National Signing Day: Where Savannah-area high school football players are headed

It was a season of firsts for the Bryan County football team as Cherard Freeman's squad won the first region title in school history and the first playoff game -- setting a school record with 12 wins on its way to the Class A Division I state semifinals.

That trend continued Friday, Jan. 5, as Bryan County had its first player ever sign with a Division I program when Austin Clemons celebrated his signing with Middle Tennessee State at a ceremony on campus with his family, coaches, teammates and friends.

Clemons had a stellar senior season as he rushed for 1,803 yards and 22 touchdowns. On defense, he had 107 tackles, including 22.5 for losses, with 6.5 sacks and a pair of interceptions to earn Region 3-A Division I Player of the Year honors.  The 6-foot, 205-pounder said he will be playing running back for the Blue Raiders.

"I'm looking forward to playing running back -- I've always preferred offense because there is just something about having the ball in your hands and making plays," said Clemons, who came back from an injury that took away his junior season. "I'm a physical type of runner and want to force my will during a game. I want to make defenders think about wanting to tackle me. I feel like I have some speed too, and can be the complete package at running back."

Clemons, who carries a 4.03 GPA, said he plans to major in sports medicine. He thanked his coaches and teammates for helping him become the player, and person, he is today.

"Having the signing day meant a lot to me personally because it's something I've always dreamed about," Clemons said. "And not just to play college football, but to have the ceremony at our school. It was a big moment and meant a lot to me, my teammates and the entire county.

"The thing I'll remember most about this season is all the battles we had as a team -- and all those moments, the interactions we had as teammates and with our coaches at practice every day," Clemons said. "The relationships we made are the most important thing. My senior year has been an amazing experience."

Where Savannah-area high school football players landed on National Signing Day

New Hampstead

New Hampstead's Jaylen Hampton has been a game changer for the Phoenix football team in the last two seasons -- as he emerged as one of the top wide receivers in the state this year with his combination of excellent hands, skills, speed and physicality.

He had 73 catches for 1,158 yards and 14 touchdowns and ran for 86 yards and five more scores for a New Hampstead squad that had what was considered the best season in school history. The Phoenix earned the No. 2 seed out of the rugged Region 3-4A for their first ever home playoff game, where they beat Westside-Macon to advance to the second round.

Hampton also excels in the classroom -- with a 3.8 GPA at New Hampstead, as he became a leader on the field and in the locker room for coach Kyle Hockman. On Friday, he celebrated his early signing with Western Kentucky in a ceremony at New Hampstead with his family, friends, coaches and teammates.

"Jaylen is a special player -- he's big, physical and long with excellent speed and he gets those yards after the catch like a maniac," Hockman said. "He blocks really well, runs excellent routes and he's a phenomenal jumper who gets all those 50-50 balls. He's just a great student athlete and kid who does everything right in the classroom too. That's a credit to his mom who works as an administrator in the district. I think he's going to do great things at Western Kentucky."

Offers rolling in for Jaylen Hampton An academic focus has created college options for this Savannah-area football standout

Hampton thanked his coaches, teammates and family for the role they all played in the realization of his goals.

"The recruiting process was long with a lot of different schools looking at me," Hampton said. "But I thought Western Kentucky was the right choice because of the relationship I have with the coaches -- they were always checking up on me. They have a passing game that is ranked in the top five in the nation, so I think I'll be able to get the ball a lot."

The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder credited Hockman and the Phoenix coaching staff for helping him improve and keeping him discipline. He also credited former teammate Ivory Nelson and trainer James Roberts for working with him. He said former Phoenix quarterback Pauly Seeley, now at Wofford and rising senior RaShawn Truell, who emerged as a star quarterback this season, have been huge parts of his journey, along with his family, first and foremost.

Calvary Day

In his 32 years as a high school head football coach, Calvary Day's Mark Stroud has seen pretty much everything.

But he's never coached a tight end as gifted as Michael Smith.

"I don't think I've ever encountered a player who's that big and fast with those kind of ball skills," Stroud said of the 6-foot-4, 250-pound 4-star recruit. "Mike has all the ingredients to be playing football for a very long time."

Smith set his football future in motion this week as he signed to play at South Carolina on Wednesday. On Friday, Dec. 22, Calvary Day held a signing ceremony as Smith celebrated his accomplishment with family, teammates, coaches and friends.

Michael Smith commits to South CarolinaWhy Calvary Day 4-star tight end Michael Smith chose South Carolina over a plethora of offers

Smith closed out his high school career with another strong season as he helped lead the Cavs to a Region 3-3A title and to the Class 3A state semifinals.

He had 33 catches for 722 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season for a Cavalier squad that finished 13-1.

"To sign with South Carolina is amazing," Smith said. "I remember playing NCAA Football (the video game) with my brother when I was a kid and saying I'd be playing in college one day. You always dream of this moment, but to live it out seems so surreal. South Carolina was the first to offer me, and it's close by so my family can see me play. It's the perfect environment for me."

Stroud said he can't wait to see how Smith's future unfolds.

"What's bigger than football to me is that throughout this whole recruiting process, Mike has been the same guy he has been since the day I met him. He's got a big heart, and when the game ends one day for him -- he's still going to be a great person and a great husband and father. I love him."

Jake Merklinger (Tennessee)

Merklinger is already at school in Knoxville, the Tennessee Football X account announced his official signing at 9:21 a.m. on Dec. 20.

What's next for Cav's 4-star Merklinger What's next for Calvary's Jake Merklinger, the 4-star quarterback headed to Tennessee

Merklinger commits to Tennessee Why Calvary Day 4-star quarterback Jake Merklinger made commitment to play for Tennessee

Benedictine

Benedictine held a big-time signing ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 20, as Cadet football stars Luke Kromenhoek and Bryce Baker inked their deals with their colleges of choice.

Kromenhoek, the four-star quarterback, stayed true to his longtime commitment to Florida State and signed with the Seminoles, while Bryce Baker, a standout two-way player, inked with Georgia Southern.

Benedictine coach Danny Britt will be watching both players closely throughout their college careers, with a keen eye on Baker, who will be playing at his alma mater of Georgia Southern, where Britt was a standout linebacker and safety.

Baker, a four-year starter for the Cadets at linebacker, came on strong doubling up as a running back this season. He averaged 10.4 yards per carry and rushed for 633 yards while scoring 17 total touchdowns this year and will join the Eagles as a running back. He also had 57 tackles, three sacks and a pair of interceptions at linebacker.

"I tried not to push him toward Georgia Southern through the recruiting process, but it is special to me that he's signing with the Eagles," Britt said. "It's a brotherhood playing for that program, just like the brotherhood we have here at BC. Bryce was so smooth as a linebacker, and that's what colleges were recruiting him as at first, but he is also so smooth and explosive as a running back. He's so athletic, he honestly could play either position in college."

Baker made his commitment to Georgia Southern earlier this week and is excited to take the next step in his football career.

"I really like the culture there at Georgia Southern," Baker said. "They stayed down with me even when I waited to commit and that showed me a lot. I like coach (Clay) Helton a lot, he a great guy and a great coach. I'm looking forward to playing running back — I think I'm patient, elusive and physical when I run the ball and I want to show what I can do running the ball in college."

National Signing Day is here as high school football players across the country put pen to paper and set their futures in motion.

This is the first of two signing periods with the second coming in February. Here's a look at players from the Greater Savannah Area who have signed today. The list will be updated as news breaks on signings.

Luke Kromenhoek (Florida State)

What's next for BC QB Kromenhoek He already won a state title & committed to FSU. Where does Luke Kromenhoek go from here?

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Bryce Baker (Georgia Southern)

Baker bros at heart of BC football team Brothers within the Brotherhood: Bakers key for Benedictine football's chance to three-peat

Savannah Christian

David Bucey (South Carolina)

Bucey celebrated Signing Day last month in a ceremony at school, but SCPS's standout two-way star made it official, as it was confirmed on X by the South Carolina Football account, on Wednesday morning.

SCPS's Bucey commits to South Carolina With 20 offers on the table, David Bucey explains why he chose South Carolina football

Lorenzo Cowan, the star edge lineman from Jenkins, seemed set in his commitment to Kentucky, where he planned to join his brother, Tavion Gadson, on the Wildcat football team.

But the University of Southern California came calling -- and Cowan, who had never been west of Lexington, Kentucky, hopped on a plane to check out the scene with the Trojans in Los Angeles.

He immediately fell in love with the iconic program, and Southern California, and quickly formed a close bond with USC outside linebackers coach Roy Manning and head coach Lincoln Riley. That relationship grew even stronger when the coaching duo made the cross-country trip to visit Cowan the week after his trip to USC.

Cowan de-committed from Kentucky and signed with USC Wednesday -- and celebrated with a signing ceremony with his family, coaches and teammates at Jenkins on Thursday.

Why Cowan flipped from Kentucky to USC Why Jenkins star Lorenzo Cowan flipped from Kentucky to commit to this Pac-12 program

Jenkins' Cowan commits to Kentucky How family came first in SEC commitment of Jenkins football star Lorenzo Cowan

Jenkins brothers are big-time recruits How brothers from the Jenkins football team have become two of the hottest recruits in Georgia

"USC was amazing, and the area is beautiful," Cowan said. "The facilities for the team are great, and they took me to the pier at Manhattan Beach. I visited the stadium, where they're doing a huge new remodel. I talked with my brother about what was best for me, and I thought signing with USC was the best choice."

Cowan, who carries a GPA of 3.4, plans to major in sports psychology and is headed west to enroll early at USC on Jan. 4. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder had 76 tackles, including 11 for losses and eight sacks, with 12 quarterback hurries and eight passes defended this season -- helping Jenkins make a run to the Class 5A state quarterfinals as a No. 4 seed with upset wins on the road over Arabia Mountain and Dutchtown.

"Playing at Jenkins has shaped me into the player I am today," Cowan said. "(Head) Coach Tony Welch was always tough on me, but taught me to listen to instructions and not focus on the delivery and that helped me become coachable. And I got to work with Coach (Frank) Kearse, who was in the NFL for a long time, and that really helped me improve.

"Our playoff run this year taught me how to lead the right way -- and how to show composure in tough games," Cowan said.

Welch said it's always great to have a player sign to play college ball, but even more of a blessing when one signs with a Power 5 school.

"Coach Riley and Coach Manning loved Lorenzo's skill set and they loved the fact they're getting a high character guy," Welch said. "I think he's going to get the chance to compete for playing time right away. And I think you'll see both Lorenzo and his brother playing on Sundays in the future."

Bradwell Institute

Elyjah Thurmon (Clemson)

The four-star offensive lineman had the most intrigue about his decision coming into signing day, as the 6-foot-3, 285-pounder hadn't announced his commitment.

He announced his top eight schools in August with LSU, South Carolina, Missouri, Duke, UCF, Georgia Tech, Clemson and Florida on his list.

He made his decision public — choosing Clemson in a signing ceremony at Bradwell at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Bradwell's Thurmon a Power-5 recruit Bradwell's two-sport star Elyjah Thurmon draws big-time recruiting interest in football

"I developed a great relationship with the coaching staff at Clemson — they stayed in contact with me consistently throughout my recruitment," said Thurmon, who has a 4.3 GPA and plans to major in sports medicine. "They were so welcoming to me and my family on my visits and I built a bond with them and the players."

Thurmon played center for Bradwell this year, but is comfortable playing any of the five positions on the offensive line. He is also a star on the Tiger basketball team that is off to a 9-0 start this season. He was the Region 1-5A Basketball Player of the Year last year.

"I think I have a shot to have an impact right away because they are losing a couple guys to graduation," Thurmon said in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. "I think my versatility is going to help me, and I'll get a chance to play early on."

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: National Signing Day: Where Savannah-area football players are headed