By Barry Every
SouthernPigskin.com

Follow us at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin.  Become a fan at the SouthernPigskin.com Facebook Page

Members of the 2020 South Georgia signing class raised the bar as 78 high school football players ended up inking scholarships to FBS and FCS colleges.

Members of the 2020 South Georgia signing class raised the bar as 78 high school football players ended up inking scholarships to FBS and FCS colleges. Of the 78 signees, 57 signed scholarships with FBS schools while 21 are headed to the FCS level.
South Georgia Player Rankings consists of players from Warner Robins south to the Florida border. This area also includes the metropolitan areas of Savannah and Columbus. Only athletes that signed scholarships at the FBS or FCS level are included in this report.

This includes Non-Scholarship FCS signees and the Military Academies, which neither actually sign letter-of-intents. Preferred walk-ons, regardless of school, are not included in this report.

A look at the previous two signing classes shows that a total of 65 signed with FBS/FCS schools in 2018 and 70 inked in the class of 2019. The breakdown of 2018 shows that 51 signed FBS while 14 signed with FCS colleges. Looking at 2019 we see that 53 inked with FBS schools while an additional 17 ended up at the FCS level.

A conference breakdown of FBS signees in the class of 2020 sees a three-way tie at the top. The AAC, C-USA and the SEC each signed 11 football players from South Georgia. They are followed by the ACC (7), Sun Belt (7), Big12 (3), Independent (3), MAC (2), Big Ten (1) and MWC (1).

Breaking this down even further we see that Auburn and the Naval Academy led the way with five signees each. Right on their heels were Florida State (4) and Middle Tennessee State (4). Signing three each were Army, Connecticut, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Southern, Troy and West Virginia. For those wondering about Georgia, the Bulldogs inked just two players from South Georgia.

It should come as no surprise that the SoCon led all FCS Conferences with six signees. They were followed by the OVC (5), Big South (4), MEAC (2), SWAC (2), MVFC (1) and the Pioneer (1). Mercer led all schools with three signees while Bethune-Cookman, Charleston Southern, Kennesaw State and Tennessee Tech each garnered two signees from South Georgia.

Over the last three signing classes the SEC still holds a decided edge having inked 37 players from south of the gnat line. They are followed by the Sun Belt (25) and the ACC (24).

What South Georgia High School produced the most FBS/FCS signees in the class of 2020? Well that honor belongs to Fort Valley (Ga) Peach County with eight signees. Right on their tails were fellow GHSA-AAA member Savannah (Ga.) Jenkins with six. They are followed by Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County (4) and Valdosta (Ga.) Lowndes (4). The following high schools produced three FBS/FCS signees Kingsland (Ga.) Camden County, Columbus (Ga.) Carver, Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County and Valdosta (Ga.).

Though the class of 2020 set new standards those numbers could have been even more impressive. Unfortunately several players with FBS and FCS talent simply did not meet NCAA Academic Standards. Remember, no matter how great an athlete is on the gridiron his high school academic standing will eventually dictate where they are eligible to play.

The class of 2021 is now officially on the clock. Will the upward trend of Georgia football talent continue to rise or has it peaked?

Below are those players from the class of 2020 that inked scholarships at the FBS and FCS level. Included are the respective schools and conferences they will be representing this fall.