National Signing Day Central
12/20/2017 7:28:00 AM | Football
Get to know each of the Eagles' new signees
STATESBORO - It's National Signing Day for college football and GSEagles.com has you covered all day. Be sure to follow us on Twitter - @GSAthletics_FB and @GATALifestyle - for the breaking news of who's signed and check below for short bios, as well as the first public comments by the coaches on the signees.
#HailSouthern
7:28 AM
Najee Thompson
Pos: S
Ht: 6-0
Wt: 185
Hometown: Boiling Springs, S.C.
High School: Boiling Springs
Of Note: Ranked the No. 213 "athlete" in the country and the No. 52 player in the state of South Carolina by 247Sports … A first-team selection to the Herald-Journal/GoUpstate All-Area Football Team as an Athlete/Punt Returner … Scored six different ways Had nine total touchdowns and two interceptions as well as being a standout kick and punt returner … Finished second at 400 meters at the 5A state meet as a junior
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Thompson: "Najee is a great athlete who we're signing as a defensive back, but is a guy who has shown he can play on the offensive side of the ball. It's really important that we get guys in here who are versatile and can play multiple roles for us and Najee is a guy who fits that role perfectly."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Thompson: "Najee is a pure athlete. To me, he can play on either side of the ball. He has incredible speed and he loves playing football. You talk to him and it's football, football, football. He's a guy who brings athletic ability, speed and will help us in our return game."
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7:42 AM
Deontae Grant
Pos: S
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 200
Hometown: Bushnell, Fla.
High School: South Sumter
Of Note: A second-team all-state selection as a junior, as voted on by The Associated Press … Ranked the No. 298 cornerback in the country and the No. 454 player in the state of Florida by 247Sports … Played for former GS All-American A.J. Bryant at South Sumter High
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Grant: "Deontae is a good athlete who can play several different positions. We've signed him as a safety, but with our new scheme, he could play in the box or in the back end and fill several roles for us."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Grant: "Deontae is a guy that has great ball skills and is another guy with great speed. He's also not afraid to strike you and I'm excited to get him here on campus."
****
7:48 AM
Zyon McGee
Pos: S
Ht: 6-2
Wt: 205
Hometown: Bainbridge, Ga.
High School: Bainbridge
Of Note: Named 2017 All-Region 1-AAAAA first team after posting 45 tackles and four interceptions as a senior … Ranked the No. 233 "athlete" in the country and the No. 246 player in the state of Georgia by 247Sports
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on McGee: "Zyon is a safety who could also play linebacker in our new scheme. He's a versatile and hybrid athlete who could play one of several different positions for us. Zyon will be very multiple for us on defense."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on McGee: "Zyon is from south Georgia and is a guy who will fit in well with our new defensive scheme. He can run, can hit and runs well. But the most impressive thing about him is his nose for the football."
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8:12 AM
Marcus Rogers
Pos: WR
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 200
Hometown: Smyrna, Ga.
High School: Campbell
Of Note: Ranked the No. 413 wide receiver in the country and the No. 238 player in the state of Georgia by 247Sports
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Rogers: "Marcus is a big-play threat who still has some room to grow. With his size, he can be a mismatch on the outside, but we can also bring him inside to the slot and be a physical blocker for us. Marcus can stretch the field and make sure we're in a good position to be efficient in our passing game."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Rogers: "Marcus is a big-time receiver that I think will continue to get better. His best football is ahead of him. He shows up on film as a big, physical receiver and that's what we're looking for."
****
8:31 AM
Jontavious Ferguson
Pos: ILB
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 210
Hometown: Manchester, Ga.
High School: Manchester
Of Note: An original verbal commit to UCF … Ranked the No. 86 ILB in the country and the No. 192 Player in Georgia by 247Sports … Ended up with 122 tackles on the year, to along with 26 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks … The state's Group A Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-state selection by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution … Earned the same honors from the Georgia Sports Writers Association … A first-team all-state selection for the Group A level by RecruitGeorgia … A first-team all-state selection by the AJC as a junior
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Ferguson: "Jontavious is a linebacker who has put up some really good numbers and is a really good athlete. He does a tremendous job on defense and will fit our scheme perfectly. We expect him to come in and play right away."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Ferguson: "Jontavious is a big-time sleeper. He was committed to UCF and with the coaching change, we were able to pick him up after he de-committed. I think we got a steal with him. He can run and he can definitely strike you."
****
1:05 PM
Jawaski Webb
Pos: OL
Ht: 6-2
Wt: 280
Hometown: Senatobia, Miss.
High School: Senatobia
Last School: Holmes (MS) C.C.
Of Note: Played for former GS head coach Tim Stowers at Holmes, who serves as the OL coach there … Recruiting coordinator at Holmes is former Eagle Raymond Gross … Will enroll in January
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Webb: "Jawaski fills a huge void for us on the offensive line. He's a mid-year guy who will be here in January and can play any position on the offensive line. We see him as a guy who can provide immediate help and we're excited to get him on campus and ready to roll for spring ball."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Webb: "Jawaski is a guy who is very versatile. The thing you like about him is that he can play any position up front. He plays hard all the time and he'll bring some experience to us. He has that blue collar mentality that we're all about here at Georgia Southern."
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7:44 PM
Justin Tomlin
Pos: QB
Ht: 6-0
Wt: 175
Hometown: Decatur, Ga.
High School: Southwest Dekalb
Of Note: A first-team all-metro performer for the Dekalb area as chosen by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution … Ranked the No. 61 dual threat quarterback in the country and the No. 218 player in the state of Georgia by 247Sports … GHSF Daily's preseason all-state pick at QB for Class 5A … Was 136-of-185 passing for 2,233 yards and 18 touchdowns with 582 yards rushing as a junior … A Region 5AAAAA first-team selection as a junior … Ran a 22.52 200-meter dash as a junior in a high school meet … A state champion in the 4x100 relay for the 5A level
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Tomlin: "I'm excited about Justin Tomlin. He's a guy we earmarked as our trigger man. He can run the ball and he can throw the ball as a dual-threat guy. He has great leadership skills and has what it takes to be a great quarterback at Georgia Southern."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Tomlin: "Justin is a very athletic quarterback. This offense is quarterback-driven. He's a kid who is very smart and has what it takes to be able to make the decisions to run this offense. He can also put his foot in the ground and be a home run guy."
****
11:37 AM, 12/22
Javon Reid
Pos: S
Ht: 6-0
Wt: 170
Hometown: Lincolnton, Ga.
High School: Lincoln County
Of Note: An honorable mention all-state player for the Group A level as named by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution … Named the Region 7-A Co-Offensive Player of the Year as a senior … Ranked the No. 255 safety in the country and the No. 260 player in the state of Georgia by 247Sports … Threw and ran for more than 1,000 yards each in his final two seasons
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Reid: "Javon is a defensive back who played quarterback for Lincoln County. He could play safety or corner for us on the defensive side of the ball, or could even play offense if we needed him to. In Javon, we're getting a great athlete who can add value to either side of the ball."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Reid: "Javon is a guy who I feel like is going to make this team better. He played at a small school in Georgia, but I feel like his upside is sky high. He played mostly quarterback in high school, but also played some defensive back. I really think he's a steal for us. He's a ball hawk and he was under-recruited based solely on where he played."
#HailSouthern
7:28 AM
Najee Thompson
Pos: S
Ht: 6-0
Wt: 185
Hometown: Boiling Springs, S.C.
High School: Boiling Springs
Of Note: Ranked the No. 213 "athlete" in the country and the No. 52 player in the state of South Carolina by 247Sports … A first-team selection to the Herald-Journal/GoUpstate All-Area Football Team as an Athlete/Punt Returner … Scored six different ways Had nine total touchdowns and two interceptions as well as being a standout kick and punt returner … Finished second at 400 meters at the 5A state meet as a junior
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Thompson: "Najee is a great athlete who we're signing as a defensive back, but is a guy who has shown he can play on the offensive side of the ball. It's really important that we get guys in here who are versatile and can play multiple roles for us and Najee is a guy who fits that role perfectly."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Thompson: "Najee is a pure athlete. To me, he can play on either side of the ball. He has incredible speed and he loves playing football. You talk to him and it's football, football, football. He's a guy who brings athletic ability, speed and will help us in our return game."
****
7:42 AM
Deontae Grant
Pos: S
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 200
Hometown: Bushnell, Fla.
High School: South Sumter
Of Note: A second-team all-state selection as a junior, as voted on by The Associated Press … Ranked the No. 298 cornerback in the country and the No. 454 player in the state of Florida by 247Sports … Played for former GS All-American A.J. Bryant at South Sumter High
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Grant: "Deontae is a good athlete who can play several different positions. We've signed him as a safety, but with our new scheme, he could play in the box or in the back end and fill several roles for us."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Grant: "Deontae is a guy that has great ball skills and is another guy with great speed. He's also not afraid to strike you and I'm excited to get him here on campus."
****
7:48 AM
Zyon McGee
Pos: S
Ht: 6-2
Wt: 205
Hometown: Bainbridge, Ga.
High School: Bainbridge
Of Note: Named 2017 All-Region 1-AAAAA first team after posting 45 tackles and four interceptions as a senior … Ranked the No. 233 "athlete" in the country and the No. 246 player in the state of Georgia by 247Sports
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on McGee: "Zyon is a safety who could also play linebacker in our new scheme. He's a versatile and hybrid athlete who could play one of several different positions for us. Zyon will be very multiple for us on defense."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on McGee: "Zyon is from south Georgia and is a guy who will fit in well with our new defensive scheme. He can run, can hit and runs well. But the most impressive thing about him is his nose for the football."
****
8:12 AM
Marcus Rogers
Pos: WR
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 200
Hometown: Smyrna, Ga.
High School: Campbell
Of Note: Ranked the No. 413 wide receiver in the country and the No. 238 player in the state of Georgia by 247Sports
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Rogers: "Marcus is a big-play threat who still has some room to grow. With his size, he can be a mismatch on the outside, but we can also bring him inside to the slot and be a physical blocker for us. Marcus can stretch the field and make sure we're in a good position to be efficient in our passing game."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Rogers: "Marcus is a big-time receiver that I think will continue to get better. His best football is ahead of him. He shows up on film as a big, physical receiver and that's what we're looking for."
****
8:31 AM
Jontavious Ferguson
Pos: ILB
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 210
Hometown: Manchester, Ga.
High School: Manchester
Of Note: An original verbal commit to UCF … Ranked the No. 86 ILB in the country and the No. 192 Player in Georgia by 247Sports … Ended up with 122 tackles on the year, to along with 26 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks … The state's Group A Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-state selection by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution … Earned the same honors from the Georgia Sports Writers Association … A first-team all-state selection for the Group A level by RecruitGeorgia … A first-team all-state selection by the AJC as a junior
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Ferguson: "Jontavious is a linebacker who has put up some really good numbers and is a really good athlete. He does a tremendous job on defense and will fit our scheme perfectly. We expect him to come in and play right away."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Ferguson: "Jontavious is a big-time sleeper. He was committed to UCF and with the coaching change, we were able to pick him up after he de-committed. I think we got a steal with him. He can run and he can definitely strike you."
****
1:05 PM
Jawaski Webb
Pos: OL
Ht: 6-2
Wt: 280
Hometown: Senatobia, Miss.
High School: Senatobia
Last School: Holmes (MS) C.C.
Of Note: Played for former GS head coach Tim Stowers at Holmes, who serves as the OL coach there … Recruiting coordinator at Holmes is former Eagle Raymond Gross … Will enroll in January
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Webb: "Jawaski fills a huge void for us on the offensive line. He's a mid-year guy who will be here in January and can play any position on the offensive line. We see him as a guy who can provide immediate help and we're excited to get him on campus and ready to roll for spring ball."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Webb: "Jawaski is a guy who is very versatile. The thing you like about him is that he can play any position up front. He plays hard all the time and he'll bring some experience to us. He has that blue collar mentality that we're all about here at Georgia Southern."
****
7:44 PM
Justin Tomlin
Pos: QB
Ht: 6-0
Wt: 175
Hometown: Decatur, Ga.
High School: Southwest Dekalb
Of Note: A first-team all-metro performer for the Dekalb area as chosen by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution … Ranked the No. 61 dual threat quarterback in the country and the No. 218 player in the state of Georgia by 247Sports … GHSF Daily's preseason all-state pick at QB for Class 5A … Was 136-of-185 passing for 2,233 yards and 18 touchdowns with 582 yards rushing as a junior … A Region 5AAAAA first-team selection as a junior … Ran a 22.52 200-meter dash as a junior in a high school meet … A state champion in the 4x100 relay for the 5A level
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Tomlin: "I'm excited about Justin Tomlin. He's a guy we earmarked as our trigger man. He can run the ball and he can throw the ball as a dual-threat guy. He has great leadership skills and has what it takes to be a great quarterback at Georgia Southern."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Tomlin: "Justin is a very athletic quarterback. This offense is quarterback-driven. He's a kid who is very smart and has what it takes to be able to make the decisions to run this offense. He can also put his foot in the ground and be a home run guy."
****
11:37 AM, 12/22
Javon Reid
Pos: S
Ht: 6-0
Wt: 170
Hometown: Lincolnton, Ga.
High School: Lincoln County
Of Note: An honorable mention all-state player for the Group A level as named by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution … Named the Region 7-A Co-Offensive Player of the Year as a senior … Ranked the No. 255 safety in the country and the No. 260 player in the state of Georgia by 247Sports … Threw and ran for more than 1,000 yards each in his final two seasons
Head Coach Chad Lunsford on Reid: "Javon is a defensive back who played quarterback for Lincoln County. He could play safety or corner for us on the defensive side of the ball, or could even play offense if we needed him to. In Javon, we're getting a great athlete who can add value to either side of the ball."
Recruiting Coordinator Chris Foster on Reid: "Javon is a guy who I feel like is going to make this team better. He played at a small school in Georgia, but I feel like his upside is sky high. He played mostly quarterback in high school, but also played some defensive back. I really think he's a steal for us. He's a ball hawk and he was under-recruited based solely on where he played."
Georgia Southern Football Media Availability (12/29/25)
Tuesday, December 30
Georgia Southern Football Media Availability (12/28/25)
Sunday, December 28
Georgia Southern Football Media Availability: JLab Birmingham Bowl (12/28/25)
Sunday, December 28
Georgia Southern Football Media Availability (12/15/25)
Monday, December 15
