Jackson Free Press

National signing day for high school football arrived with all the excitement of Christmas for college football coaches. Starting early this morning recruits could make a decision on where to continue their football careers.

In Jackson, Rick Comegy inked 16 players today. Which included in this class was fullback Reuben Corley from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, who could be the best player in this class.

Jackson State also signed Zion Pyatt, offensive tackle, out of Lackawanna Community College and one of six offensive linemen signed. The Tigers added from the metro area Willie Bell and Tedarian Johnson both out of Murrah High School and both linebackers.

Overall the JSU signed one kicker, one Tight End, one athlete (which means the coaches have not decided where to play him yet), one defensive line man, one hybrid defense end/linebacker, two defensive backs, two linebackers, and six offensive linemen.

For college football fans national signing day means a lot. Fans love to brag if their team signs a great class.

In reality today did not mean very much. It will be two to three years before fans or coaches know if the players signed were the right ones.

Just remember, even if a school constantly signs top five recruiting classes it does not mean that much. No matter if the program is FBS, FCS, or Division II. If you do not believe me just go ask perennial top five recruiting powers Florida and Texas after subpar 2010 seasons.

Below is a list of the 2011 players to sign a National Letters of Intent today with JSU:

Sterling Wright, DB, 6-1, 190, Coral Reef High, Miami, FL

Zion Pyatt, OL, 6-6, 280, Lackawanna CC, Baltimore City College HS, Baltimore, MD

Maurice Brooks, OL, 6-2, 295, Coahoma CC, Charleston HS, Charleston MS

Reuben Corley, FB, 6-1, 235, MGCCC, South Panola HS, Batesville, MS

Jeff Travillion, OL, 6-2,305, Hendricks HS, Hendricks, TX

Jordan Helm, DE/OLB, 6-1, 220, Marshall HS, Missouri City, TX

Kris Selita, K/P, 6-1, 175, Dakota HS, MaComb, MI

Jahmal Jones, TE, 6-3, 240, Livingston, Livingston, AL

Alvin Kelly, OL, 6-3, 350, Hahnville HS, Louisiana

Danny Williams, OL, 6-3, 320, Tuscaloosa County, AL

Remund Jackson, OL, 6-4, 295, Tuscaloosa County, AL

Darreon Atkins, DB, 6-0, 170, Round Rock HS, Round Rock, TX:

Mike Johnson, ATH, 5-8, 170, Booker T. Washington High, Tuskegee, AL

*Willie Bell, III, LB, 6-2, 215, Murrah High, Jackson, MS (received academic scholarship)

Tedarian Johnson, LB, 6-3, 230, Murrah HS, Jackson, MS

Mark Webster, DT, 6-2, 265, Pensacola HS, Pensacola, FL

List compiled from the official Jackson State athletic site

Previous Comments

ID

161979

Comment

I'm shocked @ how many guys verbally committed to Miss State and then ended up signing with Ole Miss, especially after the season they had? So I can only chalk that up to possible playing time. Jackson State always finds diamonds in the rough, but its been a while since we had some guys go in the first two rounds of the NFL draft. I think the last guy we had to get drafted was Cletus Gordon. However, Marcus "King Kong" Bernard was picked up by my Browns as a free agent, getting some good playing time. However, since their (Browns) switching to a 4-3 from a 3-4, I don't know how much longer he is going to be there or if they will work with a situation pass rusher.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-02-09T07:47:01-06:00

ID

162336

Comment

I am not surprised that MSU lost the guys they did. At some positions they were stacked and kids do not want to wait. Some kids went elsewhere because Manny Daiz left for Texas. Jackson State will not get guys who go in the first round of the draft anymore unless it is like McNair, guys who want to play a certain position but do not get an offer to do that at DI school.

Author

Bryan Flynn

Date

2011-02-28T16:28:17-06:00

ID

162356

Comment

@ Bryan - Jackson State will not get guys who go in the first round of the draft anymore unless it is like McNair, guys who want to play a certain position but do not get an offer to do that at DI school. You make it sound like McNair was the only one recently from a SWAC school? He was drafted way back in '95? When in actuality Jackson State had two go in the 1st round of the 2000 draft - Sylvester Morris, WR and Rashard Anderson, CB If you feel Jackson State will not get anyone to go in the first round anymore, I hope you feel the same way about MS State and Southern Miss - because their well is super dry? Like I said in my original post, Jackson State always finds diamonds in the rough, but its been a while since we had some guys go in the first two rounds of the NFL draft. - the current coaching staff is not digging like Coach Carsons staff used to!

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-03-01T12:40:20-06:00

ID

162377

Comment

@Duan, Yes, Morris and Anderson were drafted in the first round and both were around the NFL long enough to drink a cup of coffee. They both were out of the league in three years. Morris because he could not stay healthy and Anderson because he could not keep clean. By the way, in the history of the NFL draft JSU has only had 7 players taken in the first round so do not fill their well up that quickly. MSU has had 6 players and USM has had 4 players drafted. So please do not act like JSU has dominated the draft. What USM has done has had more than its fair share of players stay in the NFL. That is the true test of a good program. Staying power. No one cares where you were drafted but they do care how long you played in the league. And like I said things have changed and JSU will not get those players anymore. If you want success on the football field things have to change and I am not talking just about the coaching.

Author

Bryan Flynn

Date

2011-03-02T22:45:19-06:00

ID

162381

Comment

Bryan -m y perspective was grounded in my originial point - for a small historically BLACK, D1-AA, FCS college - we were always FINDING diamonds in the rough - RAW TALENT, that just could not pan out on on 1A/BCS level for some reason - prior to the 70's - racial factors was a major reason for that. But you want to talk about staying power - Southern Miss - had four - Patrick Surtain, Adalius Thomas, Ray Guy and Brett Favre is prize their/your prize bull! We've had Lem Barney, Robert Brazile, Leon, Gray, Harold Jackson, Jackie Slater, Walter Payton, Jimmy Smith and Lewis Tillman. Yes Southern Miss has put 102 into the pro's, but Jackson State has turned out 96 HOF's - JSU 3, Southern Miss - 1 in waiting! lol!!! Once again, let me reinterate my point - no we don't dominate the draft, but compared to Southern Miss, a REAL 1-A/BCS school - we've put our fair shair of players into the league as well Your saying never, I am saying it's possible - because we have the history to prove it. We just have to get our program back on track - the Coach Gordon and Coach Carson era's were turning out some serious talent and I would like to see a effort to reclaim that

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-03-03T08:02:48-06:00

ID

162399

Comment

Duan, USM should have two hall of famers, first of all. Second, thank you for proving my point. If you go back to the 60's-70's JSU had great players. Most of the ones you listed played at JSU during that era. JSU was not finding dimonds in the rough they were finding great football players who did not get the chance to play at DI or had to leave the state to play at DI and did not want to leave. Slater, Payton, Barney, and Brazile were not dimonds in the rough. They could play and they showed everyone they could play. Look at the draft picks of other SWAC teams and you will see that they do not get first round or early round draft choices any more. Then connect the dots and you will see why JSU will more than likely not have a first round draft choice on their campus anytime soon. That is unless they have background issues like their current quarterback. If you want to google numbers that is fine but take away all of those draft picks from the 1960-70's and you will see the landscape of college football has changed. Go back and look at recent numbers and tell me who has placed more players in the NFL since the mid/late 1980's to now. No one wants to admit it but the answer is right there if you look hard enough.

Author

Bryan Flynn

Date

2011-03-03T17:24:05-06:00

ID

162414

Comment

Bryan - you make a solid argument in regards to late 80's and 90's with the number of pro's each school has been turning out. However, from my perspective, I feel you are looking at my argument with 20/20 hindsight. On this topic, by following the thread - we are just going to have to agree to disagree. Whereas I'm shocked, your not. I'm giving you credit for even paying attention to my alma mater in the area of sports, when usually all we are noted for only graduating criminals and dumb students.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-03-04T10:36:50-06:00