It’s been a jam-packed week for high school football in the Golden Triangle as 21 players signed their National Letters of Intent to continue their careers at the collegiate level. In addition to tracking who signed where, The Dispatch was able to speak with many of the signees regarding their impressions of the process.
Columbus Falcons
Jamare Johnson: DE/OLB, Hinds Community College
Johnson heads to Hinds Community College where the defensive two-way star, featuring both as a linebacker and defensive lineman, will look to showcase his stuff at a competitive program in HCC.
“It means a lot to me,” Johnson said. “I’ve been praying all the way through the ups and downs. … It’s love. They kept reaching out, showing that they wanted me and it just felt like home.”
Antonio O’Neal: ATH, Mississippi College
O’Neal made his mark both offensively and defensively as a senior for Columbus, finishing his senior season with 500 receiving yards and nine touchdowns as well as 48 total tackles and eight pass breakups.
“I’m really excited,” O’Neal said. “The time is finally here. … I liked the coaching staff. It made me feel like home, feel like family. At Mississippi College, I can go down there and play my freshman year, compete to be a starter.”
Tyler Ketton: TE, East Central Community College
Standing at 6-5, Ketton was a massive asset offensively for Columbus, and he hopes to bring that same energy to East Central Community College where he’ll look to be an impact player as a tight end.
“I’ve been in hard times, pain,” Ketton said. “I’m just happy to continue my life story, continue to play football, something I’ve wanted to do. This Columbus High coaching staff, I couldn’t do it without them.”
Deion Williams: WR/RB, Mississippi Delta Community College
Utilized plenty during his time with the Falcons, Williams will hope to add another dimension to a Mississippi Delta Community College team that averaged just 85.2 rushing yards per game between its three best backs and 85.8 receiving yards per game between its best two receivers.
“I feel like I’m going to bring a whole bunch of stuff to college,” Williams said. “I feel like I can be one of the big players on the team. … I’m just pretty proud of myself for today.”
Starkville Yellow Jackets
Jaiden Turnipseed: WR, Itawamba Community College
Turnipseed showcased plenty of promise during his Starkville career, with his best season coming as a senior. His reliability got him 30+ targets, hauling in 24 passes for 233 yards and four touchdowns for the Jackets. Now, he gets to compete for a receiver spot at ICC and make a name for himself.
“[ICC] felt like the right place for me,” Turnipseed said. “It felt like a place where I could just enjoy myself and enjoy playing football, making a difference on the football field.
Jermar McCarter: MLB/DE, Co-Lin Community College
McCarter led Starkville in a number of impactful defensive categories in 2023, the backbone of a defense that lost so much coming into the season. He stepped up and made the difference as the veteran linebacker presence that the Jackets needed. As a result, one of juco football’s best came calling.
“They just have good people down there,” McCarter said. “They’ve been recruiting me ever since I entered 11th grade. … I’m just ready to work, ready to get back at it.”
Jay Stevenson: RB, Tennessee State University
People questioned Stevenson’s move from Heritage Academy to Starkville, but he proved the doubters wrong, rushing for over 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns at the highest level of high school football in the state. He reaffirmed his commitment to TSU on Wednesday, signing with the Tigers to play FCS football.
“I’m ready to lock in,” Stevenson said. “They showed love all throughout the season. They offered me earlier in the season so I know they really wanted me even before I got to Starkville. … I went with my heart and I felt like it was the best fit for me.”
Jerrelle Webber Jr.: SS, Maryville College
Webber was one of two players for Starkville who ended up committing to a four-year school in Maryville, and the defensive back is excited to get his start at a place that he thinks will further him to playing at the highest level of college football.
“They’ve been keeping in touch with me, calling me, emailing me since the start of the season,” Webber said. “Great coaches, great staff and they wanted to start me as a true freshman. … For me to go play college ball, that’s a big goal to reach. Anyone who thinks they can’t, they can.”
Jonathan Morris: ATH, Itawamba Community College
While both Morris and Turnipseed are heading to ICC, they made their decisions independently, Having a high school teammate to play alongside, however, is never a bad thing. Morris will start anew at Itawamba, looking to make a name for himself there.
“I’m glad that it worked out that way,” Morris said. “You’re going to an unfamiliar place and you now know somebody, you have a friend who’s playing football with you at the next level.”
Charles Woodard: DE/LT, Northwest Mississippi Community College
Woodard had just as big of a defensive impact for Starkville as a senior, leading the team in tackles for loss and quarterback hurries, while tied for first in sacks. He wanted to continue his career at a winning program, and Northwest Mississippi fit the winning formula he was looking for.
“I felt that I built a really good connection with my coaches,” Woodard said. “I’ve won all my life. I didn’t want that standard to change. We have a good chance to win a national championship, which not a lot of people can say, and they’re going to do a good job of getting me ready for the next level.”
Noxubee County Tigers
Artez McCrary: DB/S, Southwest Mississippi Community College
McCrary made his mark for Noxubee County over the past two seasons, recording 40 total tackles during that span, but most importantly, four interceptions as a senior. His work in the secondary was truly a difference-maker, and heading to a program that allowed nearly 200 passing yards and 35 points per game last season, secondary help will be crucial.
Johnathan Goodwin: DE/TE, Hamline University
Goodwin played a massive role on the defensive line for Noxubee County, averaging 6.6 tackles per game as a senior, one of six players with 90+ tackles on the year and one of seven with 80 or more. He’s trading warm weather for cold, heading up to Minnesota to play at Hamline University.
“I wanted to get away from home and the school had the program I wanted, a good business program,” Goodwin said. “I was trying to find the place that worked for me, and this place checked all the boxes.”
Jadquist Clark: WR/FS, Pearl River Community College
Clark has shown to be a much more productive player on the offensive side of the ball, though he’s very much a two-way player on the football field. His senior season offensively was impressive, with 23 receptions for 489 yards and five touchdowns, averaging over 21 yards per reception. Clark is explosive on the deep ball and showed it plenty as a senior.
Jaylen King: WR/DB, Hinds Community College
King is an impressive offensive threat at the wide receiver position, recording more than 1,200 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns over the past two seasons. He stepped up as the No. 2 receiver for the Tigers after being a No. 3 receiver as a junior, and produced plenty in both roles. A versatile piece as a receiver, King is fast, shifty and a big add for Hinds Community College.
Martavius Wicks: RB, Northeast Mississippi Community College
Outside of quarterback Kamario Taylor, there has been no more impactful rusher for Noxubee County in recent years than Wicks. He was the engine in the backfield that the Tigers could trust, and trust they did, with nearly 2,300 rushing yards, nine 100+ rushing yard games and 22 rushing touchdowns on just 265 carries.
“It feels good,” Wicks said. “I think I had a great career here. … I just want to get myself up there and start.”
Teddy Roby: DT/OG, Hinds Community College
Roby didn’t spend much time at Noxubee County, transferring over from New Hope for his senior year, but in his one season in Macon, he garnered plenty of attention from college coaches. Among Division I offers and juco offers, Hinds Community College proved to be the best place for him.
“The coaches up there, they put a lot of trust in me,” Roby said. “They were communicating with me, back-and-forth, every single day. I’m just happy I get the opportunity to go play for them.”
Le’Kyleron Dancy: CB/FS/LS, Northwest Missouri State University
Dancy is staying in the Central Time Zone with his future college destination in Northwest Missouri State and he’s taking his tenacity with him, something that helped him record 80 total tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions and five pass deflections as a senior.
“They told me that they’re going to become a family with me,” Dancy said. “They told me they’re going to help get me to the next level. … This just goes to show everyone that I can make it from a small town and just go out and be great.”
Dequadrion Welch: WR, Alabama A&M University
Welch stayed in the SWAC with his commitment to Alabama A&M, making that commitment official on Wednesday. He set records across the board as a receiver for Noxubee County, and now, he’ll bring that winning mentality to the FCS.
“They came and they offered me after the all-star game,” Welch said. “They told me they were interested in me and made me open my commitment up. … SWAC is big. HBCU is big. I feel like I can go and put on as a true freshman. The work won’t be easy, but I got it.”
West Point Green Wave
Qunterion Tillman-Evans: RB/TE/QB, Co-Lin Community College
Tillman-Evans was an integral part of West Point’s record 12th state championship this season, having his most successful season on the ground by far, with nearly 1,000 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He decommitted from a preferred walk-on position at Mississippi State, taking the junior college route at a national contender in Co-Lin.
Coledan Carter: FS, Itawamba Community College
A two-sport star at West Point, playing both baseball and football, speed has been Carter’s biggest asset in both sports. He’s been a crucial part to the Green Wave secondary against pass-heavy offenses and has made some big stops across the way. We’ll see if he decides to play both at ICC, but in football, he’ll get his shot in Fulton, no doubt.
Starkville Academy Volunteers
Jackson Easton: TE/LS, Co-Lin Community College
Co-Lin seems to have been a popular pick among players in the Golden Triangle as Easton joins several other commits with the Tigers. He’ll be transitioning his role to offense and special teams at the junior college level, but his senior season with the Volunteers will be remembered for his defense, one of the best defensive players in his district and among MAIS Class 5A programs.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
