These are busy times at Georgia State, where Panthers coach Shawn Elliott and staff had to juggle the early signing period with preparations for the LendingTree Bowl that’s nine days away. It worked out fine, as the staff sent out 14 letters of intent and had all of them signed and returned by lunchtime.
“It’s always an exciting time when you’re preparing for a bowl game and have signing day the same week,” Elliott said. “It’s a pretty fun day around here.”
The Panthers signed 14 players – 10 on defense and four on offense – and added depth, size and speed to its roster. The signing class, made up entirely of 3-star players, was ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference by 247Sports, behind only Appalachian State. Last year Georgia State signed 16 in the early period.
The 14 signees are spread throughout the position groups. The list includes four linebackers, two defensive ends, two offensive linemen, two cornerbacks, one wide receiver, one running back, one nose tackle and one safety.
“Every year you have to evaluate the roster and we had to bulk up that side of the ball,” Elliott said. “To see how the defense has performed the last four games, to add some more playmakers to that side of the ball, I think the program is heading in the direction it needs to go.”
The highest rated players in the class are cornerback Brylan Lanier of Cottondale, Ala., inside linebacker Jordan Jones of Smith’s Station, Ala., and outside linebacker Jamarion Ellis, an Eastman native who graduated from IMG Academy and turned down an offer from Auburn.
“I really don’t like pointing out one individual in a signing class,” Elliott said. “I think they are all exceptional players, or we wouldn’t have taken the time to recruit them. I don’t care about offers. We want to make sure we get the right individuals. A lot of coaches, the first thing they do, is fill up the offer sheet. We try to make a decision if we want them.”
The only running back signed was Jaquan Dixon of Loris, S.C., who ran for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns in a five-game season. He rushed for 4,310 yards (8.9 per carry) and 73 touchdowns in his career. He attended Green Sea Floyds High, where Elliott’s parents graduated.
The Panthers did not sign a quarterback, but Elliott said plans are in place to add “a quarterback or two.”
Defensive end Omarion Hammond from Columbia, S.C., helped the school win its first state championship. Jaylin Tolbert attended Greenwood (S.C.), where all-conference receiver Sam Pinckney attended. Tolbert played quarterback in high school and led the team in rushing and passing, but will play receiver in college. He and Pinckney worked out together during the summer.
There are three Georgians on the list: offensive lineman Marquez Bargman and Montavious Cunningham, the latter from Clarke Central in Athens, and Fuches “Deuce” Lewis, a nose tackle from Calvary Day School in Savannah.
Georgia State is expected to have many of its seniors take advantage of a rule that gives them an extra season because of COVID-19. But Elliott said that was not a factor in determining who to recruit or sign.
“You have to act like you’re replacing every senior,” he said. “You can’t sit back and ask a senior, eight games into the season, if he’s planning to come back and let that dictate how you’re going to recruit. You have to assume none of them are coming back. We had the find the number we wanted to sign.”
Elliott said the COVID shutout actually helped the recruiting process. Staff members were able to connect with prospects through Zoom meetings and create relationships that would have been harder to maintain through traditional means.
“In the spring we were in constant contact with recruits,” Elliott said. “I’m pleased with the staff’s efforts, and now we’ve got to develop these guys.”
Georgia State December 2020 signees
Name, Pos., Ht., Wt., Hometown
Marquez Bargman, OL, 6-3, 285, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Montavious Cunningham, OL, 6-3, 285, Athens
Christopher Davis, LB, 6-3, 215, Tampa, Fla.
Jaquan Dixon, RB, 5-11, 175, Loris, S.C.
Tylon Dunlap, DE, 6-1, 245, Charlotte, N.C.
Jamarion Ellis, OLB/DE, 6-2, 240, Eastman
Evan Graham, OLB, 6-1, 225, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Omarion Hammond, DE, 6-3, 250, Columbia, S.C.
Jordan Jones, ILB, 6-0, 210, Smiths Station, Ala.
Makkah Jordan, S, 5-10, 180, St. Petersburg, Fla
Brylan Lanier, CB, 6-1, 170, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Fuches Lewis, NT, 6-3, 290, Savannah
Tony McCray, CB, 5-11, 170, Clarksdale, Miss.
Jaylin Tolbert, WR, 6-3, 200, Greenwood, S.C.
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