National signing day: Recap of Wednesday's top college signings from the Treasure Coast
Thanks to the transfer portal and extended eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, much has changed in the recruiting landscape over the years,
Still, even with numerous early signing periods, nothing quite matches the excitement of early February.
The traditional national signing day took place Wednesday as several stars across the Treasure Coast gathered with family, friends, teammates and supporters to reveal their college plans.
While many athletes signed their letters of intent during the early signing periods in the late fall or early winter, many others weighed their options and waited until the second month of the year to finalize their decisions. For football players going to Division II schools and lower, this was their initial chance to sign on the dotted line.
Early signing day: Vero Beach celebrates its treasure trove of future Division I athletes
More: Local athletes find homes on National Signing Day, golfers conclude 2A state tournament
Several players are headed to Division I or Division II schools while others will go to the junior college route. Regardless of which level, the opportunity to continue their athletic careers while getting an education is a blessing and privilege afforded to those who put in the work in their respective fields as well as in the classroom.
Here's a list of the highlights from Wednesday.
Fort Pierce Central
Jamarion Davis - Jackson State
Sport: Football (DL/LB)
2023 season: 34 total tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, Honorable Mention
Devyn Ingle - Chowan
Sport: Football (LB)
2023 season: 48 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 11 hurries, All-Area Second Team
Jemar Paul - Keiser
Sport: Football (WR)
2023 season: 44 catches, 479 receiving yards, 7 TDs, All-Area First Team
Chandler Perceval - Keiser
Sport: Football (RB/DB)
2023 season: (Off.) 17 catches, 216 receiving yards, 3 TDs, 8 carries, 24 rushing yards, (Def.) 9 pass deflections, 1 interception, 25 total tackles, 1 forced and recovered fumble, Honorable Mention
Railly Rodriguez - St. Andrews
Sport: Football (QB)
2023 season: 13-for-32 passing, 86 passing yards
Fort Pierce Westwood
Chris Anderson - MTI
Sport: Football (RB/LB)
2023 season: 2 games played, (Off.) 1 carry, 6 rushing yards, (Def.) 1 tackle
Rhashod Brown - St. Thomas
Sport: Football (WR/DB)
2023 season: (Off.) 1 catch, 10 receiving yards, 1 TD, (Def.) 62 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks
Dwayne Chaney - Morehouse
Sport: Football (OL)
2023 season: Part of an offense that passed for 1,638 yards and rushed for 1,526 yards.
Todd Jackson - St. Thomas
Sport: Football (ATH)
2023 season: 21-for-44 passing, 340 passing yards, 47 carries, 457 rushing yards, 5 catches, 95 receiving yards, 8 total TDs, All-Area Second Team
Chris Pierre - Chowan
Sport: Football (OL/DL)
2023 season: 65 total tackles, 22.0 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, All-Area Second Team
John Williams III - St. Thomas
Sport: Football (LB)
2023 season: 106 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 caused fumble, All-Area First Team
Homeschool
Lorelei Carter - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Sport: Rowing
The skinny: Carter was one of five athletes from the Vero Beach Rowing club to sign with collegiate scholarship. She's bound for just a short trip up I-95 to Daytona Beach where she plans to major in Aerospace Physiology. Rowing for about five years, Carter also received interest from Alabama and the Naval Academy, but chose Embry-Riddle because of the environment, size of the school and head coach Grant Maddock, who she says is a man of great character.
Quote from Carter on her start in rowing: "When we moved down here, my mom saw a sign for rowing and she kind of just shoved me into rowing and I just loved it. The whole racing aspect of it, it made me happy with the team and the vibe of all is really nice. When you're racing races, you just push yourself over the limit, and that feeling is really addicting."
Jensen Beach
Dennis Palmer Jr. - Bethune-Cookman
Sport: Football (RB)
The skinny: There probably hasn't been a better running back that's come through the Falcons program. The numbers don't lie. Palmer is Jensen Beach's all-time leader in total touchdowns (61), rushing yards (4,093) and all-purpose yards (5,578). In 2023, he cracked the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second consecutive season thanks to five 100-yard games.
Quote from Palmer on his support system: "My family has supported me through my whole journey and without them, I wouldn’t be here. I also can thank all of my Little League coaches for helping me develop into the player I am today. And of course my high school coach (Tim) Caffey and his staff, I wouldn’t want to play high school football anywhere else. I thank them for trusting me on the field to make plays and helping me off the field as well."
2023 season: 158 carries, 1,001 rushing yards, 10 catches, 162 receiving yards, 14 total TDs
Elvick Previlma - Concordia-St. Paul
Sport: Football (WR)
2023 season: 14 catches, 315 receiving yards, 5 carries, 37 yards, 215 return yards, 8 total TDs, All-Area Second Team
Martin County
Kaleb Ferschke - Prebyterian College
Sport: Football (OL)
2023 season: Part of an offense that rushed for 1,372 yards and passed for 723 yards, All-Area Second Team
Logan Tekus - Stetson
Sport: Football (OL)
2023 season: Part of an offense that rushed for 1,372 yards and passed for 723 yards
South Fork
Jonas Barros - Concordia St. Paul
Sport: Football (LB/DE)
2023 season: 74 total tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, TCPalm Honorable Mention
Treasure Coast
Bootros Beaubrun - Keiser
Sport: Football (OL)
2023 season: Part of an offense that rushed for 2,189 yards and passed for 665 yards.
Jamison Davis - Chowan
Sport: Football (RB)
2023 season: 125 carries, 745 yards, 6 TDs, All-Area First Team
Ethan Degoede - MTI
Sport: Football (TE/DL)
2023 season: Appeared in 12 games this season
Jahari Grant - USF
Sport: Football (DL)
The skinny: A three-star prospect from the defensive tackle position, Grant committed to join the Bulls since last spring. He stood on his after following a productive senior campaign where he collected 35 tackles (11.5 tackles for loss) and five sacks. Grant is the cousin of former Treasure Coast and USF defensive end Rashawn Yates.
Quote from Grant on his recruitment: "It felt relieving to be done with the recruitment process and move on to the next chapter. For me, it was an enjoyable experience because recruiting flowed pretty easily. I liked it, I was being recruited by many schools, but USF just stood out."
2023 season: 35 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, All-Area First Team
Omari Kinsler - Chowan
Sport: Football (OL/DL)
2023 season: 37 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 3 passes defended, 2 caused fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, All-Area First Team
Richard Kramer - Hampton
Sport: Football (DL)
2023 season: 31 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 2 caused fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception, All-Area First Team
Knajee Saffold - FIU
Sport: Football (OL)
The skinny: The 6-4, 321-pound offensive lineman was a beast for the last team standing in the area. Saffold was an integral piece to the vaunted Titans rushing attack which chewed up 2,189 yards and 29 touchdowns. The senior had offers from the likes of Akron and Coastal Carolina but will be headed to the 305.
Quote from Saffold on why he chose FIU: "Every time that I went to FIU, whether it was a game, a team practice or anything, it always felt like family as soon as I walked on campus. I always wanted to stay as close to home as much as possible and everything worked out perfectly going to FIU."
2023 season: Part of an offense that rushed for 2,189 yards and passed for 665 yards, All-Area First Team
Shamir Sterlin - FIU
Sport: Football (S)
The skinny: Playing his best under the brightest lights and biggest games, Sterlin will join Saffold at FIU after setting career highs in tackles (73) and interceptions (3) during his senior campaign. He picked off passes to secure wins against Osceola, Seminole and rival Vero Beach. After originally committing to Northern Illinois, Sterlin has been in Miami since January after enrolling early.
Quote from Sterlin on enrolling early to FIU: "I've been there three, four weeks already and the experience has been great. I've been putting the work in, day by day just getting better."
2023 season: 73 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 2 caused fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, All-Area First Team
Vero Beach
Matthew Bacon - Troy
Sport: Football (DL)
The skinny: As part of a large athletic family, which includes four older brothers who played football for the Indians, Bacon became the first within his family to sign with a Division I school as he is bound for the Sun Belt Conference. The 6-2, 210-pound defensive lineman was a menace to opposing quarterbacks this past season, recording a team-high six sacks. Bacon overcame a torn ACL his sophomore season and a torn finger ligament during his senior campaign to earn this opportunity.
Quote from Bacon on what he brings to the table: "I'm ready to showcase my talents and show them what I'm about. ... I think I bring a great IQ, I can read plays very well and get to the ball."
2023 season: 26 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, All-Area Second Team
Samara Coakley - Virginia
Sport: Rowing (Coxswain)
The skinny: Of the five athletes from the Vero Beach Rowing Club to sign their letters of intent, Coakley is the only one who will be a coxswain. She's been a part of the sport for more than three years and has been committed to the Cavaliers since her junior year and never wavered, stating that the team, coaches, campus and academics weighed into her decision. Coakley plans to major in Human Biology on a Pre-Med track.
Quote from Coakley about being a coxswain: "I really do believe in my leadership role and bringing people together. People can come to me for whatever and I sort of facilitate practices, so just another friendly face on the team."
Zadie Diniz - Stanford
Sport: Rowing
The skinny: Although the senior had discussions with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Diniz prioritized avoiding a cold climate when deciding her future. California certainly checks that box as she's headed to one of the prestigious universities in the country. She plans to major in Symbolic Systems. Diniz has been rowing since the spring of her seventh-grade year.
Quote from Diniz on why she loves the sport: "Rowing is like no other (sport). I love how blank my mind feels whenever I'm rowing. It's mostly muscle memory because it was such a repetitive sport, so you don't have to think about it too much. But if you think about something else, you'll be distracted and you won't perform your best. So just having this clear mind is the most peaceful thing in the world."
Liliana Elliott - Wisconsin
Sport: Rowing
The skinny: One of seven schools in the country to offer lightweight women's rowing, Wisconsin was the "dream school" for Elliott, who plans to major in Art History on a Pre-Law track. She is one of the club's more experienced rowers, doing so for about six years.
Quote from Elliott on when college rowing became a realistic possibility: "I had a really great season my freshman year. And I had a lot of people were talking to me and telling that there's a lot of opportunities for women in the sport of rowing with Title IX and the amount of teams across the country. I just knew it was something I wanted to continue and to be in college for."
Aidan Powers - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Sport: Rowing
The skinny: Powers has a enjoyed a major growth spurt in recent years, going from 140 pounds his sophomore year to nearing 200 pounds currently. With that and his added strength has come faster times and splits in the water. Planning to major in Computational Mathematics, Embry Riddle was one of the first schools to contact Powers, but he also had interest from Oregon State, Cal-Berkley and the Naval Academy.
Quote from Powers on why he chose Embry-Riddle: "First of all, it's on the beach, which is a big thing for me. I'm a big surfing person, I love being out in the sun. And also it's close to home."
Camryn Reid - FIU
Sport: Track and field (shot put/weight throw)
The skinny: Described as a "ball of energy," Reid is a multisport athlete who will compete in track and field at the next level. She earned a fourth-place finish in the shot put at the FHSAA Class 4A state championships with a personal-best throw of 12.26 meters. The senior becomes yet area another athlete signed to become a Panther.
Quote from Reid on father's impact: "He's been a huge influence. He's always on my back saying, 'Camryn, you got to stay on top of this, you got to do that, you got to work hard and you got to want it because there's so many kids that want it.' He just made it very clear to me that I can do it, but I got to put in the work."
Isaiah Roberts - Jones Junior College
Sport: Football (WR/DB)
2023 season: 52 catches, 549 yards, 5 TDs, All-Area First Team
Machi Simmons - Palm Beach State
Sport: Football (WR)
2023 season: 12 catches, 123 yards
Jordan Thomas - Chowan
Sport: Football (OL)
2023 season: Part of an offense that passed for 2,172 yards and rushed for 1,475 yards.
Eddie Torres - Westminster College
Sport: Football (WR)
2023 season: 10 catches, 162 yards, 2 TDs
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at 772-985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: NSD: Treasure Coast-area seniors ink their LOI to play college sports
