5 observations about Georgia State’s signing day

Clifford Amazan; DL; 6-2; 315; Lawrenceville

Tra Barnett; RB; 5-10; 170; Elberton

Malik Besseck; OL; 6-4; 275; Minneapolis

Trey Chapman; ATH; 5-11; 180; Madison

Bryson Duckworth; WR; 6-4; 212; Riverdale

Eric Elder; WR; 6-1; 177; Stone Mountain

Andrew Everett; LB; 6-5; 240; Lawrenceville

Devin Gentry; ATH; 5-10; 180; Louisville; Ky.

Quion Gilmore; OL; 6-3; 265; Riverdale

Kendrec Grady; S; 6-2; 209; Norcross

Jonathan Ifedi; WR; 5-11; 180; Charlotte; N.C.

Javonte Lain; LB; 6-2; 220; Fayetteville

Tavis Malakius; DL; 6-2; 320; Macon

Connor Manning; QB; 6-1; 205; Lake Forest; Calif.

Matlin Marshall; WR; 5-9; 188; Evans

Nick Meyer; OL; 6-5; 270; Cincinnati

Peyton Moore; LB; 6-2; 225; Hoschton

Jawan Nobles; WR; 6-3; 180; Smyrna

Charlie Patrick; LB; 6-0; 220; Atlanta

Zeke Pernell; OL; 6-5; 265; Jackson; Ala.

Cedric Stone; CB; 5-11; 180; Charlotte; N.C.

Darius Stubbs; RB; 5-10; 188; Locust Grove

Terry Thomas; DL; 6-3; 245; Locust Grove

Kwon Williams; S; 6-0; 202; Oakwood

Georgia State signed 17 high school football players Wednesday, joining the five high school players and a transfer who already enrolled for the spring semester and two players who enrolled last fall, to complete the Class of 2016.

The Panthers finished 6-7 and played in their first bowl game last season.

“We are going through the process of a team that competes for championships and not just tries to go to a bowl game,” coach Trent Miles said.

The team signed 18 players from Georgia. The group consists of five wide receivers, four offensive linemen, four linebackers, three defensive linemen, two running backs, two safeties, two athletes, a cornerback, a tight end and a quarterback.

Here are five observations about Georgia State’s signing day:

The big gets. The jewels of the class are safety Kendrec Grady of Norcross High, safety Kwon Williams of West Hall, running back Darius Stubbs of Luella High and offensive lineman Zeke Pernell of Jackson (Ala.) High.

Grady, Williams and Stubbs are three-star recruits. Purdue made late push to try to sign Pernell.

“We are a different level now,” Miles said. “You see it with type of student-athletes that are walking into the building. Longer, taller, bigger, stronger, and there’s more people in place to assist us.”

Turner Field. Miles said the potential acquisition of Turner Field helped recruiting tremendously. The news that the university won the bid to negotiate to purchase the property came days after the loss in the Cure Bowl in December, which gave the coaching staff several weeks to use it as part of their recruiting pitch.

“It shows the vision of our president,” Miles said. “Dr. Becker is very aggressive and with great vision to put us in position to acquire Turner Field and make that a great home for Georgia State University, not just Georgia State football.

“We rode the momentum.”

Beef up front. Because the starting defensive line features two seniors and a fourth-year junior, the coaching staff successfully focused on adding tackles and ends. Signing Wednesday were 320-pound tackle Tavis Malakius of Windsor Academy and 315-pound tackle Clifford Amazan or Archer High School, reflecting linebackers coach P.J. Volker's tweet last week that "#bigpeoplebeatuplittlepeople." They also added 245-pound end Terry Thomas and welcomed rush end/outside linebacker Andrew Everett, a transfer from Old Dominion who played at Collins Hill High.

Speed at the back and on the edge. Miles said the most important thing the team added was speed at wide receiver, defensive back and cornerback. The team is strong at starter at wide receiver, but lacks depth. The team is deep at cornerback but lacks depth at safety.

The biggest find enrolled early. Conner Manning, a transfer from Utah, enrolled last month and is expected to compete with returners Emiere Scaife and Aaron Winchester to take the starting quarterback job previously held by Nick Arbuckle.

Quarterbacks coach Luke Huard said he tried to recruit Manning out of high school. When he learned that Manning had graduated in 2 1/2 years and was leaving Utah, he reached out again.

He said Manning is very accurate, smart, strong arm and has outstanding feet.

He said he is not the next Arbuckle, who was named the Sun Belt’s football player of the year last season because he hasn’t coached two quarterbacks who are exactly alike in 14 years.

“It’s most important for the three guys to be the very best that they can be,” Huard said. “I’m excited about the competition. They will all get better from it.”