Former Manatee High football player Trevon Walters heading to Alabama A&M

Former Manatee High star running back Trevon Walters is getting another shot at his football dream.

Walters announced on social media on Tuesday that he will continuing his college football career and education, which looked in doubt at one point with legal troubles, at Alabama A&M.

Walters told the Herald he’s joining the team on Friday, and plans on majoring in sports management.

“At the end of the day, I’m just thankful for the second chance I’ve got,” Walters said. “And I’m really going to take advantage of it.”

Walters signed with Missouri after a standout career with the Hurricanes, where he tallied more than 2,800 rushing yards as Manatee’s starting tailback in his junior and senior seasons. He produced 30 rushing touchdowns and 35 total touchdowns.

But Missouri suspended Walters indefinitely last August after the redshirt sophomore was arrested on “suspicion of stealing a debit card and using it to make purchases,” according to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report. That charge is a Class C felony.

Walters, who graduated from Manatee in 2014, also was arrested and charged with two counts on misdemeanor fraudulent use of a credit device.

Walters’ off-field troubles continued last December when he picked up felony charges for unrelated incidents, according to a report in the Columbia Tribune.

A warrant for his arrest was issued after Walters failed to appear in court on Nov. 30 in relation to the August charges.

Walters already had a warrant issued four days prior to that missed court appearance for a first-degree burglary charge, a Class B felony, according to the Columbia Tribune.

The Tribune reported, “Walters unlawfully entered a woman’s apartment Oct. 31 at The Cottages at 2400 E. Nifong Blvd. after she told him to leave.”

According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Tribune, Walters grabbed the woman’s phone, repeatedly threw it to the ground and broke the phone’s screen as she attempted to call police.

The felony charges, though, were dismissed.

Walters pleaded guilty in June to the fraudulent use of a credit/debit device and was sentenced to 90 days in jail and two years probation.

The jail time is suspended, unless Walters breaks the law during the next two years.

As part of his sentencing, Walters was ordered to pay restitution of more than $400 and complete 40 community service hours during a 120-day period.

“I owned up to it,” Walters said. “I used a debit card that wasn’t mine. I learned from that mistake. ... It’s not worth all the trouble, because that’s really not me. I’m not even that type of person. I don’t even know why I did it, but I did do it. I’m just glad it’s over with. I thank God it’s over with. You live and you learn. I know that’s a saying, but it’s really true.”

Walters credits his mother Tamara, grandmother Kay Ward, brother Deon and sister Angel, along with Manatee County tax collector Ken Burton Jr. and former Manatee High coaches Chris Conboy and John Booth as his support system to help him get back into school and continue his football dream.

Walters said new Manatee head coach Yusuf Shakir, who he hasn’t met in person yet, even called him to offer support.

This story was originally published August 15, 2017 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Former Manatee High football player Trevon Walters heading to Alabama A&M."