HAMPTON, Va. (Sept. 15, 2025) … Stats Perform recognized Hampton University graduate linebacker Harold O'Neal III as honorable mention for HBCU FCS National Player of the Week.

O'Neal recorded 18 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss against North Carolina A&T on Sept. 13. A Baltimore, Md., native, O'Neal began his playing career at East Tennessee State before transferring to Shepherd University. He was a two-time all-conference honoree while at Shepherd before moving to Hampton for his graduate season.

His 18 tackles were the most for a Pirate football player in 11 years since Joshua Thorne had 19 stops at Delaware State (Oct. 25, 2014) and at North Carolina Central (Nov. 8, 2014) two weeks later.

The Pirates travel to Washington, D.C. to take on rival Howard on Sept. 20 in the Battle of the Real HU. It will mark the 100th meeting between the two teams.