High School Sports
High School Sports

Toombs County 4-star prospect de-commits from Tennessee just before early signing period

4-star Toombs County safety Lagonza Hayward originally committed to Tennessee in July. (Jeff Sentell/ DawgNation)

Credit: Jeff Sentell

Credit: Jeff Sentell

4-star Toombs County safety Lagonza Hayward originally committed to Tennessee in July. (Jeff Sentell/ DawgNation)
By
Dec 2, 2024

Lagonza Hayward, a four-star safety out of Toombs County, announced Sunday that his recruitment was back open.

“Thankful for #volnation and coaches for support and the trust they put in me but I have prayed on it for a long time so respect my decision but I will be decommiting from The University of Tennessee,” Hayward posted on X.

Hayward committed to Tennessee in July and was still being heavily pursued by Georgia as of early November.

However, recruiting experts —including the 247 Sports Crystal Ball — indicate that Hayward will likely end up with the Florida Gators.

Hayward is listed by the 247 Composite Ranking as the No. 9 safety nationally and the No. 9 player in his class in the state of Georgia.

The three-day early signing period begins Wednesday and concludes Friday, which is when Hayward and his Toombs County teammates take on Dublin in the GHSA playoffs semifinals.

About the Author

Caitlyn Stroh-Page is the senior sports editor high school sports and college football at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Her resume includes stops at Sports Illustrated Kids, Scout.com, The (Macon) Telegraph, the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader and the Athens Banner-Herald. A South Georgia native, Stroh-Page lives in the Athens area.

Follow Caitlyn Stroh-Page on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Toombs County's quarterback TJ Stanley (center) makes a handoff to running back Justin Powell during the GHSA Class A Division state championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in Atlanta. Toombs County faces Worth County for the first time next week. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2024)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Bowdon seeks 4-peat title vs. 11-time title winner | State championship preview

Bowdon looks to join GHSA history with a fourth straight title, facing 11-time champion Lincoln County in the Class A Division II final at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Future Yellow Jackets: A final look at Georgia Tech football signees

Coach Brent Key has 24 high school seniors who have signed to play for Tech in 2026. Tech’s 2026 recruiting class ranks 38th overall and ninth among ACC teams.

Georgia Tech football coaching staff going through major overhaul

Despite Brent Key's contract extension providing for $2 million more for Tech assistants' salaries, reports have linked many offensive assistants with jobs at other programs.

The Latest

Parkview's Jeff Francoeur gives a stiff-arm to Westside Macon defender John Clark in 2001 quarterfinal playoff action. (AJC File)

Georgia HS football quarter-century team shows wealth of talent in state

Friday football recap: Grayson survives; McEachern, Norcross earn high-class wins

He cut his teeth on Urban Meyer’s staff. Now, he’s making strides in Georgia

Featured

A migrant farmworker harvests Vidalia onions at a farm in Collins, in 2011. A coalition of farmworkers, including one based in Georgia, filed suit last month in federal court arguing that cuts to H-2A wages will trigger a cut in the pay and standard of living of U.S. agricultural workers. (Bita Honarvar/AJC)

Credit: Bita Honarvar

Trump administration slashes Georgia migrant farmworker H-2A wages

The state’s agriculture industry relies on the H-2A farmworker visa program. A federal lawsuit is challenging the change.

Brian Kemp’s lame-duck dilemma: Swing big or play it safe?

The two-term Georgia governor enters his last legislative session next month.

Fate of Confederate souvenir store in limbo amid legal battle over estate

The future of Wildman’s Civil War Surplus Store has long been a topic of debate in Kennesaw, especially since proprietor Dent Myers’ death nearly four years ago.