MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama has completed a 25-player 2013 football signing class built around defensive linemen, defensive backs and offensive playmakers, the program’s fifth recruiting class and its first as a full member of the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Sun Belt Conference.
Seventeen players signed National Letters of Intent and two signed grants-in-aid on National Signing Day on Wednesday. Six junior college transfers signed in December. In all, the class includes 14 freshmen and 11 junior college players.
Bowl Eligibility a Selling Point
Head coach Joey Jones said the chance to compete for a Sun Belt championship and a bowl berth helped the Jaguars land several of their signees.
“The reason we were able to get several of these really good football players is because we can go to a bowl game and we can win a championship,” Jones said at his Signing Day press conference. “The last few years we have been selling South Alabama, facilities, the city of Mobile, which are all great things to sell, but at the end of the day you’re going to get better players when you tell them you’re going to be on television a lot, go to bowl games and compete for a championship.”
Jones said that message carried particular weight with junior college recruits. “There’s no doubt it especially helps with junior-college kids because they’ve only got a couple of years to play,” he said. “They really don’t want to sit and wait for you and your program to evolve. They want it to happen right now. That’s the reason why I think we signed more quality junior-college kids.”
Signees held offers from programs including Alabama, Florida State, South Carolina, Michigan, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Clemson, Kansas State, Arizona, Arizona State, Cincinnati, Boise State, Georgia Tech, Southern Miss and a number of Sun Belt schools.
How the Class Ranks
Recruiting services differed on where the class stands in the Sun Belt. Scout.com ranked it third in the conference, Rivals.com placed it in a tie for seventh with Florida International, and 247Sports ranked it second behind Louisiana-Lafayette.
Jones said South Alabama, which can count the December junior college signees toward its 2012 class, has five scholarships still open and remains active in recruiting, with additional receivers a priority.
Offensive Signees
- Caleb Alves, WR, 6-3, 175, Palm Bay High School, Melbourne, Fla.: Ranked seventh in the Orlando Sentinel’s MidEast Florida Super 60 and named third-team all-state. Chose South Alabama over Bowling Green, Florida A&M, FIU, UMass and Memphis.
- Noah Armstrong, OL, 6-7, 300, Lawrence County High School, Moulton: Three-star prospect by Rivals and ranked among the top 100 offensive linemen nationally; offers from Arkansas State, Western Kentucky and Southern Miss.
- Kaleb Blanchard, RB, 6-0, 200, Denham Springs (La.) High School: Originally committed to Arkansas before a coaching change reopened his recruitment, then committed to South Alabama after an official visit during Senior Bowl weekend. Rated a three-star prospect by three services and a four-star by one. Rivals ranks him No. 35 nationally at his position and No. 15 in Louisiana. He rushed for 400 yards and six touchdowns in an injury-shortened junior season and was the offensive MVP of the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in December.
- Dejon Funderburk, WR, Booker T. Washington High School, Pensacola, Fla.: Committed in the summer of 2012 and held to that pledge despite offers from programs including Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, South Carolina, Rutgers and Western Kentucky. He said playing close to home was a factor.
- Caleb Hayman, WR/TE, 6-3, 215, Gainesville (Fla.) High School: First-team all-state after helping his school win a state title.
- Xavier Johnson, RB, 5-11, 170, Chamberlain High School, Tampa, Fla.: Rushed for 1,736 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior and was ranked among Florida’s top 30 running backs by ESPN.com.
- Tevaris McCormick, WR, 5-10, 170, Biloxi (Miss.) High School: Totaled 769 receiving yards, 213 rushing yards, 265 kick return yards and 16 touchdowns and played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic.
- Brett Sheehan, QB, 6-3, 184, Collins Hill High School, Suwanee, Ga.: A pocket passer who chose South Alabama over Georgia State and FIU.
Blanchard, Funderburk and the other skill players will join an offense run by coordinator Robert Matthews.
Defensive Signees
- Roman Buchanan, S, 6-2, 205, Daleville High School: Four-year starter and first-team all-state pick by the Alabama Sports Writers Association as a senior. As a junior he made 72 solo tackles and 45 assists with four sacks, two interceptions and a blocked field goal.
- Jacob Chaffin, DT, 6-3, 260, Spain Park: Three-star prospect by ESPN.com, which ranked him among Alabama’s top 10 defensive tackles; had 38 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks as a junior.
- Devon Earl, CB, 5-10, 185, Hoover High School: Ranked fifth among Alabama cornerbacks by ESPN.com after a junior season with 61 tackles, five interceptions and 10 pass deflections.
- DeMarion Harper, DE, 6-4, 275, Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College: Vicksburg, Miss., native who made 38 tackles at Highland Community College in 2011; arrives with two years of eligibility.
- Tony Johnson, LB, 6-3, 250, Southwest Mississippi Community College: Flipped from a verbal commitment to Louisiana Tech; also held a UAB offer. He joins a linebacker group that lost Jake Johnson to graduation.
- Akeem Lewis, DE, 5-11, 230, Los Angeles Harbor College: Abbeville, La., native with 14.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks last season.
- Jerome McClain, DT, 6-2, 295, Northwest Mississippi Community College: Pensacola native and three-star prospect with 51 tackles and 10 tackles for loss last season; offers included Arizona State, Indiana, Minnesota and Southern Miss.
- Theo Rich, DT/DE, 6-3, 270, Itawamba (Miss.) Community College: Portal, Ga., native who originally signed with NC State; arrives with two years of eligibility.
- DeVonta Staples, S, 6-1, 190, Valley High School, Lanett: All-state selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.
- Jalen Wells, DE, 6-5, 230, Dublin (Ga.) High School: Three-star prospect by Scout.com and first-team All-Region and All-Middle Georgia.
Specialist
Brandon McKee of South Forsyth High School in Georgia drew South Alabama’s attention by winning a punting and kicking competition in Mobile. He also won competitions at Appalachian State and Western Carolina and finished eighth out of 200 at the Kohl’s National Scholarship Camp. As a senior he averaged 45 yards on 33 punts, made all 25 extra points and 8 of 9 field goals with a long of 45, and recorded 40 touchbacks on 45 kickoffs, earning first-team Class 6A all-state honors.
The staff primarily projects McKee as a punter. Scott Garber, the program’s punter for its first four seasons, has a year of eligibility remaining but is considering leaving. McKee may also compete at placekicker, where Michel Chapuseaux has graduated.
December Junior College Signees
- Cristobal Dinham, RB, 5-10, 210, Independence (Kan.) Community College: Ranked fifth in the NJCAA with 1,012 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2012.
- Steffon Fuller, S, 6-4, 205, East Central (Miss.) Community College: First-team MACJC all-state with 54 tackles and four pass breakups.
- Steven Fuller, DB, 6-4, 200, East Central (Miss.) Community College: Steffon’s twin brother; had 20 tackles, three for loss, and caught seven passes for 95 yards.
- Montell Garner, CB, 6-1, 185, Navarro College: Tied for fifth in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference with eight pass breakups for a 10-2 team ranked fourth in the final NJCAA poll.
- Jay Jones, RB, 5-9, 180, Northwest Mississippi Community College: Rushed for 504 yards and three touchdowns, with a season-high 157 yards on 29 carries at Jones County.
- Desmond LaVelle, LB, 5-11, 230, Northwest Mississippi Community College: Decatur native and first-team all-conference pick with 53 tackles, 4.5 for loss, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
