(WSPA) – Schools around the Carolinas announced signings for their football programs on early national signing day Wednesday.
Furman gained 15, Wofford added 13, Western Carolina added eight, and Coastal Carolina registered 17 signees to their respective football programs.
Wofford
The Terriers will welcome eight players on defense, four players on offense and one athlete. The student-athletes are from seven different states, including four from Florida and three from North Carolina.
On defense, the eight players include four linebackers, two defensive backs and two linemen. On offense, the four players include three offensive linemen and a quarterback.
“2020 has been a year of adversity and this process was no different,” said head coach Josh Conklin. “I am proud of our staff. They accepted the challenges, never complained about limitations or decisions, consistently adjusted to the rules of engagement, and demonstrated a high level of professionalism. As a program we had to become creative in developing relationships, evaluating talent, and demonstrating the soul of Wofford Football. Rob Greene (defensive recruiting coordinator) and Dane Romero (offensive recruiting coordinator), led that effort with relentless discipline and energy.
Wofford 2021 Early Signing Recruiting Class
Matthew Clayton LB 6-3 205 Gainesville, Fla. / Buchholz
Damien Curtis DB 5-11 170 Gainesville, Fla. / Buchholz
Santana Curtis S 6-0 175 Knoxville, Tenn. / South-Doyle / Air Force
Marcus Dees DL 6-0 245 Montgomery, Ala. / Montgomery Catholic
Julio Del Jesus OL 6-4 275 Kissimmee, Fla. / Tohopekaliga
Austin Drinkwater OL 6-4 290 Umatilla, Fla. / Mount Dora Christian
Marcus Gatling LB 5-11 205 Havelock, N.C. / Havelock
Camden Gray LB 6-3 230 Inman, S.C. / Chapman
Quincy Hughes OL 6-4 295 Cincinnati, Ohio / Princeton
Brandon Maina DL 6-0 275 Hiram, Ga. / Hiram
Isaiah Mananga ATH 6-3 195 Clayton, N.C. / Clayton
Kyle Pinnix QB 6-1 177 Reidsville, N.C. / Eden
Eli Purcell LB 6-2 235 Knoxville, Tenn. / Farragut
Furman
Furman head football coach Clay Hendrix today welcomed the addition of 15 recruits to the Paladins’ program on the first day of the NCAA early signing period.
“I could not be more pleased with this impressive group we were able to sign today,” said Furman head coach Clay Hendrix on Wednesday. “Our assistant coaches did an incredible job identifying and recruiting outstanding young men who are terrific students and football players. We had some specific needs and believe we addressed them. The fact that we signed 15 players is even more of a testament to the work our staff did during a pandemic and an almost year-long dead period.”
Offense claimed nine of the 15 spots in the class, which featured three linemen, two tight ends, two running backs, one wide receiver, and one quarterback. Defensively the Paladins’ newest additions included two ends, three linebackers, and one cornerback
Seven states are represented in this year’s recruiting class, paced by talent-rich Texas, which yielded five signees. Georgia followed with three and Tennessee and Florida with two each. The Paladins also signed players from North Carolina, Ohio, and Delaware.
Among Furman’s highest profile signees are defensive end Bryce Stanfield from Acworth, Ga., tight end Brandon Whittemore from Lafayette, Tenn., and Buford, Ga., inside linebacker Tommy Beuglas.
Furman 2021 Early Signing Recruiting Class
| NAME | POSITION/MEASURABLES | HOMETOWN | H.S. |
| Amaah Achina | OLB (6’1″ 192lbs) | Greensboro, N.C. | Northern Guilford |
| Tommy Beuglas | ILB (6’1″ 220lbs) | Buford, Ga. | Buford |
| Alex Cain | OL (6’3″ 285lbs) | Juliet, Tenn. | Wilson Central |
| Jack Healy | TE (6’3″ 225lbs) | Wilmington, Del. | Salesianum |
| Joshua Harris | WR (6’2″ 177lbs) | Newnan, Ga. | Newnan |
| Myion Hicks | RB (5’11” 210lbs) | Desoto, Texas | Pantego Christian |
| Ryan Lamb | OL (6’2″ 320lbs) | Plano, Texas | Lebanon Trail |
| Alex Maier | OLB (6’4″ 225lbs) | Fleming Island, Fla. | Fleming Island |
| Dominic Morris | CB (5’11” 175lbs) | Spring, Texas | Klein Oak |
| Christian Paraison | DE (6’3″ 285lbs) | Akron, Ohio | Bishop Verot |
| Luke Petit | OL (6’3″ 285lbs) | Lehigh Acres, Fla. | Archbishop Hoban |
| Grant Robinson | RB (6’0″ 210lbs) | Plano, Texas | Pope John Paul II |
| Bryce Stanfield | DE (6’2″ 250lbs) | Acworth, Ga. | Harrison |
| Landon Whittemore | TE (6’4″ 220lbs) | Lafayette, Tenn. | Macon County |
| Jace Wilson | QB (5’11” 172 lbs) | Missouri City, Texas | Mayde Creek |
Western Carolina
Western Carolina football announced the addition of eight student-athletes to the Caramounts’ football roster.
Six of the eight are defensive players including three defensive backs and three linemen. Six are high school seniors while the other two are transferring to Western Carolina.
The eight athletes are from four different states, including Georgia (3), South Carolina (3), Florida (1), and Virginia (1).
| Timothy Jamison | DL (6-4, 260 lbs.) | Hutchinson CC | Lexington, S.C. |
| Rod Gattison | DB (5-11, 180 lbs.) | Georgia Military College | Hartsville, S.C. |
| Caleb Fisher | DE (6-3, 230 lbs.) | Columbia High School | Decatur, Ga. |
| James Wood | DE (6-2, 235 lbs.) | Jeff Davis High School | Hazlehurst, Ga. |
| Dramarian McNulty | (6-0, 180 lbs.) | Niceville High School | Niceville, Fla. |
| Willie Rice | (6-0, 185 lbs.) | East Coweta High School | Sharpsburg, Ga. |
| Solomon Butler | WR (6-0, 195 lbs.) | Berkeley High School | Moncks Corner, S.C. |
| Meziah Scott | QB (6-0, 200 lbs.) | Petersburg High School | Petersburg, Va. |
Coastal Carolina
The December signing class for the Chanticleers includes athletes from seven states spanning over the east and southeast in South Carolina (5), Georgia (5), Florida (2), North Carolina (1), Virginia (1), Connecticut (1), and Massachusetts (1).
The 2021 early signing class ranks second in the Sun Belt overall by both 247sports and Rivals.
Coastal Carolina 2021 Early Signing Recruiting Class
Charles Arnold Jr. (DB * 5-10 * 165 * Fairburn, Ga./Langston Hughes HS)
Max Balthazar (RB * 5-11 * 190 * Fort Lauderdale, Fla./TRU Prep Academy/University School)
Tom Bambrick (OL * 6-4 * 305 * Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand HS)
Jared Brown (WR * 6-0 * 175 * Lilburn, Ga./Parkview HS)
Tre Douglas III (DB * 6-2 * 195 * McDonough, Ga./Vanderbilt)
Tobias Fletcher (DB * 5-10 * 165 * Atlanta, Ga./Carver HS)
Ze’marion Harrell (LB * 6-2 * 220 * Virginia Beach, Va./Salem HS)
AJ Jones III (RB * 5-10 * 180 * St. Johns, Fla./Bartram HS)
Ty Lyles (QB * 6-2 * 215 * Kernersville, N.C./East Forsyth HS)
Kiylan Miller (Spur * 6-3 * 175 * Forest City, N.C./Chase HS)
Jared Morrow (OL * 6-5 * 290 * Carrollton, Ga/Mt. Zion HS)
Dre Pinckney (DB * 6-0 * 200 * Boiling Springs, S.C./Boiling Springs HS)
Chris Rhone (WR * 6-4 * 200 * Columbia, S.C./Gray Collegiate Academy)
Josaiah Stewart (DE * 6-2 * 245 * Everett, Mass./Everett HS)
Malachi Taylor (WR * 6-3 * 190 * Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek HS)
Jameson Tucker (WR * 6-2 * 190 * Mauldin, S.C./Mauldin HS)
Anthony Walton (OL * 6-4 * 300 * Lamar, S.C./Lamar HS)
