Eight Lakeland High Players Sign National Letters of Intent on Signing Day

By BRANDT MERRITT
THE LEDGER

Published: Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 2:54 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 2:54 a.m.

From the Big Ten to the ACC to the Big 12, it won't be hard to find Lakeland Dreadnaughts playing in college next season.

Eight Lakeland High seniors signed letters of intent on National Signing Day at a ceremony in the school gym Wednesday morning, five of them to Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

Sending players to college on scholarship never gets old for Lakeland coach Bill Castle.

"It's always huge for our school any time kids go off to college," Castle said.

Headed to Football Bowl Subdivision (previously Division I) schools were quarterback Jarred Haggins (Florida State), linebacker Quayshawn Nealy (Georgia Tech), running back Ben McRoy (Texas Tech) and defensive back Darryl Roberts (Marshall). Linebacker Will Lucas already has enrolled at Purdue, so his mother, Crystal Lucas, took his seat at the signing table.

Also signing were safety T.J. Denson and defensive lineman Xavier Mothersill (both to Murray State) and receiver Kendrea Brewster (Ellsworth Community College in Iowa).

McRoy and his brother Javares, a junior receiver, committed to Texas Tech before the school fired coach Mike Leach. Ben McRoy said he and his brother considered changing their commitment until new coach Tommy Tuberville assured them he would still run the school's trademark spread offense.

"After we heard they were going to keep the same offense, then we knew we were going to stay," McRoy said.

He said he plans to gray shirt, meaning he won't enroll until next spring to preserve a year of eligibility. But he said it was possible he could enroll in the fall if any scholarships for this year's class open up.

Haggins, Denson and Mothersill also had to deal with coaching controversy.

Denson and Mothersill were committed to Georgia Southern since the summer, but the coaching staff there was let go in November and their scholarship offers were taken off the table. The coaches landed at Murray State and brought the Lakeland defenders with them.

Haggins, whose uncle Odell Haggins is the defensive line coach at Florida State, wasn't swayed when Bobby Bowden was replaced by Jimbo Fisher.He said he's been impressed with the recruiting job Fisher has done.

"I think we're going to be the team to beat," he said.