In a very pivotal time of year in the SWAC, The Bluff welcomed 15 new recruits during last week’s signing day who will surely make the upcoming football season look very promising for the Jaguar Nation.
“It’s time for us to move Southern University forward,” Head Coach Dawson Odums said about the upcoming football season and its new recruits. “This recruiting class [has] a lot of local guys. We’re trying to mix and match all the right people. We get guys from all over, but you gotta have the right chemistry. The locker room is important when you look at how hard our guys play, the pride that they have for putting on their uniforms, and that’s what we try to do is keep the people in the locker room that believe in that.”
With only three winter signings during the December signing period, Southern was able shake back from a cold start on the recruiting trail to sign a multitude of players this past week. Recruiting their first full class of recruits since the 2015-2016 year, Southern was able to swell their total number of recruits to 15 going into the start of camp in the summer.
“Hope to see this catapult us over the hump. First full class we’ve had in four or five years. We’re getting guys that can run, and we feel that’s going to help us. We’ve gotten faster at every position.” said Odums in regards to finally having all of his recruits back this season.
One of the biggest wins this signing day came from Madison Prep’s own Bertrand Carrell. Carrell, a three-star recruit and native of Baton Rouge, LA, was one of the most anticipated recruits in the country. The highly-touted safety picked Southern over LSU and numerous other SEC and ACC schools.
We also recruited several other native Louisianans such as Jaylon Ned, a 6’6 defensive end from Lake Charles who had formerly committed to Southwestern, Louisiana. Ned, along with many other of the recruits, will be given a chance to earn spots this summer, with Coach Odums noting that the upcoming fall camp will be “a chance for a lot of guys to play.”
The running back corps, where depth is always important, was provided with more talent as well in the form of Craig Nelson, a transfer from Indiana University. Hailing from Miami, Florida, Nelson will come into the summer looking to turn heads as well.
“We’re excited about this class but we’re not done. We’re gonna evaluate this spring; and [there’s a possibility] that we may have to cut some guys. Either you’re going to compete and you get better, or we’re gonna move on from you. My responsibilities as a coach is to give you a platform and a opportunity, you gotta make the best of it,” said Odums in regards to this season.
The young men of this signing class definitely sound like they are wonderful new editions to the Jaguar Nation. Congratulations to the 2019 signing class and welcome to the Bluff. Geaux Jags!
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First Class: Jaguars nab top recruits in 2019 Signing Class
February 12, 2019
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