I’m Coming Home
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Football season hasn’t even begun but there’s already talk of a homecoming at Bulloch Academy, as after nearly 25 years there will once again be a Shaver coaching on the sidelines in Bulloch County.
Bill Shaver, son of legendary Southeast Bulloch head coach Fred Shaver, left Statesboro High in 1993 to take over as offensive coordinator at Thomas County Central.
As OC, under Yellow Jacket head coach Ed Pilcher, Shaver helped Thomas County Central to five state championship appearances and three state titles.
Shaver took over the head coaching reigns from Pilcher in 2008 and over the past 10 years helped TCCHS to 3 region titles and a record of 74-40.
Despite that success, at the end of last season school officials felt it was time for a change and Shaver was relieved of his coaching duties.
“The folks down there felt it was time for a change,” Shaver said. “I guess it was a time for a major change in my life. Luckily the good lord opened a door for me back here in Bulloch County.”
Shaver and Bulloch Academy head coach and athletic director Pat Collins were both on head coach Charles Webb’s staff for two years at Statesboro High in the early 90’s. The two remained friends and their paths have crossed many times over the past 25 years.
“We have remained good friends throughout the past 25 years,” Collins said. “I approached him in the spring and asked him to be a part of our staff and he flat out said no.
I asked him again a month later and got the same response. We ran into each other recently at a quarterback and receiver camp and I asked him again and he said I’ll think about it. A little later I got the call I was hoping for and he said yes.”
“I decided to retire from public school and looked around southwest Georgia for a job,” Shaver said. “Nothing came up, but I kept getting calls from coach Collins. I prayed about it, and then just felt the lord working on me to come back home to Bulloch County.”
While Collins persistence was important in keeping Bulloch County on Shaver’s mind, the quarterbacks at Bulloch Academy were also instrumental in getting Shaver to Bulloch Academy.
“I saw Don Aaron, Fisher Oglesby and Tyler Willoughby at a quarterback and receiver camp a few weeks ago,” Shaver said. “When I got home I told my wife how much I enjoyed working with those Bulloch Academy kids and how talented they were as well. Soon after that I made up my mind to come.”
Shaver will not be teaching at Bulloch Academy, giving him time to spend with father and his sister Linda, whose family lives in town.
“I got to go with dad to a Kiwanis Club meeting the other day, and out to eat,” Shaver said. “I also get to see Linda and will spend time with her. I will still be commuting a lot back to Thomasville to see my son and his family, and my grandchild as well. My wife is retired too, so she has the opportunity to come here as well from time to time.”
As for the football side of things, the change will actually be greater for coach Collins who has been running a power offense for years, as he will be turning over the offensive reigns to coach Shaver and his veer option attack.
“When you have the chance to bring on Bill Shaver I feel you have to trust him and give him latitude with our offense,” Collins said. “I think he will make us more diverse and dynamic than any team I have had in the past.”
Shaver feels optimistic about what he has to work with and doesn’t think the learning curve will be too difficult for the players.
“We have three talented quarterbacks who all have plenty of ability to do the things we will need,” Shaver said. “If we can blend the option attack I have used the past 24 years with the power game coach Collins has used and throw in a little play action passing, I think we can be successful.”
The Gators open the season August 18 at 9:00 am as they kick off the annual Erk Russell Classic in Paulson Stadium against Pinewood.
Pirates Sailing On New Tides
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Sean Pender finished 7-3 in his first season on Altama Avenue. He is entering his second season at the helm with many new faces especially on the defensive side of the ball.
While youth and inexperience may be a factor going into the 2018 season the head coach is excited about the opportunity to build and grow with his young Pirates. “We have some good talented kids, but keep in mind there will be some growing pains, but the work ethic is there and I’m looking forward to see these younger kids develop”.
The most experienced position group returning in 2018 is the offensive line. The offensive line is led by who Pender calls the best offensive lineman he has ever coached in Warren McClendon. At 6’6 and 300 lbs. McClendon is a four-star recruit by all the recruiting services and can play anywhere in the country.
McClendon will play right tackle. AJ Kirkland at 5’8 225 will move over to center and has the versatility to play guard as well. Brett Hall 6’1 240 will start at left guard. Xavier Ramsey 6’2 252 will start at left tackle, and Caleb Cook 6’2 280 will start at right guard.
Pender says his run game will be very effective this fall. Offensive Coordinator Garrett Grady commented about his OL group “They have been the hardest working kids on the field and I am expecting big things out of this group this fall”.
A name to watch is freshman Kanaya Charlton who just turned 14 years of age and is already 6’6 310 with great feet and has future start written all over him will provide depth at the position.
The QB battle is heating up this summer with KJ Lee and Anthony Mountain. Lee played some as a freshman in 2017 has a quick release and has a solid grasp on the offense according to his head coach.
Mountain is getting better every single day and his head coach loves his competitive spirit. Both struggled in the spring game but have gained confidence over the summer. If the season started today Lee would more than likely get the nod under center but keep an eye on this position battle.
Jaylen Trimmings will be the man at RB and has looked very good this summer according to his head coach, but a kid who caught my eye in practice is freshman Chucobe Hill who Pender says is his back up RB going into the fall.
The Pirates will be raw and talented at WR. Marlon Carmena, Jailyn Jones, Che Foy Xavier Beane, Amarion Whitfield, Syveion Ellis, Michael McGee, and Mitchell Richburg at hybrid TE/FB will get reps at receiver. There is a lot of speed in this group.
Richburg, and Kyle Rayburn will handle the punting duties, and Avery Yoak will be the FG kicker in 2018. Look for the kicking game to much improved this fall.
On defense, Justin Akra will be the leader in the defensive line. Pender thinks Akra will have a big season in 2018.
Keith Garrett, Xavier Stevens, and Jaylen Carter will provide depth on the defensive line. Carter looks like a potential stud at 6’3 265.
Stacy Young is back at OLB/S and is a major college prospect. Devin Lafayette, Freddy Towns, and Demetrius Hardee will make the Pirate secondary a solid group in the fall.
Billy Anderson has earned a starting job at one of the corners and Pender is looking for Peter Sheffield to step up and make an impact the back of the defense this fall. Brunswick has a proud history at DB if you look at current NFL rosters in Detroit and Seattle.
AJ Wilson and Octavious Butler will have to grow up fast and contribute right away at the LB position.
Kick returners will be Carmena, Hardee, and Sheffield.
Schedule is brutal early with road trips to Coffee and Bartram Trail in Florida. Both squads lost state title games in their classifications in 2017.
Much improved Camden comes to Glynn County Stadium in September and region road games at Effingham and Bradwell. BHS will try to avoid a 5th straight loss to Glynn Academy in the City Title game.
When asked if this is a rebuilding year Pender offered “I hope everyone feels that way about us this fall. I like the work ethic and talent on this football team. Yes, we are young but I’m excited to see this group’s potential once we get some good game experience under our belts”.
Tough Voyage For Buccaneers
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The MCA Buccaneers finished the 2017 season with a 4-6 record and a 1-4 record in region 3-A.
The Bucs have since fired or accepted the resignation of (whichever story you choose to believe), Terel Toomer. Toomer was an assistant under former coach Robbie Robinson and was the Defensive Coordinator 2 years ago for the Bucs, during the state finals appearance.
Enter Tony Glazer. Glazer was hired from Liberty County, where he served as the Defensive Coordinator and coached Raekwon McMillan and Richard LeCounte. Both, of course, have moved on to bigger and better things.
Glazer is the 5th coach the Bucs have had in 7 years and he will mostly be charged with adding stability to a job that coach’s keep getting fired from.
The Bucs also had former starting QB, Denver Anthony, leave the program for Frederica.
With only a few weeks left before the start of the season, MCA currently only has 23 players on the roster.
With so few bodies it will likely make for another long season in Darien.
The Bucs will open at home at The Ship against Pierce County. The speed and depth of Pierce will be too much for MCA.
MCA will then host the Brunswick High Pirates, a 6A squad that has around 100 players on the roster. Too much depth for the Bucs and they will fall to 0-2.
In the third game of the season they again host, but the result should not be any different against Jenkins County.
McIntosh County Academy will then take to the road for their next two contests against Calvary Day and Brantley. The Brantley County game may be close but I still think the Herons will be too much for the Bucs.
MCA will get back to The Ship in Darien on October 5, but another loss awaits against region foe Savannah Country Day.
On October 12 MCA travels back to Savannah for a date with Savannah Christian, this should result in the 7th straight loss of the season.
Back home on October 19 against Claxton. Normally, I would take MCA in this game. However, with only 23 players on the roster and nagging injuries having set in by this point the depth will be an issue.
On October 26 the Bucs will play their most winnable game on the schedule in Portal. They will have to travel to just outside of Statesboro to play that game.
Then of course, MCA will wrap things up with the cross-over game as they play in a sub region. I don’t see that going well either.
Prediction: 1-9 for the Bucs. It is hard to win with only 20-ish kids on a roster in GHSA.
There will be some bright spots. You will see the Buccaneers become much better defensively under Glazer and, if healthy, you will come to know the name Josh Amerson at linebacker.
Braves Run Over?
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For any Braves fans out there, who haven’t been kicking around the Earth for the same 32 years that I have, this season has to be a strange and exciting one.
You grew up rooting for a juggernaut of a team that was a threat to win it all throughout the 90’s. There were also some truly bad stretches of play where Braves hats were traded out for the fan’s college football team of choice by the Fourth of July. And there were a few years mixed in where Atlanta was expected to be thoroughly average and did just that.
But this is something new. Many preseason predictions had the Braves as a young team still squarely in the middle of a rebuild. While they weren’t expected to lose 100 games, they were overwhelmingly picked to finish third or worse in the National League East.
I’ve encountered plenty of Braves fans who aren’t sure what to think. Sure, they’re excited, but it’s hard to look at some teams like the Yankees, Red Sox and Astros with a lineup full of superstars and not wonder if the other shoe is set to drop.
Braves fans in the 25-35 age group spent the first half of their lives knowing that the regular season was a formality leading up to another division championship. Following that long run, there were a few lean years that everyone saw coming.
A bounce back from that saw an improved lineup from 2010-13 that was expected to contend and did, making a wild card game and two division series while winning another division title.
Then came another swoon that was expected to only be showing the first signs of a turnaround in 2018. Instead, the Braves are on pace for 90 wins.
Only time will tell in that matter, but I’m here to tell you to enjoy it, because these surprise seasons are the best of all.
If you’re around my age and a Braves fan, the only comparable season to 2018 that you might remember is 1991.
It’s my reference point as one of my first concrete memories of watching a game was seeing Kirby Puckett hit his Game 6 home run. Sorry for the cheap shot, but that really is the first baseball memory I can put into context.
I’m sure that the summer of ‘91 was spent with a lot of Braves fans not quite sure if they should allow themselves to get wrapped up in a run that always feels like it could stop at any moment.
Don’t do that. Lean in. It will be a summer to remember. And if not. Well, there’s always next year.
Go Dogs!
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We are about one month away from the 2018 high school football season. North Gwinnett won the 7A state championship last season. The Bulldogs beat Colquitt County 19-17 on a last second field goal to win the game.
Coming into the season, they are ranked as the preseason No. 1 team. They will have a very tough time defending the title but I think it is possible.
The top recruit on the team is cornerback DJ Turner II. He’s a three-star prospect and committed to Michigan. He’s 6’0 tall so has good size for a defensive back. The other corner, Warren Burrell is also 6 feet tall and ranked the 66th recruit in Georgia. He received offers from Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, NC State, Georgia, Notre Dame and Ohio State.
There is another highly recruited member of the secondary, safety Quinton Newsome. He fits in the new mold of bigger safeties like Keanu Neal, standing at 6’2 and 180 pounds. He has 20 offers from schools like Georgia, Auburn, Ole Miss and Cal. North Gwinnett has one of the best secondaries in the state.
Running back Tyler Goodson is also a three-star player and he committed to Iowa. He’s 5’10, 192 pounds and he’s a quick, shifty back. Last year he rushed for 1,315 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also had 18 receptions and 4 receiving TD’s.
The season begins with a tough opponent, No. 3 Brookwood at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Broncos were 11-3 last season and won their region. They advanced to the state semifinals, so they plan on building on that in 2018.
Both teams are very talented so I’m not sure who will have the advantage in this early season match up.
After a bye week, the second game is in Apopka, Florida versus Wekiva High School. The Mustangs should be a pretty good challenge and Florida teams are known for speed. I expect North Gwinnett to come out victorious.
Norcross comes to town the following week. The Blue Devils are looking to bounce back and return to being an elite team. After winning back-to-back state titles in 2012 and 2013, they’ve been relatively quiet. They are talented but I don’t think they have what it takes to beat North Gwinnett.
Game 4 is at Walton, a Cobb County powerhouse. Walton beat North Gwinnett in last year’s season opener, 31-28.
This should be a very tough game and the Raiders have one of the best players in the state, wide receiver Dominick Blaylock. He is the No. 4 prospect in the state and a four-star recruit. He committed to UGA and I know he will want to shine against this secondary. I think the Bulldogs will be too strong for Walton.
Discovery High is the next game. The school opened in 2015 so it’s one of the newest schools in Gwinnett County. The Bulldogs beat them 41-7 in 2017 and this year will be the same.
On September 28th they travel to Lawrenceville, GA to play Mountain View. The Bears are led by defensive tackle Jaelin Humphries.
The four-star recruit has committed to Florida and he’s one of the best defensive linemen in Georgia. This will be a close game.
The remaining four games are against Mill Creek, Collins Hill, Duluth and Peachtree Ridge. The only easy win in the group is Duluth. The remaining teams should compete and play well but I give the Bulldogs the edge.
They should finish the season 9-1, 8-2 at the worst. They will be in position to make another run in the playoffs to win the championship.
Home Grown
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When my wife and I moved to Glynn County back in 2003 we didn’t know much about the area at all.
Over the three years we spent in the “Marshes of Glynn” we learned all about Willie’s Wee-Nee Wagon and 25 cent oysters during Happy Hour over on St. Simon’s.
We also became very aware of the importance and pride among all the high school athletic programs; a knowledge, along with an immense amount of respect, that has only grown over the years.
Most counties the size of Glynn are lucky if they have one or two athletes that make it to the professional level.
As comparison, the county in I live in now has roughly half the population and the biggest athlete they’ve produced has been St. Louis Cardinals reliever, Greg Holland. Granted, being the hometown of a three time All-Star certainly isn’t anything to scoff at, but it pales in comparison to Glynn County.
The first athlete I was aware of was Davis Love III. I couldn’t go anywhere without hearing someone talk about him; he was like the human embodiment of Starbucks.
Next, was Kwame Brown. Now obviously, I knew of Brown beforehand, but I didn’t realize he was from Brunswick until moving. I know his career didn’t wind up exactly like the locals wanted it to but being the number one overall draft pick is impressive, nonetheless.
Now, most communities have their own version of the “white whale”. And by that, I mean there’s always an athlete that is just mediocre, but over time the stories have taken on a life of their own, to point where he or she is the greatest athlete to have ever been born.
During our time in Brunswick, Adam Wainwright was that guy. I heard stories of what a tremendous pitcher he was and that he was destined to be an All-Star; all stories that I believed to be told in an attempt to hype up a local legend.
It’s rare that someone can live up to the reputation, but Wainwright has done that and more. Being a 2-time World Series Champion, to go along with 3 All-Star appearances, has a way of showing people the light.
If that list of players isn’t impressive enough, I did a double take, Bugs Bunny style, while watching the Women’s World Cup a few years ago. As I’m watching I swear I hear that one of the women is from St. Simon’s.
So naturally. I hop online and take a look. Of course, that player was Morgan Brian. For my money what Brian has accomplished is the most impressive, when you consider she is playing for our country in the World Cup.
You’ll notice I haven’t even mentioned a player like Darius Slay Jr., someone whom if he came from 95 percent of the towns across the country would have a key to the city and his own holiday.
Unfortunately, for him he’s up against a #1 draft pick, an All-Star, and a World Cup participant. Oh, and the human version of Subway (seriously, I couldn’t go anywhere without Love’s name being brought up).
The point is, there are a lot of things to like about Glynn County and a lot the residents of that area should take pride in.
Sure, it’s not nearly as big as Atlanta, Miami, or those other big cities, but when it comes to big time athletes, they take a back seat to no one.
Giving Back
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Once again, one of the top football players in the NFL was in Bulloch County, giving back to the community where he grew up, as Kansas City All-Pro linebacker Justin Houston held his annual Faith Before Fame weekend.
Over the past four years Houston’s event has grown, from a free youth football camp, to adding a celebrity basketball game, and now this year the addition of a cheerleading and dance clinic, a three on three basketball tournament, and a kickball tournament.
“This is about trying to reach as many people as we can,” Houston said. “Trying to get everyone to come together as one community. We continue to expand what we are doing in order to reach more kids.”
“As a kid I dreamed one day of being able to play in the NFL,” Houston said. “Now that I have reached that goal, anything I can do to help another kid reach their goal, or just put a smile on a kid’s face, I’m happy to do it.”
The football camp saw a few hundred kids turn out and once again there were many current and former NFL players on hand to give them instruction.
“A lot of these guys played at Georgia or have ties to the state of Georgia,” Houston said. “I try and help a lot of these guys when they have their camps and they are happy to help me out. The NFL players are good about giving back and helping one another.”
Among the former University of Georgia NFL players that have helped Justin the past four years is Akeem Dent, who played for the Falcons and the Houston Texans.
“It’s so important to try and give back to the communities where we grew up,” Dent said. “You can tell when we talk to these kids they really listen to what we are saying. Just getting them to come out of their houses – in this kind of heat – where a lot of them are playing video games, shows they at least want to try, and there’s a great turn out here.”
Some of the kids at the camp will also want to follow in Houston’s steps and play at Statesboro High. Many of the younger current Blue Devil players participated in the camp, while many of the older ones helped work.
“It’s such a fantastic opportunity for our kids,” said Statesboro High football coach Jeff Kaiser. “Our kids love being around Justin and the other NFL players he brings here. He emphasizes the importance of hard work and pushing through the tough times. He also brings his message of faith before fame, and that is the same type of message we try and bring to our players as well.”
Houston’s volunteer staff is full of former University of Georgia players and with the Bulldogs nearly winning the national championship last year Houston and his former teammates have high hopes for this year’s team.
“It was amazing to watch how close they got to winning it all this year,” Houston said. “They have a lot of talent coming back. I went down and watched a practice session and I’m really impressed by the coaching staff. They really pay attention to detail during practice and I’d be surprised if they don’t make another run this year.”
Mortgage The Farm
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
A few weeks back I wrote an article assessing the merits of two potential trade targets for the Atlanta Braves: Cole Hamels and Mike Moustakas.
I went over what they might bring to the team, the kinds of packages the Braves might send over in return for these two particular players and whether or not I thought such a trade would be worth it for Alex Anthopolous to make (to sum up: I did not think so).
I wrote about these two because they were the two names bandied about that actually made sense that Atlanta could possibly go out and get them. You know who I did not mention in that article? Manny Machado.
Machado, who is in a walk year and who is having arguably the best year of his already stellar career for the Baltimore Orioles.
I didn’t bring him up because trading for the guy didn’t seem particularly feasible. The price would be too high for a two-month rental.
But now, as June has turned to July and the trade deadline fast approaches, Machado – who is almost certainly going to be traded somewhere – is being linked to a number teams.
One of those teams in the Atlanta Braves.
Now no one is sure what kind of return Baltimore is expecting, but Machado is a fortunes-changing talent, even for just two months, so the asking price is sure to be high.
I ask you – is there anything the Braves could conceivably give up for Machado that the Orioles would accept that would also be worth trading away for two months of an elite talent?
I say two months because the argument that getting a player to play in your city helps sell your city to that player is nonsense. The notion that Machado would come to Atlanta and sign an extension is fantasy.
Machado, for some stupid reason, seems to be second fiddle to Bryce Harper for the coming offseason (Machado has a higher career batting average, three seasons of 30+ homeruns to Bryce’s one, two Gold Gloves to Bryce’s zero, and is having a much better 2018); but he’s going to make ungodly sums of money next year and for years to come.
There is not a snowball’s chance in hell that he doesn’t reach free agency. And then what? Are the Braves going to get into a bidding war? Of course not. They will have money to play with during this offseason, but not that kind of money.
There is very little chance Machado is playing with a tomahawk on his chest come Opening Day 2019, so whatever the Braves hypothetically give up to get him in 2018 will be for less than half a season’s worth of Manny.
In a vacuum I would, of course, love to see Manny in the Braves lineup, but there would be a cost to make that happen. And the Orioles will want too much.
I know the Braves have incredible depth in pitching, but any of their top 10 pitching prospects are worth hanging onto for something more sustainable. Is trading away five more years of what Max Fried could be equitable to two months of what we know Manny Machado is? I just don’t think so.
Don’t I Know You?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Have you ever sat down and tried to come up with top 5 lists? I got the thinking as I write for the Georgia Sports Edition as of July 1st (changed from Southern Sports Edition) who are the top 5 current sports figures in the State of Georgia. Here goes my totally subjective list:
- Jake Fromm QB UGA: The starting QB for the flagship university always makes an updated list of top sports figures in the State.
Fromm goes into his sophomore season at the University of Georgia as the starting QB after leading UGA to a 13-2 record, Rose Bowl win, and national title game appearance as a freshman in 2017.
Fromm is loved throughout the State and the Dawgs are loaded going into 2018 on offense. Fromm looked a little rusty during the spring game, but this kid has something you can’t coach and it is called the WOW factor.
Nothing seems to bother him and that is a good thing because Justin Fields is nipping at his heels now in Athens. UGA is set at the QB position for the next few years, and Jake is the golden boy around the State right now.
- Ozzie Albies 2B Atlanta Braves: Albies is taking not just the State of Georgia by storm, but the nation by storm as he is the front runner for the National League Rookie of the year.
The kid is around 20 homeruns and his enthusiasm for the game has helped ignite the Braves nation in 2018.
Albies will likely be the starting second baseman for the National League All Stars in this year’s game in Washington DC. At 5’8 and 155 lbs. the power numbers are off the charts and the excitement is back in the State for Braves baseball.
- Matt Ryan QB Atlanta Falcons: Matty Ice is the highest paid player in the NFL. Ryan just became the NFL’s first 30 million per year player and his current deal guarantees him $100 million.
Football is king in the State of Georgia and Ryan will lead the Falcons to the playoffs in 2018. Possibly, back to the Super Bowl and redemption from blowing the 25-point third quarter SB lead two years ago. Ryan is putting together a potential Hall of Fame career in Atlanta that could be cemented with a Super Bowl ring.
- Freddie Freeman 1B Atlanta Braves: Freeman is currently batting .311 with 16 HR and 56 RBI for the division leading Atlanta Braves and is the face of the franchise.
The Freeman led Braves are in first place in July for the first time since 2014 and Freeman is having an MVP season in 2018. If the season ended today Freeman would probably be named National League MVP.
Freeman has been a regular in Atlanta now since 2010 and is one of the most recognizable sports figures in the state. If Freddie leads the Braves back to the World Series he might have a future in Georgia politics one day.
And the most recognizable sport figure in the state of Georgia currently is: Kirby Smart Head Football Coach University of Georgia: Smart is the face of UGA Football.
Born and raised in Georgia, played and earned All-SEC honors at UGA, and now has UGA competing for national championships in a State that is football crazy and championship deprived.
The 2017 UGA football season was magical and Smart had the Dawgs a blown coverage away from its first National Championship since 1980.
Smart is the best recruiter in the business and now has UGA reloading every year. Georgia season football tickets are the most treasured possession in the Peach State currently all because of the monster Kirby is building in Athens.
Kirby Smart is the most popular and most recognizable sports figure in the State of Georgia and if he wins a national title in the near future your future Governor when he retires from coaching football.
To The Plains
By: Alex Mathis
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Jashawn Sheffield, 4-star athlete from Frederica Academy, has made his college decision.
In a video that has been watched over 100,000 times, Sheffield announced his decision to further his academic and athletic career at Auburn University.
His final decision came down between Auburn and South Carolina and both schools made it very difficult for him.
Sheffield has been on the recruiting scene since his freshman year at Frederica Academy. He received over 10 offers from colleges from across the country before starting his sophomore season.
For a while everyone thought he was destined to be a Florida State Seminole. If you ask him he would tell you that he always thought he would wear the garnet and gold as well. What a lot of people do not know is that Sheffield was once committed to Florida State.
He committed to Jimbo Fisher the spring of 2017. A lot changed at FSU in the fall that led to Jimbo Fisher taking a job at Texas A&M. The move of Fisher allowed Sheffield to open things up and give other schools a closer look. He was able to take several visits to different colleges and ultimately, he decided that Auburn was the best fit for him.
Sheffield will join his teammate, Jaylin Simpson, at Auburn. These two have been teammates since the 6th grade. Simpson will suit up on the defensive side of the ball and there is a chance that Sheffield could join him.
Sheffield is ranked the 10th ranked athlete in the country. This was appealing for Auburn. They feel as if he can play the offensive side of the ball or the defensive side. He is not sure which side he prefers. One day he will tell you wide receiver and the next day he will tell you safety. This will be something that Gus Malzhan and his staff will figure out when he arrives in the Plains.
The recruiting process has not been one that Sheffield has been a fan of. A lot of fans do not really get what some of these recruits go through during the process.
Recruits have to try and figure out who is telling the truth and who is flat out lying. This decision is the first real adult decision some of these prospects will make in their lives.
Sheffield will join some of his Cam Newton 7v7 teammates on the Auburn commitment list. Quarterback Bo Nix, WR George Pickens, CB Jaylin Simpson and TE Tyler Fromm.
He will also join his longtime friend, Owen Pappoe. Auburn is not finished on the recruiting trail. They have their eyes on several other Georgia Prospects.
Frederica now has two prospects committed in their 2019 class. These two will not be the last. Harry Veal, Patrick Brunson, Michael Tindle, Cameron Gardner, JT Elliott, and Cole Hinson will all look to add their name to a college’s commitment list this year.
The 2020 class has some players that will play on Saturdays as well. Denver Anthony and Deke Jernigan will have the opportunity to play as well.
Brandon Derrick’s program has 3 student athletes playing football on Saturdays. Tony Heyward is at Rhodes College, Austin Skelton is at Samford, and Santana Clark will attend Jacksonville University.
Frederica Academy is at the top of GISA when it comes to sending its players to the next level to play football.
