Eagles ink 24, including two area standouts in Ellison, Clark

STATESBORO -- Georgia Southern football inked 24 players for its 2012 signing class on Wednesday, including two local products in Habersham Central quarterback Kevin Ellison and Buford defensive tackle Dequan Clark.

Ellison should be a perfect fit for the Eagles' option offense, as he showed with the Raiders. The four-year letter winner tallied 5,100 yards and 83 touchdowns on the ground and 1,412 yards and 15 touchdowns passing in his career at Habersham Central.

Ellison ranks 10th behind Herschel Walker on the All-Time Georgia touchdown list. He also set school records for single-season and career rushing yards and touchdowns and was named the AJC Class AAAA Offensive Player of the Year for 2011 after rushing for 2,138 yards and 32 touchdowns. Ellison led the Raiders to the Class AAAA playoffs while averaging nearly 200 yards rushing per game and was the Gainesville Jaycees High School Player of the Week for September 14th.

Clark, meanwhile, ranked as the 64th best defensive tackle in the country and the 79th best player in the state of Georgia. He was named second team All-County defensive lineman by the Touchdown Club of Gwinnett and helped lead a Buford defense that held opponents to just 7.4 points per game.

2012 GEORGIA SOUTHERN SIGNEES

Dequan Clark, dl, 6-1, 275, Buford HS, Buford, Ga.

Montay Crockett, wr, 6-0, 175, South Pointe High School, Rock Hill, S.C.

James Dean, rb, 6-1, 195, Glynn Academy, Brunswick, Ga.

Deonte Dempsey, dl, 6-3, 245, Victory Christian Academy, Lakeland, Fla.

Matt Dobson, qb, 6-0, 205, North Florida Christian, Monticello, Fla.

Kevin Ellison, qb, 6-0, 180, Habersham Central HS, Cornelia, Ga.

Patrick Flowe, lb, 6-1, 210, Parkview HS, Lilburn, Ga

Darien Foreman, ol, 6-4, 285, Dunwoody HS, Dunwoody, Ga.

Deshawntee Gallon, db, 5-11, 190, Madison County HS, Madison, Fla.

Lanard Govan, ath, 6-2, 230, Savannah Christian Prep, Garden City, Ga.

Tre Griffin, dl, 6-2, 235, North Cobb HS, Powder Springs, Ga.

Vegas Harley, qb, 6-0, 185, Mount Dora HS, Mount Dora, Fla.

Daquan Heard, te, 6-3, 245, Washington-Wilkes HS, Washington, Ga.

Tay Hicklin, db, 5-10, 175, South Pointe HS, Rock Hill, S.C.

Irving Huggins, rb, 6-1, 215, Hargrave Military Academy, St. Cloud, Fla.

Jamal Johnson, dl, 6-3, 240, Southeast Bulloch HS, Statesboro, Ga.

Jermaine Morris, dl, 6-1, 235, Archer HS, Dacula, Ga.

Corey Neely, db, 6-1, 190, South Pointe HS, Rock Hill, S.C.

Grady Redding, db, 5-11, 190, Cocoa HS, Cocoa, Fla.

Diego Rodriguez - Dacula, Ga./Dacula High School - 6'3"/250 - OL

Wintz Terrell, ol, 6-2, 297, Hardee HS, Hardee, Fla.

Shun Tribble, rb, 5-9, 170, Woodruff HS, Enoree, S.C.

Devonte Wheaton, rb, 5-9, 170, Etowah HS, Woodstock, Ga.

Michael Young, ol, 5-11, 265, Tucker HS, Stone Mountain, Ga.