ATLANTA--With an emphasis on linemen on both sides of the ball, the Georgia State football program and head coach Bill Curry announced the addition of 16 student-athletes who inked National Letters of Intent on Wednesday's National Signing Day.
The 2012 class also includes a 17th member, Kyle Vorster of Walton High in Marietta, Ga., who is already enrolled this semester and will participate in spring practice. He was an all-state prep running back but is projected to play safety.
"We worked long and hard to improve the talent of this team. That has happened," said Curry. "We have by far the strongest class that we have signed. This is our best class athletically, by far, and our best academic class by far.
"We are absolutely thrilled with this class," he continued. "We have a distribution of big linemen, speed and talent at the skill positions, defensive players, offensive players and all of the things we needed to replace a large senior class."
The class is dominated by in-state players, with all but six from the state of Georgia. Other states represented are Florida (2), Alabama (2), North Carolina (1) and South Carolina (1).
The 17-member class includes eight talented linemen, as well as four defensive backs, two linebackers, two quarterbacks, and one wide receiver.
The Panthers graduated four starters on the offensive line and two on the defensive front so any of the linemen could compete for playing time immediately. Projected to play on the offensive line are Garrett Gorringe of Georgia AAAAA state champion Grayson High in Loganville; Aaron Thomas of Dothan (Ala.) High; Treavor Flannigan of Trion (Ga.) High; and Mark Ruskell of Duluth (Ga.) High. On the defensive side, the Panthers added defensive end Melvin King of Liberty County High in Hinesville, Ga., and tackles Joe Lockley of Portal (Ga.) High; Jah-Mai Davidson of Snellville, Ga., Brookwood High; and Tanner Strickland of Pike County High in Zebulon, Ga.
"We needed defensive players more than offense," said Curry. "We have 10 defensive and seven offensive players [in the signing class]. The players who are the hardest to find are big linemen with good grades who are not already pounced upon by the big schools or the academies. That's who we're competing with. We were fortunate to win some of those battles this time."
Also bolstering the GSU defense are linebackers Joseph Peterson of Dothan, Ala., and Bryan Williams of Miramar, Fla., the brother of former Panther tight end Arthur Williams, along with defensive backs Vorster, LaDarion Young of Pensacola (Fla.) Catholic, Chris Jenkins of Lake Marion High in Santee, S.C., and Myles Morris of Greensboro, N.C., Smith High.
Two quarterback prospects joined the fold in Mark Weidenaar of Lakeside Evans High near Augusta, Ga., and Nathan Schuster of Chattooga High in Summerville, Ga., an athletic quarterback who could also play another position.
"Mark Weidenaar, a quarterback from Lakeside High School, had a great senior year," said Curry. "He can throw and run, and he is tough as nails. He was injured his junior year, and that caused him to be under the radar. I really think if he had not been injured, a bigger school would have grabbed him.
"Nathan Schuster will also have a chance to play quarterback," Curry continued. "He played both ways in high school. He ran for touchdowns, threw touchdown passes and made tackles coming out of the secondary. So much depends on our quarterback situation, and if we're very stable at quarterback, we may go ahead and move him. If he comes in and is one of the top two or three quarterbacks right off the bat, he'll stay at quarterback."
Wide receiver Avery Sweeting of Brunswick, Ga., adds depth and speed at that position.
"There's so much going on here that gives us a chance to recruit," Curry said. "We have really good football players coming and the future is very bright for Georgia State football."
