balance and proven winners to the Red Wolves’ roster as the program continues to rebuild toward Sun Belt contention.
The class includes 18 high school signees and six junior college additions, with 19 players rated as three-star prospects by at least one of the major recruiting services — On3, 247Sports or ESPN. Fifteen players are expected to enroll early and participate in A-State’s 2026 spring camp.
The class is evenly split between 12 offensive players and 12 defensive players, with the Red Wolves adding five wide receivers, four offensive linemen, four linebackers, three defensive tackles, two running backs, two defensive ends, two safeties and one tight end and cornerback.
A-State’s footprint stretched across the Southeast and into Texas. The Red Wolves signed seven players from Mississippi, four from Tennessee, four from Georgia, three from Texas, three from Florida, two from Alabama and one each from Arkansas and Nevada.
Among the headliners is Ocean Springs (Miss.) running back Solomon Baggett, who ran for 1,429 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior and logged three straight 200-yard games.
Baggett, a 5-foot-10, 195-pound all-purpose threat, finished with 1,739 total yards and received offers from several regional programs including Louisiana and Southeast Missouri.
The Red Wolves also added Hattiesburg (Miss.) Oak Grove standout Chavel Williams, a three-star all-purpose back who totaled more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2025 and played on one of Mississippi’s most dominant programs.
A-State signed five wide receivers, including Prosper (Texas) speedster Dallas Boozer, a 6-foot-2 target who returned from injury to help Prosper reach the third round of the Texas 6A playoffs. Boozer, a 3.9 GPA student, had more than a dozen offers, including several from Ivy League programs.
In Tennessee, Antioch senior Brandon Goliday delivered one of the most productive seasons in the state, finishing with 1,666 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns — tops among Tennessee high school receivers.
Georgia’s Deshaun Fedd, Mississippi’s Ty’lan Fortune, and Alabama’s Kena Rego round out a group that Jones said adds “much-needed explosiveness” to the roster.
Defensively, Jones put a premium on size and physicality up front.
Petal (Miss.) defensive tackle Trey Bridges, Georgia Military College standout Trent Mapp, and Northwest Mississippi Community College lineman TJ Spann anchor a three-player defensive tackle group that brings size ranging from 250 to 300 pounds.
Edge rusher TJ Grant (Hinds CC) and Georgia prospect Mckinley McShan add athleticism on the outside.
A-State’s four linebackers bring a combined résumé of more than 350 tackles.
That group is led by East Central Community College standout Keoni Denny, one of the top JUCO linebackers in the country, who finished his two-year career with 140 tackles, four sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Florida linebackers Noah Hamlin and Rasheem Turner and Mississippi product Ashton Moore round out a group Jones said is “instinctive and prepared to contribute early.”
The Red Wolves’ four offensive linemen include Conway native Dawson McFadin, one of the state’s top tight end prospects who is expected to develop into an in-line blocker after helping Conway reach the 7A semifinals.
A-State also signed Tennessee standouts JB Hoehn and Cooper Sherrod, along with JUCO prospects Cape Johnson(Butler CC) and Tanner Welch (Northwest Mississippi CC), the latter of whom measures 6-foot-8 and 320 pounds.
By position:
• Offense (12): RB (2), WR (5), TE (1), OL (4)
• Defense (12): DT (3), DE (2), LB (4), CB (1), S (2)
By state:
Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Florida (3), Georgia (4), Mississippi (7), Tennessee (4), Texas (3)
Jones said the program prioritized players who could contribute immediately, especially from the JUCO ranks, while also building a foundation of high school recruits with championship backgrounds.
“These young men chose A-State because they believe in where this program is going,” Jones said. “They will help us take the next step.”
A-State’s 2026 class is expected to be finalized in February, when additional additions could join during the traditional signing period.