February 7, 2018, the college football national signing day and the McEachern football family stands proud as it officially begins to say goodbye to some of it s graduating senior football players from the class of 2018. At the top of the list is senior defensive lineman Michael Fairbanks. Michael has been a three year starter and a four year varsity player. In his senior season, Micheal was the 3rd leading tackler as a defensive lineman with 62 total stops. Additionally he had 8 sacks. In 2016, Michael was able to make 61 stops with 28 solos and also 8 sacks. At his team banquet in December, culminating a successful season, he was given his team s highest honor of the Golden Helmet Award. In 2015, Michael appeared in the Sophomore Elite Classic, in 2016 he appeared in Rising Seniors Dot Com, and this season, he appeared in the Cobb Senior Bowl XI. As a highly recruited athlete, Michael went to many camps and had great attention. In addition to his prowess on the field, Michael has taken care of his academics with a GPA of 3.8. After a long process, Michael has made the commitment to play college football for the Blazers of the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Devin Hart was a one year starter for the Indians in 2017 but he made a terrific impact. His quiet maturity helped him to have a stellar year with an amazing 119 tackles as an inside linebacker with 86 solos and 33 assists. He also used his prowess to contribute an additional 5 quarterback sacks. As a back-up in 2016, he was able to make 13 stops with 8 solos and 5 assists. Devin also served as a key member to the special teams in 2016 and was a journeyman on kickoff and punt coverage. His commitment to academics would be rewarded this season as he was the team s first recipient of the Steve Jones Academic Award and he boasts a GPA well over the 4.0 mark. Devin will make his academics a part of his collegiate choice as he will be attending Columbia University which is located in New York City. At 6-1, 195 pounds, he will have an opportunity to compete for playing time in the Ivy Leagues. Devin entertained many other recruiters who came calling, however he is highly honored by being selected to play college football in the nation s top academic conference. Congratulations to Devin!!
Kenny Holmes is one of our next signees at this time. As a hardworking and persistent lineman, Kenny came into his own as a senior for the Indians this season in his first year in a starting role. At 6-1 and 265 pounds he has all of the necessary prerequisites for a college football player. His bench press of 295 and his squat total of 465 give him some real tools for the next level. Kenny played as a back-up during 2016 and saw time on the J.V. team as a sophomore. His consistency and durability allowed him to start in all 14 of his team s contests this season. In addition to his duties as a left tackle, he also filled in as a back-up at critical times in punt protection. Kenny had an opportunity to play in the Cobb Senior Box XI in December. At his team banquet, he was awarded the Foxhole Award for being a guy who you would want to have fighting next to you in the same foxhole. Kenny has made a commitment to Shorter University located in Rome Georgia. Jaron Hull saw limited action as a junior, but came onto have a stellar senior year and made a huge impact on his team success. In 2016 he had 3 catches for 47 yards and 1 touchdown. In 2017, Jaron hauled in 22 receptions for 240 yards and a touchdown. Another way in which his talents were highlighted was as the team s return specialist. He scored one touchdown on a punt return and also found the endzone on a two point conversion. As important as return yards is, Jaron helped his team by catching every single punt, thus setting his team up with great field position all season. He would play in the post-season in the Cobb Senior Bowl XI as well as the Senior Elite Classic. He received team honors this year as the McEachern Specialist of the Year as well as a member of the D.I.A. group. He would receive recognition of being voted 2nd team All State. Jaron will be playing college football at the University of the Cumberlands which is located in Williamsburg, Kentucky where he will be accepting a scholarship. He will be accompanying teammate Malik Evans. a Quarterback Malik Evans waited two seasons as a back-up behind Bailey Hockman before getting his chance in the starting role in 2017. His season had many high marks. At times he shared the starting role, and at others was given sole billing. Coming off the bench against Lowndes County, he provided many key plays in that important playoff victory. Malik ended 2017 with 78 completions on 168 attempts for 947 passing yards. The sure footed Evans also finished the season as the team s third leading rusher with 366 yards on 64 attempts for a 5.9 yard average. Through the air, Malik combined for 11 touchdown passes, while running for 5 others. He served as the holder on extra point. In a rare move, he was used as a pooch punter with 15 punts for 495 yards and a 31 yard punting average with a long of 48 yards. Malik is a two sport athlete who has also proven his worth on McEachern s baseball team. Malik earned recognition by being part of McEachern s D.I.A. and saw action in the post-season in the Cobb Senior Bowl XI. He has decided to pursue collegiate football at the University of Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky where he will be accepting a scholarship.
DeWayne White came to McEachern as a transfer from Campbell during his freshman season as a runningback. He could have probably developed but his quick change of direction skills pushed him into action very early in his career as he became a cover cornerback. He served as a two year starter and saw significant time as a sophomore as well. In 2017, he had 40 tackles with 32 solos. He also had an interception. In 2016 he had 19 tackles with 12 solos. He is 5-11 and 175 pounds with sub 4.5 speed. He played in the Cobb Senior Bowl XI and was also a member of this year s D.I.A. He earned defensive player of the week honors against North Cobb. DeWayne exhibits great confidence and has unique leadership qualities that combine with a very vivacious personality. As a result at his senior banquet he was honored with one of the coveted Captain s Awards. DeWayne has been highly recruited and will be spending the next season as an Aztec for Pima Community College which is located in Tucson, Arizona. In addition to being a very solid high school player, Justin Roberson served his team as a serious-minded inspirational leader who provided his team a winning edge week in and out. Serving in a dual role of outside linebacker and defensive back, Justin s influence was felt with his 21 bone-jarring tackles which included 16 solos. He added 1interception in 2017 which he returned for a touchdown. Fighting off injury in 2016, Roberson started to make an impact as a special teams player and back-up. He would come into 2017 in a very strong position. He is 5-11 and 185 pounds which may offer a little room for growth as he matures at the next level. Justin was a member of the D.I.A. association this season, he received specialist of the week honors against Marietta, and was also honored as the recipient of the Jimmy Dorsey Coach s Award at the recent banquet. He will join his brother Christian (currently on scholarship at Mississippi State University) as a college football player, but Justin will be attending Stetson University in Deland, Florida. Ishmael Bridges came to McEachern as a multitalented athlete who could excel in many feats. After converting from runningback to a defensive back, he would have a chance to put his abilities on display. Fighting injury during much of the 2017 season, he was able to amass 39 total tackles which included 24 solos. He also had a sack. He spent much of the season as one of the punters for the Indians with 22 punts for a 31.5 yard average on the season. He would earn specialist of the week twice vs. Westlakd and North Cobb and he would be the defensive player of the week in the season finale vs. North Gwinnett. At his senior banquet, he would be honored as one of the recipients of the Purple Heart Award. He would also be a member of the D.I.A. society. He has made the decision to pursue collegiate at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. Ishmael had numerous choices and wavered for a week or two, but is now very firm in his decision of pursuing his collegiate football career.
Kameron Dahunsi stepped out of his part-time starter role from 2016 to become a full-time figure at the left tackle position for the Indians this season. Making steady progress all throughout, he was able to become an impact player this season. Kameron was one of the 2017 Indians who was able to gain All State honors. At 6-3 and 275 pounds he carries a frame that has put him on the radar of many collegiate football programs. Kameron was offensive player of the week against Westlake and was the Otters Player of the Game against Kennesaw Mountain. He was voted as his team s offensive lineman of the year for his senior banquet. Kameron also played a vital role serving on the punt team for his athleticism and blocking ability. He rightly earned the honor of being in the team s D.I.A. He has made the decision to pursue his college football at Albany State in Albany, Georgia. Alex Grant is perhaps one of the biggest offensive lineman that McEachern has had over the years playing his senior season at 6-3 and 380 pounds. In spite of the terrific girth, he has amazingly quick feet. His talent, as might be expected was drive blocking. Alex served as a two year starter, filling in as the center as a junior and then moving to right guard for his senior year. Additionally, he played a vital role in our big man punt protection unit as a signal caller. This big powerful blocker is capable of squatting an impressive 600 pounds, bench pressing 350 and power cleaning 275. Alex earned offensive player of the week against Camden County. He was the Otter s Chicken Player of the Week against Hillgrove. Alex played in the Cobb Senior Bowl in December. His vocal abilities and demeanor caused him to be recognized for his leadership by both fellow teammates and coaches, and at his senior banquet received the Captain s Award. Alex will be playing next season at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona. Austin Jones has been a two -year starter and a real difference maker for the Indians over his career. He made his first impact as a sophomore long-snapper, a position he has held for his entire time as a varsity football player. Austin was our starting tight end for the last two seasons and has developed into a fine high school football player. In 2017, within a mostly run-oriented offense, Austin hauled in 10 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns. In 2016 he had 1 reception for 25 yards. Austin Jones was one of the first inducted into the D.I.A. this season. He was the Otter s Player of the week three times against North Cobb, Etowah and Lowndes County. He also earned specialist of the week against North Gwinnett. He would appear in the Cobb Senior Bowl XI and also in the Senior Elite Classic. At the banquet Austin was honored as the Eric Petty Award Winner, which is one of his team s highest honors. Austin has chosen to continue his playing career at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Georgia.
Sydney Okafor is a truly remarkable comeback story about a guy who faced real adversity and has been able to overcome it. Prior to the start of the 2016 football season, Sydney and a couple of his teammates were in an unfortunate accident that landed him in the hospital in intensive care, and cost his teammate the use his eye. Sydney was sidelined for the entire 2016 season but his resilience allowed him to resume his career for his senior season. He ended up splitting time with two other talented tight ends and his forte was in being a strong blocker. At 6-1, 230 pounds, he should be a strong candidate in the future. His never-say-quit attitude made him a great candidate for this year s D.I.A. He made contributions on special teams and was a factor in every game in 2017. He had one reception in 2017 for 22 yards. At the banquet, he was honored as one of the recipients of the Purple Heart Award. He has chosen to join the program at Johnson C. Smith University where he will join former Indian teammate, B.J. Johnson who is currently in the program. Genuine Potts has had a long road in the recruiting wars and it looks like he s settled in on a great opportunity. Since he joined the Indians, he was a varsity player from his freshman year. As a junior he had 30 receptions for 392 yards and a 15.2 yard average. His size makes him a great target as well as a strong blocker on the edge. He scored two touchdowns. In 2017, in spite of fighting over injuries, he was able to make 32 receptions for 459 yards and 5 touchdowns. A career hilite was definitely when he scored the winning touchdown to defeat Lowndes County who was the number one team in the state. He was recognized as the offensive player of the week vs. Hillgrove. He would also make appearances in the Cobb Senior Bowl XI and the Senior Elite Classic that took place in December. Genuine was voted as his team s Most Valuable Receiver. He also recently received All County Honors as well. Genuine will be accepting a scholarship to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Cameron Moon saw action as a defensive end for the last two seasons for the Indians. At 6-1 and 220 he has all the credentials to be able to take his talents to the next level. He has spent a lot of his time recovering from injury which has prevented him from receiving higher accolades and attention. In spite of that his quick motor and overall athleticism have seemed to catch the attention of some scouts. In 2016 Cameron had just one tackle but did see a great deal of time in the special teams. In 2017, he was able to have a much greater impact worthy of his talents. He had 35 overall tackles with 24 solos and 11 assists. Cameron was able to make 7 sacks which turned out to be the third best on the entire defensive unit. His best game of the season came in the third round of the playoffs when he was named as the defensive player of the week against Parkview. Cameron will be headed to join the squad next fall at Pima Community College in Tuscon, Arizona, where he will be joined by fellow Indian DeWayne White.
Jeremiah Fulks began working into a starting role during the later part of the 2016 season and has been on the rise ever since. In 2016 he ended up with 27 tackles including 22 solos as a cornerback. Seeing limited action he also had 2 interceptions. In 2017 he was able to make 39 stops with 24 solos. He was 2nd on the team with 4 interceptions. He received defensive player of the week honors against Mill Creek. He was also a member of this year s D.I.A. Additionally he made an appearance in the Cobb Senior Bowl XI. His fleet footed ball skills make him a very strong candidate for success at the next level. His track accomplishments make him a real gem. He has been proficient in the long jump, the 100 meters, 200 and 400 meters. His 20 plus feet in the long jump is a great demonstration of the explosiveness he will be bringing to the next level. At his senior banquet, Jeremiah was named as the Defensive Back of the Year. He will be accepting a scholarship to Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia where he will be a Wildcat. Samson Edem was a member of a triumvirate of tight ends for the 2017 Indians who each made contributions to the overall team success. At 6-2, 210 pounds he will be in a good position to continue to grow in the coming years. He served the dual role of being used as both a blocker and receiver in 2017. Samson really didn t see very much varsity action until his senior season. He quietly took direction and just kept responding to all of Coach Foster s direction with him. In 2017, he was an obvious choice as a D.I.A. member. He had two receptions in 2017 for 37 yards and came up big on one of them with a touchdown. At his senior banquet he would be honored by being named the Most Improved Offensive Player of the year. Samson has opted for a prep school which allows players to have a collegiate type of experience yet, it will not cost them any eligibility and can go the the four year school of their choice the following year. Next season, Samson will be starting his post high school career at the Georgia Prep Sports Academy located in Decatur, Georgia. No doubt we ll be hearing more from him in the near future. Tony Davis got noticed by Coach Hoskins as a sophomore and began earning playing time on special teams. Serving in a back-up role by his junior year, he amassed 24 tackles in 2016 with 17 solos. In his senior year, things really began to click as he played a dual role as both an outside linebacker and defensive back. He became in the top echelon of tacklers with 58 total stops and 40 solos giving him the 4th highest total on the Indian s defense. His accomplishments in 2017 included 2 sacks and 1interception. He would be named Defensive Player of the Week against Hillgrove. His hard work would draw him additional attention at his senior banquet where he would be acknowledged as the Most Improved Defensive Player of the Year. Tony was a member of this year s D.I.A. class. He also made an appearance in the Cobb Senior Bowl XI. He has made his decision to continue his football playing career at Chadron State College, in Chadron, Nebraska and will be the first Indian who has ever attended this school.
Jalen Thornton is the next of our signees. Jalen started his sophomore year in both basketball and football at Alexander High School in Douglas County. Looking for greater challenges he came to McEachern in his junior year and found that the Indian s roster was quite full. Jalen served as the 3rd team runningback during 2016 and filled in on special teams. In spite of seeing very limited action, he worked consistently and made himself a very reliable runningback. In 2017 he served as the number 2 tailback and was called on in some very tough situations. Jalen had 3 starts in 2017 and a career game when he broke 200 yards vs. Westlake. He ended 2017 with 674 yards on 105 carries with an average of 6.6 with 4 touchdowns. He also had 3 receptions for 64 yards. In 2016 he had 20 carries for 73 yards. Jalen was a member of the D.I.A. in 2017 and saw post season play in the Cobb Senior Bowl XI and the Georgia Elite Senior Classic. Jalen has made the decision to pursue his collegiate football career at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. Dante Fleming may be one of the best finds that that a non- Division I school can get. This under-recruited Indian looks to be a real diamond in the rough. At 5-10, he certainly plays the inside linebacker position well above his stature. As a junior in 2016, Dante backed up an All State linebacker and a Division I linebacker, yet his strong presence was both felt and relied upon. As a back-up he notched an impressive 53 tackles including 33 solos. When the torch was passed to him in 2017, all he did was make an amazing 166 tackles including 124 solos. That averages more than 10 per game for 14 games. He also added 6 sacks. He was one of the team s D.I.A. members, an All State selection and made an appearance in the Cobb Senior Bowl XI. He was defensive player of the week vs. Jonesboro, Kennesaw Mountain, Hillgrove and was Otters Player of the week against North Gwinnett. At his senior banquet he was honored by being named Defensive Player of the Year. Dante has chosen to take his talents to the gridiron at Shorter University in Rome, Georgia where he will be joining teammate Kenny Holmes. While national signing day is the culmination of the work in the glamorous world of Division 1A colleges, there are many Division II, III, N.A.I.A. colleges and junior colleges who s work is only beginning. McEachern has many other young men who will be making announcements in the very near future as they close deals with various schools. This list includes Ali Scott, Jacob Pearson and Jonterri Terry-Thomas. Last season due largely due to the efforts of Coach Kyle Hockman, Video Coordinator Bryan Jacobson, and a host of other coaches, McEachern had 64 players on college rosters around the country. This number has made McEachern football the number 2 program in the state of Georgia for producing college football players. Regardless of the level of play, the McEachern family is terrifically proud of and salutes it s alumni who dot the landscape of college football around the entire U.S.A.
On January 11, 2017, Todd Holcomb of the Atlanta Journal Constitution released an article about high school football recruiting. In that article, he declared McEachern Football to be #1 in the state of Georgia for producing college football players with 54 currently dotting the landscape of teams nationwide. Our unofficial count had 62 players. Although it is difficult to verify, McEachern may be leading the entire United States of America as a producer of college football players at all levels. The senior class of 2018 is a uniquely talented crop of terrific recruits. We are proud to introduce this fine group of 15 athletes who will be taking their talents to colleges and universities around the country. This group and the entire class of 2018 had the distinction of defeating the #1 team in the state during the 2nd round of the playoffs. They are in an elite club at McEachern of teams that have advanced to the state final four. Let s make this a long goodbye, as this outstanding class prepares to depart the reservation and wish them the best of luck as they pursue their dreams on gridirons all across the fruited plains.