Irondale high school two-sport star and senior Juriad Hughes Jr. will focus on track, committing to the University of Arkansas on Monday. Also an accomplished football player, Hughes noted to KSTP that he’ll look at walking onto the football team as a sophomore.

KSTP Sports was at Irondale on Monday afternoon for Hughes’ signing day ceremony. Afterwards, we spoke with him. Hughes’ final four schools were Arkansas, South Carolina, Mississippi State, and TCU.

***Click the video box above to watch our conversation with Hughes at his signing day ceremony***

Hughes started last summer breaking a 41-year-old state record, then earned a state championship and eventually National and U-20 Pan-Am Games titles. Hughes, then a junior, soared past the long-standing state long jump record in the run-up to the MSHSL State Meet.

Our Chris Long documented Hughes’ many accomplishments in a piece that aired in August.

Hughes also has sprint bests of 10.81 and 21.67 seconds, along with an indoor best of 24 feet, 11 inches in the long jump.

The leap of 24-11.5 earned Hughes a victory at the 2023 Pan American U20 Championships in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Hughes finished second at the USATF U20 Championships with a mark of 24-10.75 to make Team USA for the Pan Am event.

Additional victories in the long jump in 2023 included the Minnesota State meet (24-10.75), Nike Outdoor Nationals (24-8.75) and Nike Indoor Nationals (24-11).

Hughes had D-1 full-time football opportunities, but track has emerged as his No. 1 sport.

***Arkansas Sports Information contributed to this report***