MIAMI (Jan. 9, 2019) – With a new year in full swing, the FIU football team announced on Wednesday the addition of two Power-5 transfers joining the Panthers from the University of Arkansas as Floridian natives Alexy Jean-Baptiste and Maleek Williams return to the Sunshine State.
 
Listed as a linebacker, Jean-Baptiste spent the last three seasons at Arkansas, where he redshirted his freshman season in 2016 before seeing action in 2018.
 
Williams spent two seasons in Fayetteville, with the running back redshirting his first year with Arkansas in 2017. Williams rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2018, with his best game coming against C-USA foe North Texas after earning 74 yards on the ground and scoring once.
 
Jean-Baptiste, a native of Pompano, Florida, was a consensus 3-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 24/7 Sports coming out of Coconut Creek High School. Williams, a native of Punta Gorda, Florida, was highly touted coming out of Charlotte High School as he earned a 4-star rating from every national publication.
 
The Panthers signed 12 student-athletes during the early signing period back on Dec. 19, as the FIU coaching staff stays busy on the recruiting trail ahead of National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 6.

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PLAYER BIOS
 
Alexy Jean-Baptiste
6-3, 245, LB/DE
Pompano Beach, Florida (Coconut Creek HS/Arkansas)
 
Scouting Jean-Baptiste: Jean-Baptiste will join fellow Arkansas transfer Maleek Williams as the pair heads back home to South Florida. The Pompano Beach native is a dynamic edge rusher with the ability to play both at outside linebacker and defensive end. While at Coconut Creek High School he played on both sides of the ball, with his primary strength coming on the defensive side as he played at all three levels.
 
Bio: Made one appearance for Arkansas as a redshirt sophomore, recording a tackle for the Razorbacks in their season-opening win against Eastern Illinois… A consensus three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 247Sports … Rated as the No. 64 recruit in the state of Florida by Rivals … Ranked as the No. 35 outside linebacker in the country and with a scout grade of 78 by ESPN … Scout listed him as the No. 52 outside linebacker in the class of 2016 and the No. 7 player at the position in the state of Florida … Tabbed the No. 88 overall outside linebacker and No. 152 player in the state of Florida by 247Sports … Finished with a three-star rating and No. 46 outside linebacker ranking by 247Sports Composite, a combined index of national recruiting rankings … Listed as the No. 27 safety in the class of 2016 by Rivals … Selected to play in the 2016 International Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the United States U-19 USA team … Recorded a sack and three tackles in the Team USA 33-0 win over Canada … Named to the All-Broward County Class 5A-4A-3A-2A first team … Collected seven sacks as a senior and 11 as a junior at Coconut Creek High School under head coach Kareem Reid … Caught a 44-yard touchdown his senior season and had one interception … In addition to Arkansas, had offers from Miami, Louisville, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina State, Kentucky, Oregon State, Indiana, Cincinnati, Wake Forest, South Florida, Temple, UCF and USF among others.
 
Maleek Williams
5-11, 223, RB
Punta Gorda, Florida (Charlotte HS/Arkansas)
 
Scouting Williams: Williams will be joining a trio of former Charlotte High School teammates in Stantley Thomas-Oliver III, Jacob White and D'Vonte Price after spending the past two seasons at Arkansas. He carries his size well, while also having an explosive burst out of the backfield. His strength comes in running between the tackles, showing that he's not afraid of contact.
 
Bio: Played in seven games as a redshirt freshman at Arkansas, gaining 144 yards rushing on 27 carries and scoring twice on the ground… The running back earned his best game as a Razorback against C-USA foe North Texas, after rushing for 74 yards on five carries and finding the endzone once… Rated a four-star prospect and the No. 33 running back in the class of 2017 by ESPN with a scout grade of 80 … ESPN also tabbed him as the No. 57 player in the state of Florida … Ranked the No. 14 running back in Florida by Scout … Graded out as the No. 47 running back in the class in the 247Sports composite ranking … Coached by Binky Waldrop …Finished his career with 38 rushing touchdowns and eight 100-yard games … Named the Suncoast Sports All-Area Player of the Year as a senior in 2016 … Also named to the FACA All-District 18 Class 7A team … Rushed for an area-leading 1,294 yards with 24 touchdowns en route to leading Charlotte High School to their first state semifinal appearance since 2002 … Topped the 100-yard mark on the ground five times with seven multi-touchdown performances … As a junior, he rushed for 664 yards and 12 touchdowns behind Elijah Mack who is currently at South Florida … Also ran track and clocked the fastest times in the state in both the 100m (10.85) and 200m (22.39) events as a freshman … In addition to Arkansas, had offers from Tennessee, Oregon, Kentucky, North Carolina, Colorado, Illinois, South Florida, Minnesota and Purdue among others.