Mekhi Hagens was competing to be the starting quarterback for Alabama A&M during the 2025 college football season. Except he is no longer on the team.
The Bulldogs were forced to remove him from the roster after just 49 days due to academics.
This is a massive loss for the college football program in Huntsville. It must now scramble to figure out its new-look offense with less than a month until the start of the regular season.
UPDATE: Mekhi Hagens was a graduate transfer from Lamar University. He played football at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. It is the understanding of Alabama A&M that he left the university to return to Lamar to complete his graduate studies.
Mekhi Hagens is a talented athlete.
The rising junior signal-caller began his career at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Hagens threw for 2,541 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2024 as one of the best quarterbacks in the SWAC. His feet are just as big of a weapon as his arm.
men lie, women lie, πππππππ πππβπ πππ πββοΈπ₯@mekhi_hagens is @theswac Offensive ππππππ ππ πππ ππππ π¦π pic.twitter.com/62SP2jXQtE
— ππ¨π₯πππ§ ππ’π¨π§π¬ π π¨π¨ππππ₯π₯ π (@UAPBLionsFB) September 16, 2024
Although the Missouri-native found success with the Lions as a sophomore, he decided not to finish out his four years and entered the transfer portal during the offseason. Alabama A&M ultimately got him on campus after a brief commitment to Lamar University.
Mekhi Hagens transferred to one of his former school’s biggest in-conference rivals in May.
It was a huge get for the Bulldogs, who finished at 6-6 last season, and first-year head coach Sam Shade. They were expecting to plug their new transfer quarterback right into the starting lineup and operated under that assumption throughout the summer.
That is not going to happen!
Academics led him to transfer.
As good as Hagens might be on the field, he apparently. Alabama A&M took him off of the roster earlier this week. Craig Haley cited academics as the reason for his removal.
Neither the player nor the university offered any further information about the surprising and disappointing roster move so the full story is unclear at this time. All we know is that he is not on the team.
It is unclear as to whether he is able to join another team for 2025 or if he will have to sit out. Either way, a return to the Bulldogs does not appear to be an option. Maybe that will change if he gets his grades up!