Through three camps, there have been 26 players that have received invitations to play in this year’s Gridiron Football All-American Bowl Game, but there are also other players that have been on Gridiron’s radar for a long time that are also receiving their bowl game invitations.
This is the first year in which players from the first ever Gridiron Football Junior High All-American Bowl Game back in 2022 are now eligible to play in the 2026 Gridiron Football Senior All-American Bowl Game. Two North Iberville Bears that were a big part of that first junior high bowl game back at Orange Beach, Alabama received their invitations to play in the senior All-American Bowl Game last month at our Gridiron Football office. Those two players are WR Bra’jon “BJ” Melancon and RB Jeremy Favorite.
Bra’jon “BJ” Melancon:
Bra’jon Melancon is the first player to receive his official invite. At 6’2, 165 pounds, this Bear star athlete has been a rising star and one of the top players for the 2027 class. As a two time 1st Team All-District selection, Melancon had a 1st Team All-State campaign in 2025 with five interceptions and 11 PBUs on defense to go along with 23 touchdowns on offense. After leading the Bears to 19 wins the last two seasons, he is hoping for even more his senior season.
“The whole year ahead of me, I just want to get bigger, faster, stronger, and continue striving to play at the college level. Obviously, the goal is always going to be a state championship. We have been striving hard for that the last two years.”
North Iberville 2027 WR/DB Bra’jon Melancon
His stock has been rising this offseason as he has picked up multiple DI offers including from New Mexico, South Alabama, McNeese State, Memphis, Tulane, and UCF.
“The University of Houston, UL, Tulane, LSU, and UCF have been some of the schools that have been really pushing right now. Everybody has been telling me the same thing. They want me to get in front of the head coach. Everybody’s trying to figure out what I am. Am I a receiver? Am I a defensive back? Some coaches think I am just an athlete and a return guy, but wherever I get on the field, I feel like I can excel there.”
North Iberville 2027 WR/DB Bra’jon Melancon
LSU cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond has shown a lot of interest in the Maringouin product as Melancon fits the mold of what Raymond wants in his defensive backs.
“Obviously, he is one of the best defensive back coaches out there in the country to learn from. The conversation has been cleaning up my technique. He is very technique oriented. He loves that I’m an athlete playing multiple sports. He is trying to get me on campus, get me in camp in front of more coaches and we will move on from there.”
North Iberville High School 2027 WR/DB Bra’jon Melancon
Bra’jon Melancon received the first offer to this year’s bowl game not only because of the success he has on the football field, but how Gridiron Football has been there for him since the beginning. Players from the first ever junior high All-American Bowl Game are now eligible to be invited for the Senior All-American Bowl Game and for Melancon, this invite really comes full circle.
“It’s great. It was amazing to go and compete against other kids even though I was only in 8th grade and see where I was at and see where I needed to work on. It was such a great experience also being able to watch the senior guys compete. Back then, I was kind of scared. They were hitting the heck out of each other. I didn’t think that I was signing up for that, but it was great. It was an overall great experience. Great coaching staff, great people. I kept hearing people say, ‘Pick up gold nuggets. Just pick up gold nuggets.’ I didn’t understand what it meant back then, but every coach is dropping gems and you have to be a sponge.”
North Iberville 2027 WR/DB Bra’jon Melancon
Jeremy Favorite:
Another offensive star for the North Iberville Bears also received an invite to the 2026 Gridiron Football All-American Bowl Game and that is running back Jeremy Favorite.
At 5’7, 180 pounds, Favorite is one of the most underrated running backs in the state of Louisiana that is coming off a great junior campaign in which he ran for 813 yards and 21 touchdowns on 145 carries. The 2nd Team All-State running back was pleased by his performance last season.
“I would give myself an A after last season but I always can improve. I can get better at ball carrying skills and blocking.”
North Iberville 2027 RB Jeremy Favorite
Favorite has impressive ability as he has 4.4/40 speed and also set a school record with a 500 pound squat max showcasing both power and quickness.
“I’m really elusive and can really make you miss. I can run over you if I need to even though I don’t do it a lot. My teammates compare me to Jahmyr Gibbs because he is very elusive and fast.”
North Iberville 2027 RB Jeremy Favorite
While his counterpart Bra’jon Melancon has received buzz in recruiting by getting multiple offers, Favorite is trying to get his name out there as he is searching for his first offer.
“The recruiting process has been kind of quiet. I sent a lot of my film out. I have a camp invite from Louisiana Tech. I’m going to that, show myself, and get some more exposure to a lot of the coaches out there.”
North Iberville 2027 RB Jeremy Favorite
What will help Favorite get his name out there even more is playing in the 2026 Gridiron Football All-American Bowl Game. For the North Iberville playmaking running back, this has been a moment he has been waiting for since his 8th grade year in which he played in the 2022 Gridiron Football Junior High All-American Bowl Game.
“I’ve been waiting for five years for this. It’s been a long time. I remember in eighth grade, I had the first touchdown in the bowl game. I loved Orange Beach and it was a great experience. I never did morning practices before so that was pretty cool. It was cold and I remember that. I loved that game. It was a great game. Getting to play in the senior game is going to be a fun experience.”
North Iberville 2027 RB Jeremy Favorite
From scoring the first touchdown in the history of the junior high All-American Bowl Game to getting an invite for the senior bowl game, Jeremy Favorite is excited about the opportunity to perhaps make even more history at the end of the year.
Once again, the Gridiron Football All-American Bowl Game will be held at Louisiana Christian University in Pineville, Louisiana on December 30th. Make sure to keep updated at www.gridironfootballusa.com for all of our bowl game invites and commits. If you are a 2027 prospect and want a chance to play in this year’s Gridiron Football All-American Bowl Game, make sure to sign up at any of our camps below!
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