National Signing Day: Hundreds of DeKalb football players moving to the next level

University of Georgia football fans and local sports media have been wondering for weeks whether Chamblee linebacker/defensive end Davin Bellamy will stay in state and play for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Bellamy made a lot of Bulldogs fans happy on Feb. 6 after he selected the red Georgia cap over the orange Tennessee cap. Bellamy, along with 121 DeKalb County high school football players signed on the dotted line of the schools of their choice on National Signing Day.

The 2013 DeKalb signing class exceeded the century mark for the fourth consecutive year. The 2010 class had 119 signees, the 2011 class had 120 signees and the 2012 class holds the record for the most signees with 132.

Colleges and prep schools from 24 states were represented in the signing class ranging from as far west as California and as far north as New York.

Georgia led all states with 10 colleges/prep schools and 35 athletes staying in state to continue their academic and athletic careers. Kentucky had four colleges with 12 DeKalb athletes signing while South Carolina had 10 DeKalb athletes signing with six schools.

Bellamy, who finished his senior season with 38 tackles and two sacks, said one of the reasons he chose to sign with Georgia is to be close to his mother, Bridgett.

“Me and my mom have been close for 18 years,” he said. “I didn’t want to go too far away from her. Just in case something happens I’m only 45 minutes away.”

Bellamy, who was once committed to Florida State, said he was looking for a school where he could bond with the coaches.

“I couldn’t really form a relationship with the coaches at Florida State,” he said. “[Georgia defensive coordinator Todd] Grantham, [Georgia head coach] Mark Richt, and coach [Bryan] McClendon came in and I really formed a bond with them. I went up there for my official visit after my Tennessee visit, and I was sold on Tennessee for a minute, but when I went on my Georgia visit they really sold me the program.”

Forty-four DeKalb seniors signed with Division I programs and will be playing some of the toughest competition in the Pac 12, Big 12, Big 10, ACC and Big East conferences.

Martin Luther King Jr. High led the county with 21 players signing letters of intent. The group includes wide receiver Demarquis Polite-Bray, defensive end JaCarthy Mack and offensive lineman Joshua Outlaw all signing with the Big 12’s Texas Tech University. Defensive back Jeremy Tyler will face off against his teammates in the coming seasons as he signed with West Virginia, the newest member of the Big 12 Conference.

Stephenson and Columbia had 19 signees each. Columbia was led by offensive lineman Eric Smith (Virginia), offensive lineman Charles Rutledge (Tennessee Tech) and defensive lineman Mackendy Cheridor (Georgia State). Smith said Virginia’s academic reputation played a major role in his decision.

“They have [one of the highest] graduation rates of African Americans in the nation,” Smith said. “They are on the rise from a football standpoint. I know they didn’t have too much of a good season last year but I want to go up there and hopefully get to a bowl game or a national championship.”

Stephenson’s class was led by quarterback Justin Holman (Central Florida), defensive back Ali Groves (South Carolina), defensive lineman Khari Alexander (South Illinois) and defensive end Jonathan Wynn (South Carolina).

Cedar Grove was next with 12 signees led by quarterbacks Johnathon McCrary (Vanderbilt), Joshua Heard (Yale) and defensive end Daletavious McGhee (Minnesota).

The Tucker Tigers had 10 who signed on the dotted line, including quarterback Juwaan Williams (Oregon), offensive lineman Alex Hayes (Syracuse) and defensive Solomon Jackson (Buffalo).

Several players signed with some of the top academic schools such as Vanderbilt, Yale, Air Force Academy, Purdue, Syracuse and Virginia.

Miller Grove (nine), Southwest DeKalb (eight), Arabia Mountain (seven), Chamblee (seven), Lithonia (five), Druid Hills (two), McNair (two), and Dunwoody (one) round out the current signing class numbers.

Chamblee head coach Allen Johnson said he is proud to see his players moving to play at the next level.

“They put the time in in the classroom and the weight room and that momentum carried onto the field,” he said. “This is my proudest moment. To be able to put seven students to the next level is outstanding.”