JACKSONVILLE – Fresh off the first bowl win in program history, the Jacksonville State Football Team added a few key pieces to the future during National Signing Day.
The Gamecocks received National Letters of Intent from 10 prep stars and paperwork from two Division I transfers, head coach
Rich Rodriguez announced early on Wednesday afternoon.
The signings came after a long recruiting process that led to what is a hectic few days before the early signing period opened on Wednesday, and Rodriguez credited the relationships made during that long process to landing who he hopes to be key pieces to Jax State's future in FBS and Conference USA.
"It was kind of a hectic few weeks, but it's not a process that happens in three weeks anyway, right?" Rodriguez said. "We've been talking to these guys since springtime, summer and all throughout the fall. But the last couple of weeks have been really kind of crazy with official visits and all that."
The head coach, who just finished his second season at the helm of the Gamecocks with a 9-4 record and the first bowl win by a first-year FBS program in history, was pleased with the class Jax State landed on Wednesday, but he emphasized the importance to keep recruiting until 2024 kicks off in the fall.
"It's a good class, Rodriguez added. "It addressed some of our needs and, as always, we'll continue to recruit every day up until probably the first week of the first game."
All 10 NLI's came from high school players on Wednesday, a formula that Rodriguez said wasn't planned, but just the way it played out.
"I don't have a particular formula that says x-number of high school guys, x-number of portal transfer guys and x-number of junior college guys," Rodriguez said. "I just told our staff to try to get the best players they could get that would fit what we do and that we could sign. It turned out that we probably signed a lot more high school guys than a lot of other folks, and I think there's a lot of good high school players that are getting overlooked."
Those prep players included six offensive and four defensive players. Two wide receivers signed along with a running back, quarterback, tight end and offensive lineman, while two linebackers, a defensive lineman and a safety joined them. Five of those 10 signees carry a three-star ranking from multiple recruiting services.
Rodriguez did mention that he expected some experienced help to join the class soon, including two transfers in offensive tackle Cam Jones and receiver Samario "Flip" Rudolph that signed agreements with Jax State on Wednesday.
"With that being said, we need some immediate help," Rodriguez added. "The transfer guys are going to be able to provide that and I think that the JUCO guys that we're recruiting right now will be able to provide that too."
2023 Early Signing Day Bios
Jeremiah Colbert
WR • 5-10 • 165 • FR • Atlanta, Ga./Buford HS
A three-star prospect by 247Sports and a two-star prospect by Rivals.com … played his senior season at Buford High School in Buford, Ga. … primarily a wide receiver and kick returner for BHS … also an accomplished track star at Buford … played the 2022 season at Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee, Ga. … a big play threat with excellent speed both from the receiver position and as a returner on special teams … chose Jax State over several offers that included Army, Georgia State, James Madison, Liberty, Maryland, Middle Tennessee, Missouri, Ole Miss, South Florida and Western Michigan.
Amare "Bubba" Grayson
OL • 6-2 • 282 • FR • Stockbridge, Ga./Stockbridge HS
A three-star prospect by 247Sports and a two-star prospect by Rivals.com … prepped at Stockbridge High School in Stockbridge, Ga. … an all-state offensive lineman and a first-team all-region performer for SHS …led the Tigers to a 12-3 record and to a runner-up finish in the 2023 GHA Class 4A State Championship … named to the 2023 GPB Sports All-Finals Team … chose Jax State over several offers that included West Virginia, Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Liberty, Maryland, Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion and Western Kentucky.
Nick Igbeare
DL • 6-4 • 260 • FR • Suwanee, Ga./Collins Hills HS
Prepped at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga. … was a first-team all-region defensive lineman in Region 8-AAAAAAA for the Eagles as a senior … was named Gwinnett County Player of the Month for October … as a senior, racked up 66 tackles and an impressive 27.0 tackles for a loss, including 11.0 sacks and 25 quarterback hurries … chose Jax State over several offers that included UCF, Georgia Southern, and Buffalo.
Alex Moore
TE • 6-6 • 230 • FR • Huntsville, Ala./Huntsville HS
Prepped at Huntsville High School in Huntsville, Ala. … named one of the Top Tight End Prospects by Rocket City Preps prior to the 2023 season … was a key member of the Panthers offense as a tight end that was a key blocker in the run game and also an option in the passing game.
Nick Pace
LB • 5-11 • 190 • FR • Moultrie, Ga./Colquitt County HS
Prepped at Colquitt County High School in Moultrie, Ga. … helped the Packers to their second-straight region title in 2023 … CCHS finished his senior season with a 12-1 record after falling in the third round of the GHSA 7-A playoffs … was named the Packers Defensive Player of the Year and a Team Captain as s senior … a First-Team All-Region 1-7A selection after his senior season … was also First Team All-Region as a junior in 2022 after leading the Packers in tackles with 160 … chose Jax State over several offers that included Charlotte, Georgia Southern and UMass.
Justus Savage
RB • 5-10 • 195 • FR • Atlanta, Ga./Langston Hughes HS
A three-star prospect by 247Sports … prepped at Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, Ga. … 247Sports ranked him the No. 48 running back in the nation in the 2024 class and the No. 63 player in Georgia … ran for over 1,000 yards and 18 touchdowns in the rgular season alone in his senior campaign … opened his senior season in a big way, running for 135 yards and two scores in a 39-34 win over Carrollton on ESPN2 … as a junior, ran the ball 153 times for 1,028 yards and 12 touchdowns to lead LHHS to a 15-0 record and the GHSA Class 6A state title … chose the Gamecocks over offers that included Indiana and Toledo.
Wyatt Sonderman
WR • 6-1 • 175 • FR • Marietta, Ga./Walton HS
Prepped at Walton High School in Marietta, Ga. … an all-state wide receiver in Class 7A in Georgia … led WHS to a 14-1 record and a runner-up finish in the GHSA Class 7A Playoffs in 2023 … Walton finished the season ranked 18
th in the MaxPreps National HS Football Rankings, after being ranked in the top 10 before falling in the state championship game … named First-Team All-Region 5 for Class 7A as a senior after catching 32 passes for 506 yards and seven touchdowns … as a junior in 2022, caught 42 passes for 744 yards and 11 touchdowns … also had offers from UMass, Charleston Southern and Wofford.
Zedric Washington, Jr.
LB • 6-3 • 225 • FR • Magnolia, Miss./Parklane Academy
Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports and a two-star recruit by Rivals.com … 247Sports ranked him the No. 131 Edge linebacker in the nation and the No. 51 player in Mississippi in his class … prepped at Parklane Academy in McComb, Miss. … selected to play in the MAIS 4A-5A-6A All-Star Football Game, where he was named Defensive MVP for the Blue Team … an MAIS All-State selection … chose the Gamecocks over several offers that included Louisiana, Arkansas State, Cincinnati, Middle Tennessee, Southern Miss and UAB.
AJ Watkins
ATH • 6-2 • 195 • FR • Lithonia, Ga./Norcross HS
Prepped at Norcross High School in Norcross, Ga. … served as Norcross' quarterback and earned First-Team All Region 7 for GHSA Class 7A as a senior … was named the Class 7A Region 7 Player of the Year after scoring 17 rushing touchdowns, nine passing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns … threw for 1,114 yards, ran for 1,103 yards and added 370 receiving yards in his senior campaign … chose the Gamecocks over offers that included Air Force, Army, Kennesaw State and Toledo.
Marc Woods, Jr.
SAF • 6-4 • 187 • FR • Madison, Ala./James Clemens HS
Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports, who ranked him the No. 158 safety and the No. 55 player in the state of Alabama in his class … prepped at James Clemens High School in Madison, Ala. … a First Team All-Region 4 selection for Class 7A as a senior after recording 67 tackles, six tackles for a loss, two interceptions, seven pass breakups and three forced fumbles.
Mid-Year Transfer Bios
Cam Jones
OT • 6-8 • 330 • R-SR • Knott County, Ky./Fredrick Douglass HS/Cincinnati
Spent the previous five seasons as a member of the football program at Cincinnati, where he had a unique path to the offensive line … started his UC career as a 6-1, 205-pound quarterback after signing as a four-star signal caller out of Frederick Douglass High School in Lexington, Ky. … transitioned to tight end during his redshirt season in 2019, played as a reserve tight end in 2020 before moving to the offensive line prior to the start of the 2021 season … appeared in 12 games on the Bearcats offensive front in 2023 after playing nine games in 2022 and 10 games in 2021 … as a high school quarterback, was the No. 7 player in Kentucky and a Top-30 quarterback nationally … chose Jax State over several offers that included Western Michigan, Marshall and UAB.
Samario "Flip" Rudolph
WR • 5-9 • 180 • R-SR • Mobile, Ala.,/Cottage Hill Christian/UAB
Transfer from UAB that has one year of eligibility remaining … in his final season with the Blazers, hauled in 22 receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown … in his UAB career, caught 45 receptions for 545 yards and five touchdowns … prepped at Cottage Hill Christian in Mobile, Ala., where he was a first-team all-state wide receiver and the AHSAA Class 2A Back of the Year after his senior season in 2018 … led the Warriors to a 10-2 record, a region title and to the second round of the playoffs as a senior … was the Coastal Alabama Offensive MVP in 2018 after catching 81 passes for 1,667 yards and 24 touchdowns, while also returning 10 kickoffs for 517 yards and three touchdowns.
