Lanett back to sign college scholarship against long odds

[kperk1959]

Good story about a new Lion!

Ja'Won Howell, an Alabama 2A All-Star linebacker and running back on a championship team, moved to Lanett, Ala., before his freshman year after his mother, Yolanda, decided the family needed to leave south Columbus. Howell is preparing to sign a football scholarship with the University of North Alabama on Signing Day and recently reflected on his success thanks to his mother's decision.

www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/article198749689.html

Can't find anything about Colin McCants. I know he's from the same area as former Lion Lonzie McCants and former Alabama star Keith McCants. Colin is a LOT bigger than Lonzie who was a fine player but he's very similar in size to Keith.

Can't find anything about John Martin Wagner either.

Found this about Corson Swan: Blackmon also said tight end Corson Swan was scheduled to visit North Alabama this weekend. Stetson came in for a home visit last week.

Found this about Davares Jones-Brown: offensive lineman Cameron Beal became the sixth player to sign with Jackson State, but his teammate Davares Jones-Brown chose North Alabama over JSU and West Alabama.

I give up. Seems like I could find out all kinds of articles about players we got in the past but there seems to be nothing about this class. I guess that could be due to the fact that most newspapers don't have the large staffs they used to so we are left with Alabama and Auburn and national wire stories about Alabama and Auburn. Frustrating. I hope our SID really digs in and comes up with interesting things about the players and shares it with the local media outlets.

[unafied]

The TimesDaily's website has videos up of a couple of the local kids, Nate Reed from Florence and Avery Moates from Wilson. There's also an article that sort of summarizes the class, with quotes from Coach Willis.

Reed: Florence safety Nate Reed signs with UNA
Moates: Wilson's Avery Moates signs to play football for UNA
Summary Article: New kids in town: Lions sign 22 players in first Division I class

Riko Morris, a JUCO receiver, sounds like he could be a star. Apparently the guy was recruited pretty highly out of high school, by FBS schools (though I can't remember where I saw that yesterday). Also, Coach Willis spoke highly of the QB out of Gulf Shores, Rett Files. He made a comparison to Jacob Tucker and Luke Wingo. I would take that every day of the week.

[1949lions]

Feb 8, 2018 7:57:05 GMT -6 unafied said:

The TimesDaily's website has videos up of a couple of the local kids, Nate Reed from Florence and Avery Moates from Wilson. There's also an article that sort of summarizes the class, with quotes from Coach Willis.

Reed: Florence safety Nate Reed signs with UNA
Moates: Wilson's Avery Moates signs to play football for UNA
Summary Article: New kids in town: Lions sign 22 players in first Division I class

Riko Morris, a JUCO receiver, sounds like he could be a star. Apparently the guy was recruited pretty highly out of high school, by FBS schools (though I can't remember where I saw that yesterday). Also, Coach Willis spoke highly of the QB out of Gulf Shores, Rett Files. He made a comparison to Jacob Tucker and Luke Wingo. I would take that every day of the week.

Thanks for posting the links to those articles. Coach saying he wants 6-7 more over the summer including an older QB.

There's absolutely no talk of Hawkins. I wonder if they have an update on his playing status and just not saying?

[kperk1959]

Feb 8, 2018 10:45:27 GMT -6 1949lions said:

Feb 8, 2018 7:57:05 GMT -6 unafied said:

The TimesDaily's website has videos up of a couple of the local kids, Nate Reed from Florence and Avery Moates from Wilson. There's also an article that sort of summarizes the class, with quotes from Coach Willis.

Reed: Florence safety Nate Reed signs with UNA
Moates: Wilson's Avery Moates signs to play football for UNA
Summary Article: New kids in town: Lions sign 22 players in first Division I class

Riko Morris, a JUCO receiver, sounds like he could be a star. Apparently the guy was recruited pretty highly out of high school, by FBS schools (though I can't remember where I saw that yesterday). Also, Coach Willis spoke highly of the QB out of Gulf Shores, Rett Files. He made a comparison to Jacob Tucker and Luke Wingo. I would take that every day of the week.

Thanks for posting the links to those articles. Coach saying he wants 6-7 more over the summer including an older QB.

There's absolutely no talk of Hawkins. I wonder if they have an update on his playing status and just not saying?

I heard part of a Willis interview. He said Blake won't be cleared for this coming season. He didn't say if he's done. I hope not. He's a good kid. In Mississippi he was ranked the state's 10th best player as a junior, according to 247Composite, and considered one of the top in-state quarterbacks. He didn't have that reputation in Alabama, but he was intent on proving himself quickly at Florence. When your parents are willing to move you to another state, you know he's been groomed to succeed.

"I'm from a smaller school and people have their doubts about whether I can hang at a school like Florence or a 7A school where the Division I athletes are more available," Hawkins said. "I want to show I can hang with them." When you read this article about him in Rivals, if he gets cleared to play again, maybe he would consider playing wide receiver if we have the QB situation under control by then and you don't get nearly as many blind side, vicious hits downfield. That's what some of the FBS teams were visualizing. A smart, 6-5 receiver with 4.5 speed streaking down the field.

n.rivals.com/news/hawkins-drawing-attention

[brandon]

I doubt he will be back......