MOBILE, Ala. — Highland Community College defensive back Brandon King has made a verbal commitment to the Jaguars, making Brandon King South Alabama’s newest pledge for the 2013 signing class.
King, a native of Alabaster, Ala., played at Thompson High School before signing with Highland. He has said he intends to sign with the Jaguars after his upcoming season.
From Linebacker to Safety
The 6-foot-2, 212-pound King led Highland with 118 total tackles last season, 70 of them solo. He added six tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Highland is moving him from linebacker to safety this season.
“I’ve played linebacker my whole life, but they’ve moved me to safety because of my flexibility,” King said. He said he runs a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash on a laser timer. “Safety is a nice transition. It shows that I can cover and I’m good with depth. It helps out and shows that I’m versatile.”
Visit Made the Difference
King said his recent visit to the South Alabama campus influenced his choice. “I really liked that when I came down all the coaches were there and they seemed really dedicated to building the program,” he said. “Everyone knew me by name when I came in.”
He also cited the Jaguars’ facilities and Mobile’s location, noting that the Senior Bowl is played in the city each year. “I liked everything about it,” King said.
King drew recruiting interest from FBS programs including Northern Illinois, Maryland, Rutgers and Auburn. He said he was glad to finish the recruiting process so he can concentrate on his season at Highland.
South Alabama’s 2013 Commitments
South Alabama, which is preparing for its first season as a transitional FBS member and Sun Belt Conference football program under head coach Joey Jones, has also received verbal commitments from:
- Tiquan Lang, cornerback, Lowndes (Ga.): 5-8, 168 pounds; 73 tackles, three interceptions and a blocked kick in 2011, with five kickoff returns for 201 yards and a touchdown and six punt returns for 113 yards
- Terrell Pinson, free safety, Itawamba Community College: 6-3, 200 pounds; caught 10 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown as a freshman wide receiver
- Xavier Johnson, running back, Chamberlain (Fla.): 5-9, 170 pounds; rushed for 1,736 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2011
- Caleb Hayman, wide receiver/tight end, Gainesville (Fla.): 6-1, 193 pounds
- Dejon Funderburk, wide receiver, Washington High in Pensacola (Fla.): 6-0, 175 pounds; 31 catches for 720 yards and seven touchdowns, plus 362 rushing yards and four scores
- Taylor Lamb, quarterback, Calhoun (Ga.): 6-1, 190 pounds; completed 73 percent of his passes for 3,635 yards, 40 touchdowns and nine interceptions
- Justin Jones, running back, Northeast Mississippi Community College: 5-6, 180 pounds; rushed for 920 yards and caught 27 passes as a freshman
- Roman Buchanan, safety, Daleville (Ala.): 6-2, 195 pounds; 72 solo tackles, 45 assisted tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, four pass breakups and a blocked field goal as a junior
- Tevaris McCormick, wide receiver, Biloxi (Miss.): 5-9, 170 pounds; 769 receiving yards, 213 rushing yards and 265 return yards with 16 total touchdowns
- Jacob Chaffin, defensive tackle, Spain Park (Ala.): 6-3, 260 pounds; 38 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks as a junior
- Devon Earl, safety, Hoover (Ala.): 61 tackles, five interceptions, 10 pass deflections and 3.5 tackles for loss as a junior
- Noah Armstrong, offensive tackle, Lawrence County (Ala.): 6-8, 300 pounds; also held offers from Arkansas State, Western Kentucky and Southern Miss
- Willie Williams Jr., defensive end, Sumter County High in Americus (Ga.): 6-2, 255 pounds; also recruited by Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas and UCLA
Verbal commitments are not binding.
