Football notes: Jaheim Ward
named to 2 All-America teams

Published 2:35 pm Sunday, July 27, 2025

MOULTRIE – Eastern Kentucky defensive back Jaheim Ward has been named to his second preseason All-American team.
On July 15, Ward was named to the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-American third team.
Less that two weeks later, he was included on the FCS Football Central Preseason All-American team.
Ward also has been named to the preseason All-United Athletic Conference first team.
After playing three years at Austin Peay, the former Packer transferred to Eastern Kentucky last year and had a banner season.
Starting 10 of the Colonels 13 games, he was third on the team with 66 tackles, including five for loss.
He also intercepted two passes, broke up nine others and forced two fumbles, one of which he recovered.
He was named to the All-United Athletic Conference second team after last season.
The UAC also includes Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, Southern Utah, North Alabama, Tarleton State, Utah Tech, Austin Peay and West Georgia.
Eastern Kentucky will open its season on Saturday, August 30, at Louisville.
As a senior at Colquitt County, Ward played on the 2020 team that went 9-1 in the covid shortened season.
He was credited with 48 total tackles, include two for loss, and recovered one fumble.
Ward intercepted three passes for Colquitt County that season, including one he took back 70 yards for a touchdown that gave the Packers a 21-3 second-quarter lead in its 40-10 region victory over Lowndes.
Jaheim is the brother of Jay Ward, who played for Colquitt County, was on the National Championship team at LSU and is currently a member of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings.
Older brother Johnny Ward played defensive back at South Florida.
• Xavier Williams, who was the starting quarterback on the 2020 Colquitt County football team, has transferred from Middle Tennessee State and will play at Cincinnati this fall.
Williams played quarterback for two seasons at Charlotte, before transferring to Central Florida.
He did not play at Central Florida in 2023 and transferred to Middle Tennessee State, where he was moved to the secondary, started nine games and led the team in tackles with 77.
He had three games with at least 10 tackles and had one interception and one fumble recovery.
His play earned him honorable mention on the All-Conference USA team last season.
He is listed as a safety on the Cincinnati football website.
Williams started the first seven games for the Packers in 2020, but suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first series of the seventh game, a win over Tift County.
He had thrown for 1,085 yards and 11 touchdowns and had rushed for 424 yards, averaging 8.3 yards a carry, before being hurt.
The 2020 Packers finished 9-1.
• Former Colquitt County assistant coach Travis Pearson has been named the defensive coordinator at Georgia State, where he will work for second-year head coach Dell McGee.
One of Pearson’s defensive players will be lineman Jartavius Flounoy. The freshman from Colquitt County has been issued jersey No. 99.
• Colquitt County will hold its annual Meet the Packers dinner at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5, in the high school cafeteria.
On Thursday, August 7, the Packers will travel to Bainbridge for a 7 p.m. scrimmage against the Bearcats.
The 2025 season opens on Friday, August 15, when Benedictine will travel from Savannah to face the Packers in the Hawg Pen.