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Prairie View A&M Shocks SWAC With No. 1 Recruiting Class

Originally posted on HBCUs on SI | By Kyle Mosley | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 1:58 AM ET

HOUSTON — Recruitment efforts at Prairie View A&M University are thriving. On Jan. 1, Coach Tremaine Jackson officially became the head coach of the Panthers football team. As of today, 247 Sports has ranked Prairie View as the No. 1 team in recruiting within the Southwestern Athletic Conference ahead of the 2025 season. Impressive

247 Sport listed the Panthers having 21 commits, with 20 being transfers and one, Bay City's wide receiver Xylan Williams, as the lone player signing a letter of intent.

Coach Jackson spoke to HBCU Legends about roster management: "I think when you cut down to 105 though, you got to really distribute your numbers at each position in, in a good way. You must have enough receivers; you need to have enough old alignment, enough defensive backs, and enough defensive line. You need to look at that position, those positions with fine-tooth comb, and then be disciplined and not budge on it. We said we were taking 14 receivers. Let's not take 12 because we took four tight ends."

The overall ranking for PVAMU is No. 159, with a composite ranking of 172 and a transfer rank set at No. 146.

Brandon Campbell: RB, UMass
Elijah Wilson: S, UNLV
Darrell Starling: S, Troy
Cameron Pascal: IOL, Memphis
Jyzaiah Rockwell: WR, Sam Houston
Ashton Ojiaku: S, Rice
Jeremiah Mawali: IOL, James Madison
Aiden Webb: K, UTEP
Jalen O'Neal: S, Sam Houston
Ray'Quan Bell: IOL, Houston
Trae Davis: WR, Kansas State
Travor Randle: CB, Louisiana-Monroe
Mandel Eugene: LB, Tulane
CK Carter: OT, UTEP
Kheagian Heckaman: TE, Tennessee State
Cameron Bonner: WR, Baylor
Ja'Koby Banks: WR, Memphis
Michael Ray Jr.: S, UTEP
Matthew Moore: LB, North Texas
Tay'Shawn Wilson: CB, Baylor

Offensive Players

RB (Running Back): Brandon Campbell
IOL (Interior Offensive Lineman): Cameron Pascal, Jeremiah Mawali, Ray'Quan Bell
WR (Wide Receiver): Jyzaiah Rockwell, Trae Davis, Cameron Bonner, Ja'Koby Banks
K (Kicker): Aiden Webb
OT (Offensive Tackle): CK Carter
TE (Tight End): Kheagian Heckaman

Total Offensive Players: 11

Defensive Players

S (Safety): Elijah Wilson, Darrell Starling, Ashton Ojiaku, Jalen O'Neal, Michael Ray Jr.
CB (Cornerback): Travor Randle, Tay'Shawn Wilson
LB (Linebacker): Mandel Eugene, Matthew Moore

Total Defensive Players: 9

Summary:

Offensive Players: 11
Defensive Players: 9

Brandon Campbell and Tay'Shawn Wilson were blue-chip players during their high school days.

247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks wrote about Campbell at Pearland High School: " Athletic playmaker with impressive verified speed and agility (4.58 40, 4.07 shuttle). Shows good burst when he decides to plant and go...Bona fide Power 5-caliber running back prospect among the best in Texas in a strong cycle at the position."

Wilson, 5-9 and 180 pounds was a high school cornerback playing at Mayde Creek in Houston, Texas. He recently transferred from Baylor to PVAM to be groomed by secondary coach Darren Gerrigan.

Although it's too early to tell, what Coach Jackson and his staff have been able to execute and deliver in such a short time is impressive.

Additional Prairie View A&M Football Coverage:

Coach Tremaine Jackson Makes 3 Game-Changing Moves For Prairie View A&M Football

Coach Tremaine Jackson excels in his interviews, spitting hooks and delivering great bars about his new football team. Still, the Panthers head coach's top priority is the young men under his watch — a watch he doesn't take for granted at Prairie View A&M University.

Jackson had three significant events to occur at Panther Stadium since arriving to become the new King of The Hill at Prairie View.

King of the Hill Showcase at Prairie View
SuitMart Outfitting Players
VYPE's 19th Annual Houston High School Media Day

King of the Hill: Building More Than Athletes

Coach Jackson opened up about the exciting King of the Hill showcase, which brought more than 700 young athletes to Panther Stadium. The camp lasted for two days and contributed to recruiting efforts.

"We had over 700 in two days," Jackson noted. "It was good. A lot of kids got. We offered quite a few kids, and then some of the visiting schools offered some kids, too."

Not only did Prairie View staff extend offers to several talented prospects, but visiting schools did as well — demonstrating just how magnetic the program is becoming under Jackson's leadership.

Prairie View is making significant strides to inform recruits that HBCUs in the Houston area can offer an exceptional education and a first-class athletic experience.

SuitMart Dressing The Panthers For Success

One of Coach Prime's top phrases is, "If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good."

Coach Jackson became envious when he saw SuitMart outfitting their crosstown rival at Texas Southern.

"I don't care who you tell. When Texas Southern announced that back in March or April, that their basketball team was over there. I went right to Miss P and said, 'If Texas Southern is doing it for basketball, I want to work with them for football because I know it's a larger program.' Thanks to Texas Southern for putting that on social media because it lit a fire under me," Jackson emphatically explained.

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A post shared by Tremaine Jackson (@coachjack212)

Coach Jackson was ecstatic about the Houston Media Day event. "Houston is coming to do their high school media day for the football season at our stadium... We're going to have every top prospect from the city on campus. And for them to see our facilities, I think it's a big deal. It's never happened at Prairie View A&M or TSU."

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A post shared by VYPE Houston (@vypehouston)

Prairie View has a recruiting and visibility advantage due to its one of the best stadiums and facilities. It is located on one of the HBCU's most beautiful campuses, which is 45 minutes northwest of the country's fourth-largest city. - Houston, Texas. Having recruits and families visit Panther Stadium likely dispelled a few negative perceptions about HBCUs.

Taking on NCAA Changes and Roster Management

HBCU football programs and athletics as a whole will be impacted by the judge's approval of the U.S. Congress vs. NCAA settlement deal. The NCAA's new scholarship and roster regulation changes are now in effect. Still, Coach Jackson is not overly alarmed, as his former Division II program faced similar roster limitations.

Currently, the NCAA limits Division I colleges and universities to 105 student-athletes on their rosters.

Jackson commented, "The way we go about it now, the people that are in the frenzy are the people that don't have any lower level football experience because we, we've always had to manage a roster with very little money. Right. I think when you cut down to 105, though, you got to distribute your numbers at each position in, in a good way."

Players who demonstrate versatility and discipline will be the keys to building a successful roster — valuing players who can excel in multiple roles and carefully balancing the numbers for each position. The ultimate goal is to achieve depth and flexibility while allowing a student-athlete the chance to shine.

Academic Wins and Honest Growth

Coach Jackson just arrived on The Hill, yet he's celebrating a 3.0 team GPA—an achievement Prairie View may have never seen before. His approach is about transparency and growth: "Either you can or cannot play for us… We've even helped some of them find somewhere else to go."

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A post shared by Prairie View A&M Football (@pvamufb)

Investing in Excellence—On and Off the Field

Prairie View's leadership on the field will be refined and defined by Coach Jackson, who is building not just a team but leaders for tomorrow. For the time being, eight quarterbacks will compete to earn the starter's job before the 41st Labor Day Classic against Texas Southern kicks off at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30.

Prairie View's newly crowned King of the Hill may have the Dawg in him, but it's the grit, discipline, and tenacity that his players are developing that will ultimately factor in for wins and losses this season.

Whether it's putting young men in their first suit, helping them find their perfect fit on — or off — the roster, or celebrating graduation triumphs, Coach Tremaine Jackson and Prairie View A&M is an HBCU football program on the rise.

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