JACKSONVILLE—Coach Rich Rodriguez announced the newest members of the 2025 Jax State football team following the December signing period on Wednesday.
 
The class includes nine high school seniors with four on offense and five on defense.
 
The Gamecocks are currently preparing to participate in Friday's Conference USA Championship game which Jax State will host at 6 p.m. Rodriguez has led the Gamecocks in the transition from FCS to FBS and has won 26 games in his first three seasons.
 
On offense, the Gamecocks are adding a pair of in-state linemen in Jackson's Markevian Blake and Lance Johnson of Ramsay. Blake will play in this week's 4A State Championship game and has helped the Aggies reach the title game for the first time since 2011. Johnson will participate in the AHSAA North/South All-Star Game.
 
Wide receiver Blake Wallace and running back Lucas Farrington are a pair of out-of-state freshmen that were highly recruited. Wallace comes from Spanish River High School in Florida where he had over 3,000 career receiving yards. Farrington scored 20 touchdowns and averaged over 100 all-purpose yards per game at Walton High School in Georgia.
 
The defensive signees include defensive lineman McCade Wright from Southside High School in nearby Gadsden. Wright posted 10 tackles for loss and eight sacks during his senior year and led the Panthers to a pair of playoff appearances.
 
In-state prospects Luke Reynolds and DJ Vinson bring versatility to play linebacker or in the secondary. Reynolds played offense and defense at Briarwood Christian in Birmingham and Vinson was highly recruited after scoring 17 touchdowns on offense and intercepting six passes on defense at Montgomery Academy.
 
Linebacker Mac Sanders from Ola High School in Georgia recorded 20 tackles for loss and recorded 164 total tackles. Safety Manny Watkins from Temple High School in Georgia posted an impressive 10 tackles for loss from the secondary this past season, and is a former 100 Meter State Champion.
 
SIGNING DAY BIOS
 
Markevian Blake
Offensive Line | Jackson HS | Gainestown, Ala.
Will play in 4A State Championship game this week…Preps at Jackson High School in Jackson, Ala. under head coach Cody Flournoy…Has helped lead the Aggies to their first AHSAA State Championship game since 2011.
 









Lucas Farrington
Running Back | Walton HS | Atlanta, Ga.
Three-star prospect according to 247 Sports and Rivals…Ninth-rated running back in Georgia…Recorded over 1,100 all-purpose yards in 11 games this season with 20 touchdowns…Chose Jax State over offers from Arkansas, Troy, UAB, Liberty and others.
 








Lance Johnson
Offensive Line | Ramsay HS | Birmingham, Ala.
Selected to the 2024 AHSAA North/South All-Star Game…Helped lead Ramsay to the Class 5A AHSAA title in 2022 and an appearance in the state title game in 2023…Chose Jax State over offers from Samford, Alabama A&M, Marshall and Arkansas State.
 








Luke Reynolds
Linebacker/Safety | Briarwood Christian HS | Birmingham, Ala.
Prepped at Briarwood High School under coach Matthew Forester…Played on both sides of the ball for the Lions, starring at linebacker and running back…Rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-6 win over Corner early in the season…Closed out his regular season with a five touchdown, 206-yard performance against McAdory…Also lettered in baseball for the Lions.
 








Mac Sanders
Linebacker | Ola HS | McDonough, Ga.
A consensus three-star prospect according to 247 Sports, On3 and ESPN…Wrapped up his senior season at Ola High School with 164 tackles, 20 TFL's, four sacks and three interceptions…Also lettered in baseball at Ola High School…Chose Jax State over offers from Troy, UAB, Georgia State and East Carolina among others.
 








DJ Vinson
Athlete/Safety | Montgomery Academy | Montgomery, Ala.
Three-star prospect according to On3, 247 Sports and Rivals…Chose Jax State over multiple others including Arkansas, Tennessee, USF, and Vanderbilt…Wrapped up his senior season with 1,300 yards, and 17 touchdowns while adding 42 tackles and six interceptions on defense…Named 4A Second Team All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association following his junior season in 2023…Selected to represent Montgomery Academy at the 2024 AHSAA North/South All-Star Game…
 







Blake Wallace
Wide Receiver | Spanish River HS | Boca Raton, Fla.
Three-star prospect according to 247 Sports…Chose Jax State over multiple offers including Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Liberty, Marshall, and Pittsburgh…Recorded over 3,000 receiving yards in his career…Had 57 catches for 1,085 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior…Averaged 21.3 yards per catch as a senior with 13 touchdowns.
 








Manny Watkins
Safety | Temple HS | Temple, Ga.
Three-star prospect according to On3, 247 Sports and ESPN…Finished his senior season with 55 tackles and 10 tackles for a loss from the secondary…Named to the 2024 1A Region 1 First Team All-Region team…Won the 2024 1A Division I State Title in the boys 100 Meter Dash.
 








McCade Wright
Defensive Line | Southside HS | Gadsden, Ala.
Three-Star prospect according to 247 Sports and On3…Prepped at Southside High School in Gadsden, Ala. under head coach Ben Stewart…Had 10 tackles for loss and eight sacks as a senior…Helped lead the Panthers to a first-round playoff appearance in 2023 and 2024.