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Southern exploring the possible return of former SWAC Defensive Player of the Year
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BATON ROUGE - Former Southern edge rusher Ckelby Givens has the possibility to put on the cleats and shoulder pads for one more year with the Jaguars.
Givens thought he'd exhausted all four years of eligibility after wrapping up his career at the 52nd Bayou Classic.
However, a U.S. District Court judge in Colorado ruled that high school athletes that graduated in 2022 are eligible for a fifth year. This comes after the NCAA did not apply an age-based rule for that group.
Givens is apart of that 2022 high school class and he did not sign a professional contract after participating in the Buffalo Bills Rookie minicamp this spring.
During his four years as a Jaguar, Givens was named the 2024 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year and named to the 2024 Phil Steele FCS 2nd Team All-America team.
He finished his career with 198 total tackles, 71.5 tackles-for-loss, 32 sacks, four passes defended, 10 forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
In the meantime, Givens has taken up a coaching gig with the Jags. He is currently working with the defensive line as a graduate assistant.
Southern defensive coordinator spoke with WBRZ and said, "Ckelby is a phenomenal player, obviously an All-American. (He) might have a year of eligibility, and so we're still trying to work through the process of is that going to happen or not. You know, we would love to have Ckelby back in any capacity as a player, but if it doesn't work out, he's doing a great job at coaching. Either way, he's going to have a positive impact on our team, whether that's playing or coaching."
Lyght added that they will have a better understanding of the ruling and hopefully answers on Givens' eligibility within the next seven to 12 days.
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