Majority of local players expected to sign with in-state colleges

Staying close to home and accepting smaller school offers appear to be the top trend for local high school athletes signing college football scholarships today.

At least 26 Wiregrass high school senior football players will sign scholarships today. Most, if not all, will attend today’s annual Dothan Eagle signing luncheon sponsored by Southern Bone & Joint Specialists. The event is at noon at the Clarion Inn in Dothan.

Of the 26 signees, 17 plan to sign with an in-state school while three others plan to ink with programs outside the state, but are less than four hours (Atlanta and Tallahassee, Fla.) from the area.

In state, the University of West Alabama in Livingston appears ready to sign five local players and Faulkner University in Montgomery appears set to ink four locals.

Troy University and Alabama State in Montgomery each look to sign two area players,  while Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Miles College in Birmingham, Stillman College in Tuscaloosa and Concordia College in Selma have one signee each from the area.

It was a down year for the Wiregrass in major college signings. Only three players are scheduled to sign with a Division-I Football Bowl Subdivision program. The three are Daleville running back Brandon Burks and Elba running back Michael Lindsey with Troy University and Enterprise running back Willie Curry with the Air Force Academy.

Eight area players are set to sign with Division-I Football Championship program, eight others with a Division-II school and four with a NAIA program.

Barring a last-minute change, from a local perspective, Dothan High looks to have six players signing today, while Ashford has four, Enterprise has three and Northview, Carroll, Eufaula, and Headland have two each. Charles Henderson, Ashford, Daleville, Barbour County, Elba and Wicksburg have one each.

From Dothan, fullback/linebacker Joseph Peterson and offensive lineman Aaron Thomas both plan to sign with Georgia State University, a Championship Subdivision team in downtown Atlanta. Cornerback Nick Martin and receiver Barnard McGhee plan to ink with FCS member Alabama State, defensive end Franklin Williams with Division-II West Alabama and running back Fontaine Stratton with NAIA Faulkner.

Williams will be joined at West Alabama by Enterprise running back Jalen Hooks, Carroll wide receiver A.J. Baker, Charles Henderson outside linebacker DeQuante Shockley and Headland defensive end Martez Reaves, who also plan to ink today with UWA.

Stratton won’t be the only player moving on to Faulkner. Ashford defensive lineman Aaron Daugherty and teammate Ladavion Williams, a running back, and Wicksburg running back Tyler Dawkins also plan to sign today with the Montgomery school.

In addition to Curry (Air Force) and Hooks (West Alabama), Enterprise will be represented on signing day by safety Rashad Hayes, who is planning to sign with Division-II Benedict College, located in Columbia, S.C.

Kennington Easley, a wide receiver, and Apriccio Brown, an offensive lineman, of Northview will sign with Southern Illinois and Jacksonville State University, respectively. Both are Championship Subdivision programs.

Defensive tackle C.J. Stapleton joins Baker as a signee from Carroll. Stapleton plans to ink with Grambling State University in Louisiana, a Championship Subdivision program.

Eufaula’s Tyreece Mayo, a safety, plans to sign with Florida A&M in Tallahassee, Fla., which competes in the Championship Subdivision. Tiger teammate Arenza Johnson, a linebacker, plans to ink with Division-II Miles College.

Ashford, in addition to Daugherty and Williams, has Troy Griggs and Deon Jenkins signing with Concordia College, a program moving up to NAIA.

In addition to Reaves, Headland has a second signee in defensive lineman Tyshawn McCray, who plans to ink with Division-II Stillman College.

Takwain Whigham, a two-sport star at Barbour County, has elected to play football at Alcorn State, a Championship Division program in Mississippi.