Over 30 instate football players sign with FBS schools on National Signing Day
South Carolina signs 11 Palmetto State players, including flipping Hammond TE Michael Tyler
Sumter - With the advent of the transfer portal and the early signing period in college football in recent years, a lot of the pizzazz has been taken out of National Signing Day. However, it is still the foundation for a roster to be built upon and Wednesday was the day for high school seniors to take the next step on their football journeys.
At least 31 South Carolinians signed with Football Bowl Subdivision schools with several others verbally committed or pondering offers from those institutions.
Eleven of those players signed with the University of South Carolina. They were part of the Gamecocks' 25-player class. Ten of them has been longtime commitments, but USC added Hammond tight end Michael Tyler on Wednesday. Tyler had been committed to Louisiana State but flipped to Carolina.
Four of the new Palmetto State South Carolina players are 4-star recruits. They are wide receivers Malik Clark of Rock Hill and Jordan Gidron of Ridge View, offensive lineman Shed Sarratt of Gaffney and edge rusher Jaquavious Dodd of Eastside.
Tyler and the other six signees are 3-star recruits. The others are athlete Jaquel Holman of Blackville-Hilda, edge rusher Anthony Addison of Sumter, safety Damarcus Leach of Abbeville, Westside quarterback Cutter Woods, linebacker Josh Smith of Dutch Fork and wide receiver Jayden Sellers of South Florence, the younger brother of Gamecock starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers.
Three of Clemson's 15-player class are Sandlappers. They include 5-star defensive lineman Amare Adams of Lake City, 4-star athlete Marquise Henderson of Belton-Honea Path and 3-star safety Jakarrion Kenan of Marlboro County.
Coastal Carolina, the state's other FBS school, had no instate signees in its 16-man class.
Ten other FBS schools signed South Carolinians, including East Carolina, which signed three. Boston College and Virginia Tech both signed two, with the Hokies signing Irmo quarterback AJ Brand.
Brand's wide receiver teammate Donovan Murph recently reclassified to the Class of 2025 and is part of a heated battle between USC and Clemson with Mississippi and Colorado in the mix as well. The 4-star receiver will make his decision on January 2 during the Under Armour All-American Game.
Two instate players are committed to military academies. Offensive lineman Jordan Sullivan of J.L. Mann is committed to Army, while South Pointe tight end Jordan Collins is committed to Navy.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Anthony Addison, DE, Sumter
Malik Clark, WR, Rock Hill
Jacquavious Dodd, DE, Eastside
Jordon Gidron, WR, Ridge View
Jaquel Holman, LB, Blackville-Hilda
Demarcus Leach, S, Abbeville
Jayden Sellers, WR, South Florece
Josh Smith, DB, Dutch Fork
Shed Sarratt, OL, Gaffney
Mike Tyler, TE, Hammond
Cutter Woods, QB, Westside
CLEMSON
Amare Adams, DL, South Florence
Marquise Henderson, RB, Belton-Honea Path
Jakarrion Kenan, S, Marlboro County
BOSTON COLLEGE
Sterling Sanders, DL, Blythewood
Omarion Davis, S, Indian Land
EAST CAROLINA
Stephen Collier, WR/S, River Bluff
Josiah Dwyer, DL, Marlboro County
Kendall Walton, OL, Lamar
GEORGIA STATE
Ladainnian Martin, RB, J.L. Mann
GEORGIA TECH
Elgin Sessions, DB, Dutch Fork
Kevin Peay, OL, Lancaster
JAMES MADISON
Jamarcus Smith, WR, Gaffney
KENTUCKY
Mikkel Skinner, TE, Riverside
MARSHALL
Connor Gooding, TE, Gilbert
Jack Laird, OL, Cardinal Newman
NAVY
Jordan Collins, TE, South Pointe
NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Cam Strong, CB, T.L. Hanna – N.C. State
Will Wilson, QB, Richland Northeast
RICE
Keenan Arcega-Whiteside, TE, Dorman
VIRGINIA TECH
AJ Brand, QB, Irmo
Jo Jo Crim, DB, Camden
APPALACHIAN STATE
Chamarryus Bomar, ATH, Westside
Armoni Weaver, CB, Westside
WAKE FOREST
Freddie Gillens, DB, Cardinal Newman
JOHNSON SMITH UNIVERSITY
Trooper Floyd, QB, Chester
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND
Devin Geronomi, White Knoll
