CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel football announced a 21-player signing class under first-year head coach Maurice Drayton on Wednesday.
 
Chris Benton, DL, 6-0, 240, Haines City, Florida (Haines City)
Played for head coach Patrick Herrington at Haines City High School…finished senior season with 54 tackles and 12.5 sacks…posted 55 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a junior…also forced a fumble, recovered two fumbles and blocked two extra points.
 
Temarcus Elam, DB 5-11, 195, Evans, Georgia (Lakeside)
Played for head coach Steve Hibbitts at Lakeside High School…recipient of the Golden Helmet Award after posting 14 tackles and two interceptions as a senior…added 85 carries for 548 yards and three touchdowns…set school record with 1,384 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior…named MVP of All-American Bowl after rushing for over 100 yards…member of the A/B Honor Roll.
 
Tyler Heggins-Hill, OL, 6-3, 255, Raleigh, North Carolina (Millbrook)
Played senior season for head coach Hunter Jenks at Millbrook High School…two-time NAC 6 All-Conference selection…finished senior season with 61 pancake blocks…helped the Wildcats to back-to-back conference championships as a junior and senior…selected to participate in the Carolina Bowl.
 
Jeremiah Holmes, DL, 6-3, 220, Durham, North Carolina (Hillside)
Played for head coach Ray Harrison at Hillside High School…earned all-conference recognition after recording 90 tackles, 30 tackles-for-loss, 20 sacks and four forced fumbles as a senior…ranked sixth in the state, and 44^th nationally, in sacks…selected to the HighSchoolOT.com all-state second team…also averaged 38.9 yards per punt…forced three fumbles and finished with 35 tackles as a junior…academic all-state selection.
 
Cooper Johns, RB, 5-10, 190, Lexington, South Carolina (River Bluff)
Played for head coach Blair Hardin at River Bluff High School…selected as the 5A Region-5 Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,871 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior…all-state selection…two-time first-team all-region honoree…named Player of the Game at the Palmetto I-20 Classic after rushing for 107 yards and three touchdowns…also a regional qualifier in track and field…chosen as a High School Football Academic All-American…member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club…high school coach is a 2004 graduate of The Citadel.
 
Ravon Johnson, DL, 6-4, 215, Loganville, Georgia (Grayson)
Played senior season for head coach Adam Carter at Grayson High School…helped the Rams to a 10-3 record and the region championship…played junior season at Meadowcreek High School…earned second-team all-region and honorable mention all-state accolades…registered 7.0 sacks and 11 tackles-for-loss in just seven games…named a county scholar-athlete…member of the Honor Roll…rated a 3-star prospect by 247Sports and On3…also a 2-star prospect from Rivals.
 
Bradlee Jones, DB, 6-0, 170, Greenwood, South Carolina (Emerald)
Played for head coach Tad DuBose at Emerald High School…garnered all-region and All-Lakelands team honors as a senior…also named to the All-Lakelands team in baseball as a junior…brother, Bryson, is a starting offensive lineman for the Bulldogs.
 
Mike Lengi, OL, 6-1, 285, Rabun Gap, Georgia (Rabun Gap)
Played for head coach Derek White at Rabun Gap High School…earned all-conference honors after helping the Eagles to an 8-4 record as a senior…aided Eagles to back-to-back state runner-up finishes…recipient of the 3-sport athlete award as a junior…selected as best offensive lineman…placed third in the state in wrestling as a junior, his first year competing…student-body president.
 
Logan Locklear, OL, 6-5, 270, Columbia, South Carolina (Cardinal Newman)
Played for head coach Cory Helms at Cardinal Newman High School…earned first-team all-state honors as a senior…named a finalist for the Midlands Offensive Lineman of the Year…selected for the North-South All-Star Game and Carolina Bowl…all-region selection as a junior…member of the A/B Honor Roll and Beta Club.
 
Nick McGill, DB, 6-0, 170, North Charleston, South Carolina (Fort Dorchester)
Played for head coach Steve LaPrad at Fort Dorchester High School…finished senior season with 70 tackles, 23 pass break-ups and four interceptions in helping the Patriots to an 11-4 record and a state runner-up finish…registered 30 tackles, nine pass break-ups and one interception as a junior…part of three-straight region championship teams…member of the National Honor Society.
 
Darwin Murillo, OL, 6-4, 280, Garland, Texas (South Garland)
Played for head coach Damaso Martinez at South Garland High School…two-time first-team all-district selection at offensive line…earned second-team all-district honors as a defensive end his junior and senior season…regional qualifier in the discus as a junior…ranks in Top 10% academically.
 
Amond Myers, DB, 6-0, 175, Greeleyville, South Carolina (Kingstree)
Played for head coach Brian Smith at Kingstree High School…totaled 82 tackles, two interceptions and one forced fumble as a senior…added 1,135 all-purpose yards (386 rush, 431 receiving, 283 kick return) and 11 total touchdowns…finished junior season with 781 all-purpose yards and nine total touchdowns…had 13 catches for 249 yards and three touchdowns to go along with a pair of interceptions as a sophomore…member of the A/B Honor Roll…head coach is a 2000 graduate of The Citadel.
 
DaVonyae Pettis, DL, 6-1, 218, Shelby, North Carolina (Crest)
Played senior season for head coach Jim Sosebee at Crest High School…earned first-team all-state honors after posting 98 tackles, 39.0 tackles-for-loss and 17.0 sacks as a senior…also caused three fumbles and had one interception…selected to participate in the Queen City Senior Bowl…finished junior season with 44 tackles, 10.0 tackles-for-loss and 6.0 sacks.
 
Rhyder Poppell, RB, 5-10, 200, Tallahassee, Florida (Florida State University School)
Played for head coach Jarrod Hickman at Florida State University School…carried 109 times for 1,010 yards and 13 touchdowns in helping the Seminoles to a state championship as a senior…added 290 receiving yards and five touchdowns…rushed for 764 yards and 11 touchdowns on 111 carries in helping the team to the state final four as a junior…ran for 790 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman, and 492 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore at Maclay High School…four-year member of the baseball team…member of the National Honor Society and National English Honors Society…father, Jason, played football at Florida State and was a member of the 1993 National Championship team.
 
Justin Preaster, DB, 6-3, 200, Orlando, Florida (Central Florida Christian Academy)
Played for head coach Jeremy Campbell at Central Florida Christian Academy…two-time first-team all-district defensive back…finished senior season with 64 tackles, including 50 solo stops, 4.0 tackles-for-loss, one interception, 17 pass break-ups and three fumble recoveries…added 22 receptions for 499 yards and nine touchdowns…totaled 30 tackles, one interception, four pass break-ups and two fumble recoveries as a junior…member of the Honor Roll.
 
Miles Robinson, OL, 6-5, 285, Tyrone, Georgia (Sandy Creek)
Played for head coach Brett Garvin at Sandy Creek High School…helped the Patriots to a 13-2 record and the state championship as a senior…also lettered in wrestling and track and field…father, Morris, played football at The Citadel from 1985-89, and is a Grammy Award winning bass opera singer.
 
Nikko Rodriguez-Pena, OL, 6-1, 285, Bradenton, Florida (Manatee)
Played for head coach Jacquez Green at Manatee High School…earned first-team all-area honors as a senior…selected as the offensive MVP…recipient of the 110% Effort and Character award…named the most improved player as a junior…tabbed the rookie of the year in wrestling as a junior…dad played soccer at Appalachian State.
 
Mikey Rosa, LB, 6-3, 220, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina (Wando) *
Played for head coach Rocco Adrian at Wando High School…selected as the 5A Lower State Player of the Year after finishing senior season with 136 tackles, 20.0 tackles-for-loss and 7.5 sacks…also named all-state and all-region…named MVP of the Shrine Bowl after posting seven tackles, including three tackles-for-loss…earned All-Region and All-Lowcountry accolades as a junior…finished his school career with 213 tackles, 29.0 tackles-for-loss, 9.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hurries, six forced fumbles and an interception…grandson of Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, who served as the 19^th President at The Citadel (2006-18).
 
Kaiden Swortzel, TE, 6-3, 225, Floyd, Virginia (Floyd County)
Played for head coach Winfred Beale at Floyd County High School…two-time all-state selection as a tight end…earned all-district and all-region honors as a tight end and defensive end each of his final two seasons…finished senior season with 25 catches for 321 yards and six touchdowns…added 35 tackles, including four sacks…also a two-time all-state selection in basketball…joined the 1,000-point club during junior season…member of the Beta Club.
 
Cooper Tankersley, QB, 6-2, 170, Greenville, South Carolina (Wade Hampton)
Played for head coach Travis Miller at Wade Hampton High School…named all-region after throwing for 1,809 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior…also rushed for 1,014 yards and eight touchdowns in leading the Generals to their first playoff appearance in nearly 10 years… threw for 1,964 yards and 15 touchdowns in garnering all-region accolades as a junior…selected best offensive back as a junior…two-time all-region and all-county selection in basketball…dad, Bryan, played football at Wofford, while grandfather, Harvey, played baseball and basketball at North Greenville and Wofford.
 
Anthony Thurman, TE, 6-2, 250, Blythewood, South Carolina (Blythewood)
Played for head coach Jason Seidel at Blythewood High School…earned all-state and all-region honors after catching 22 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns…added 89 tackles, 17.0 tackles-for-loss, 8.0 sacks and four forced fumbles…participated in the North-South All-Star Game.
 
Deposits for 2023 season tickets can be made by clicking HERE. Season tickets will go on sale March 13.
 
Stay up to date on all your Bulldog news by following @CitadelFootball or visit CitadelSports.com.

Membership in The Citadel Brigadier Foundation is open to alumni and friends of The Citadel who are interested in supporting Bulldog athletics. By joining, you provide annual charitable contributions that fund scholarships for cadet-student-athletes.  Supporters interested in joining TCBF or for more information, please click HERE.
 
December signee - *