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National Signing Day 2018 Has Little Drama

Other than American Heritage – and the four prospects that hadn't announced their college intentions, the second part of the National Signing for the Class of 2018 went by with very little drama.

If you count Patrick Surtain Jr. going to Alabama – when LSU and Miami had been on the short list – things went by smoothly for local football players.

Having been a part of 48 National Signing Day events, and being at some of the biggest signing day spectaculars over the years, the national attention continues to shine on this area because of the talent – and the level they play at – year round.

While Surtain, Jr., chose to head out to play for the defending national champions, his teammates made their own choices as well. The University of Georgia got the other half of the nation's top cornerback tandems – when Tyson Campbell chose the Bulldogs over the Hurricanes and others.

Linebacker Andrew Chatfield, who has been on the radar for nearly four years and originally committed to The Ohio State, loved first year Florida head coach Danny Mullen and the staff in Gainesville.

And, as many expected Nesta Silvera decided to stay home and play for the Hurricanes, giving Miami a marquee defensive tackles.

While many will look at areas such as California and Texas as focal points of recruiting, there is simply no other region of the country – or any country – that churn out the elite football talent like Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, boasting 62 players on NFL rosters this past year.

Prospects such as Nigel Bethel (Miami Northwestern) opted to take his talents to Coral Gables – with many other schools looking in his direction.

After a 3A state championship, Chaminade-Madonna and head coach Dameon Jones boasted 21 total signees including five football players who play college football in the SEC. Leading that group was four-star wide receiver Xavier Williams, who signed with Alabama after a tremendous career with the Lions.

Chaminade also had three players sign with Kentucky, including receivers Marvin Alexander and Akeem Hayes, and defensive tackle Davian Hawkins. The Lions also had running back Shaun Shivers sign with Auburn.

"It's all about getting those scholarships," said Charles Fishbein of Elite Scouting Services. "The one question an athlete and a parent has for any coach is can you help my son get a college scholarship. That is what our coaches are now judged on."

If that is the barometer, Chaminade-Madonna, St. Thomas Aquinas and Miami Central were the big winners with over 60 athletes signed this recruiting cycle.

Also, Northwestern capped off a solid year by sending Rachad Wildgoose to Wisconsin and underrated Sharod Oliver who joined the defending national Division II runner up University of West Florida

The Miami Central story is perhaps the best in the country. There is NO public school program in the nation that has sent more players on to colleges in the past nine years - like the Rockets have.

With five state titles in six years, head coach Roland Smith and his program sent eight players on to the NFL and 142 on to the next level.

"It's all about graduating and getting that diploma and moving on to the next level," Smith said. "That is something that coaches and prospects have been all about for a long time."

WHERE THEY ARE HEADED
While we couldn't list every player who signed in this class, we did pick out a few to showcase – as we send our Class of 2018 off with a great salute for a job well done:

Ezekiel Alexander (Chaninade-Madonna) Northwood

Amir Augustin (Miami Central) Florida Tech

Kenny Bastida (Deerfield Beach) Kansas

Al Blades, Jr. (St. Thomas Aquinas) Miami

Nik Bonitto (St. Thomas Aquinas) Oklahoma

Renard Bozeman (Boyd Anderson) UCF

Thomas Bradshaw (Chaminade-Madonna) Mount Union

Arthur Brathwaite (Central) Western Kentucky

Xavier Burns (Coral Gables) Walsh

Griffin Cerra (Cardinal Gibbons) Southern Illinois University

Jordan Chambers (Western) Florida Tech

Sherron Chester (Miami Carol City) Florida Tech

Zeryus Coleman (Miami Central) Bethune Cookman

Coleman Crozier (St. Thomas Aquinas) Naval Academy

Grayson Crozier (St. Thomas Aquinas) Naval Academy

Kiaryn Davis (Northwestern) Florida Tech

Michael DiLiello (Cooper City) Florida Tech

Jordan Dillard (Southridge) FAMU

Trey Flowers (Palmetto) Penn

Logan Giordano (Chaminade-Madonna) Eastern Michigan

Devin Golden (Gulliver Prep) Miami

Steven Greaves (South Plantation) Savannah State

Andrew Hallman (Archbishop McCarthy) Miami

Tyler Harrell (Columbus) Louisville

Victor Harvey (South Broward) Bethune Cokman

James Head (Southridge) Indiana

Alvin Howard (Key West) Florida Tech

Herman Jackson (Southridge) FAMU

Miles Jones (American Heritage), Nebraska

Tavares Kelly (St. Thomas Aquinas) Virginia

Brandon Lee (Cardinal Gibbons) Mount Union

Tai Lehtio (Douglas) Florida Tech

Dyllon Lester (American Heritage) UCF

Tarique Livingston (Chaminade-Madonna) Mount Union

Daniel Longman (Chaminade-Madonna) Boston College

Evan Loesel (Cardinal Gibbons) Columbia

Kalen McCarty (St. Thomas Aquinas) Penn

Chis Metayer (Miami Central) FAMU

Tony Mills (Columbus) FAMU

Aaron Morgan (Carol City) Marshall

Lawrence Papillon (Dr. Krop) Marshall

Brock Parry (Taravella) Florida Tech

Amani People (Northwestern) Florida Tech

Daniel Perera (Columbus) Morgan State

Desmond Pete (Blanch Ely) Bethune Cookman

Darryl Powell (Blanche Ely) Bethune Cookman

Cory Prince (Chaminade-Madonna) Wofford

D'Andre Ragin (St. Thomas Aquinas) Toledo

Justinn Richardson (Chaminade-Madonna) Old Dominion

Jordan Riggins (Cardinal Gibbons) Morgan State

Ryan Saddler (Cardinal Gibbons) Bryant University

Sebastian Sainterling (Chaminade-Madonna) USF

Ryan Sanchez (Killian) West Florida

Eric Scott (Chaminade-Madonna) Ave Maria

Darrell "Rocky" Shelton (St. Thomas

Shaun Shivers (Chaminade-Madonna)

Anthony Schwartz (American Heritage) Auburn

Taurrian Stafford (Miami Central) Alabama State

Cameron Stage (Cardinal Gibbons) Bowling Green

Harrison Story (Western) Florida Tech

Rekeem Terry (Homestead) Bethune Cookman

Ivan Thomas (Palmetto ) FIU

Tecorey Tutson (Coral Gables) Fort Hayes

Diego Vallina (Cypress Bay) West Florida

Fralon Warren (South Dade) University of Charleston

Carlton Williams (Chaminade-Madonna) Northwood

Marquis Williams (Cardinal Gibbons) Pitt

Michael Williams (Miami Central) Valdosta State

Devonta Wilson (Miami Central) Murray State

Zackary Zambrano (American Heritage) Princeton

Tyler Zimero (South Dade) Valdosta State

Mark Zinn (St. Thomas Aquinas) University of Chicago

Catch the South Florida High School Sports Radio Show each week on WQAM (560AM). For the past 11 years, the players and coaches who are making the headlines, join the program. You will learn a lot!

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