Georgia Southern lands strong Sun Belt class
In Georgia Southern head coach Tyson Summers’ second recruiting cycle with the program, the Eagles landed one of the top classes in the Sun Belt Conference.
Georgia Southern finished with 22 players in the class. The Eagles added 17 student-athletes from the high school ranks along with two JUCO players and three midyear transfers: Ted Field Jr., Jaden Garrett, Jarrod Leeds.
“This is the second straight year we’ve been able to sign an outstanding class,” Summers said. “If you take the two years combined, I think you’d see us as the resounding number one in our conference over that time period. The big piece of today was filling needs. That starts with signing two quarterbacks and then also signing seven defensive linemen. We also had to make sure we hit our numbers at running back and linebacker to set us up for the future. When you look at each one of those individual pieces, they all become essential in creating the entire puzzle that is this recruiting class.
“We said from the beginning that we were going to recruit our state and areas nearby the hardest, and I think that shows in that we signed 17 players from either Georgia or the Jacksonville area. This was a collective group effort from our entire staff. Our nine on-the-field coaches get a lot of the recognition, but all of our off-the-field staff had just as big of a hand in us being able to have such an outstanding class.”
Georgia Southern signed 13 players from Georgia, six from Florida and one each from California, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. The Eagles added seven defensive linemen, four linebackers and two backs on defense, along with two quarterbacks, three running backs, three offensive linemen and an “athlete.”
Georgia Southern signing class
Tre Allen, LB, 6-0, 225, Stockbridge, Woodland
Kado Brown, QB, 6-0, 190, Ventura, Calif., Rio Mesa (Moorpark CC)
Melton Brown Jr., DL, 6-3, 248 , Louisville, Jefferson County
Kenderick Duncan Jr., S, 6-3, 190, Stockbridge, Stockbridge
Ted Field Jr., OL, 6-5 , 285, Glen Mills, Pa., Cardinal O’Hara (Salisbury (CT) School)
Jaalon Frazier, QB, 6-2, 190, Hinesville, Liberty County
Jaden Garrett, CB, 5-11, 175, Plant City, Fla., Durant
Quan Griffin, DL, 6-2, 260, Glen Saint Mary, Fla., Baker County
Chris Harris Jr., LB, 6-1, 225, Savannah, Benedictine
Josh Johnson, DE, 6-5, 245, Suwanee, Peachtree Ridge
Raymond Johnson III, DE, 6-4, 230, Sumter, S.C., Sumter
Benz Josue, LB, 6-0, 190, Lawrenceville, Mountain View
Caleb Kelly, OL, 6-2, 275, Warner Robins, Northside
Wesley Kennedy III, ATH, 5-10, 181, Savannah, Benedictine
Matt LaRoche, RB, 5-10, 170, Venice, Fla., Venice
Jarrod Leeds, OL, 6-5, 270, Green Cove Springs, Fla., Clay
Demetrice Lofton, DL, 6-4, 230, Fairburn, Creekside
Brian Miller, DE, 6-2, 245, Savannah, Memorial Day
Tomarcio Reese, LB, 6-0, 220, Moultrie, Colquitt County (Northwest Mississippi CC)
Kenton Tucker Jr., DL, 6-4, 275, Jacksonville, Fla., First Coast
Grant Walker, RB, 6-0, 195, Ellenwood, Cedar Grove
Logan Wright, RB, 6-0, 212, Jacksonville, Fla., Sandalwood
This story was originally published February 1, 2017 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Georgia Southern lands strong Sun Belt class."