By Sahithya Shriram and Kashika Singh
On February 5, eight of Lambert’s football players signed their national letters of intent at the 2025 Signing Day, officially committing to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. The event honored their dedication and hard work, bringing together teammates, coaches and family members to celebrate this special milestone.
For many of these athletes, the recruiting process is both exciting and challenging. The daunting and endless process leads to more college visits and training camps, but the athletes preserved through their busy senior schedule so the work was worth it. Between balancing academics and athletics, navigating college offers and making tough decisions about their futures, each athlete took a unique path to get to this moment. Through it all, one aspect remained constant—the unwavering support of their coaches and teammates.
From long practices to game days, these athletes have built lasting bonds within their teams. Whether it be encouragement from a teammate after a tough loss or guidance from a coach throughout the recruiting process, the strong relationships they’ve formed have been instrumental to their success.
“It’s important to use the support system around you to your best advantage and to not give up even when things get really challenging,” Morehouse College commit and running back Jesse Brooks said.
Time management was the biggest struggle for these student-athletes, as they juggled rigorous training schedules with academics and personal commitments.
“Learning how to balance both is key,” Brooks said. “That was probably the biggest challenge for me.”
As these athletes look ahead to their collegiate careers, many of the signees are eager to make an impact at the next level.
“I’m really looking forward to making the most out of this opportunity,” Indiana State University commit and wide receiver E.J. Hartwell shared. “I’m eager to have a great year and learn as many new things as I can.”
When it came to picking the perfect school, the athletes had many different things to consider including the coaching staff, program culture and personal connections. For many, the decision ultimately came to where they felt the most at home.
With their high school careers coming to an end, these athletes are preparing to take the next step, ready to embrace new challenges and athletic opportunities at the undergraduate level. Their hard work, commitment and strong connections they have formed at Lambert will continue to shape their journeys as they represent their future colleges on a larger stage.
- E.J. Hartwell— Indiana State University
- Jesse Brooks— Morehouse College
- Bryce Shoemake— Brevard College
- Harrison Richards— U.S. Naval Academy
- Baker Krimbel— Berry College
- Christian Smith— Charleston Southern University
- Jackson Deloach— U.S. Naval Academy
- Cam Bland— Samford University
