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As you read in the headline, the Georgia Southern Eagles could be headed for their best recruiting class ever.
While it can't be stressed enough that there's still a long way to go before signing day, the numbers on the current class as assembled are pretty amazing.
Georgia Southern easily owns the top recruiting class in the Sun Belt per 247Sports. The Eagles boast 16 three-star recruits. The next-highest is Arkansas State with 10, and no other SBC team features more than six as I write this. It's a big class too, with 25 members including both hard and soft commits.
The class ranks in the top half of FBS nationally at 62nd. Among all G5 programs, only Houston (No. 27), BYU (57), UAB (58) and Western Michigan (61) are higher. GS already ranks better than P5 programs including Indiana, Illinois, Boston College, Rutgers, Colorado, Kansas State, Kansas and Purdue, plus programs like Boise State, Memphis, UCF, Navy and uh, Tulane.
Assuming all or even most of this group sticks together, we could be in for a fun four years in Statesboro.
So who exactly is leading this push up the recruiting rankings? Let's take a look:
Darion Anderson
The Houston County product is rated four stars by ESPN, holding offers from the SEC (Georgia, Kentucky) and ACC (Boston College, Wake Forest). Eagle fans will also be glad to know he's a wide receiver.
Anderson is 6-1, 170 pounds, and committed Jan. 24 following a weekend visit to Statesboro. He had been committed to Georgia, but de-committed in December, which could owe to the coaching change over in Athens.
Here's what all the excitement is about:
Jermany Hawkins
This three-star running back comes from just up Highway 301 in Screven County.
Hawkins stands 5-11, 215 pounds and holds offers from Cincinnati and Georgia State. He'd been on Southern's radar for some time, but solidified his commitment Jan. 19.
Rakeem Hightower
Hightower made his commitment known on Jan. 21. He's a 6-0, 190-pound safety and one of four members of the class from Colquitt County. Other schools seeking his services include Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky and Marshall.
Chris Barrett
This 6-2, 225-pound tight end hails from Clearwater, Florida. He's a three-star, committed on Jan. 24 and holds offers from USF, Middle Tennessee and Toledo.
Barrett's highlight package is titled... Remember My Name.
Darius Roper
Roper is from Jersey City, New Jersey and last played on the defensive line for ASA Junior College in Brooklyn. He's 6-2, 270 and committed to GS Jan. 13.
Ty'Kevious "Ty" Phillips
We'll leave you with this one for today. Phillips is another Colquitt County product, a two-star player and another who committed earlier this month. He's also a 6-3, 260-pound defensive tackle with a nasty highlight reel:
If you're looking for more, be sure to glance at the piece I put together last week highlighting some of the other members of #Swoop16. National Signing Day is now just a week away and the Greatest University in America will soon have its next group of players.