New Gamecocks
- Updated: February 5, 2025
Jax State announces class of 30, and quarterbacks, defensive backs look to have best chance to contribute immediately.
Editor’s note: The full Jax State signee class can be found on this link.
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE — New Jacksonville State football coach Charles Kelly just finished signing his first recruiting recruiting class. Expect to get to know the quarterbacks and defensive backs soonest.
Jax State announced a class of 30 signees on Wednesday, the first day of the traditional national period. The class included December signees and transfers.
The list includes 12 players from Alabama. The list did not include Alexandria High kicker and Cleat Forrest, who announced his commitment to Jax State on Monday. Forrest said he plans to hold a signing ceremony at a later date.
With 47 out of a possible 85 scholarship players left after a loss to Ohio in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl, the Gamecocks had needs.
The class includes three quarterbacks and eight defensive backs. Kelly, hired after Rich Rodriguez returned to West Virginia, expects Jax State to have five quarterbacks in camp.
The Gamecocks lost 2024 starter Tyler Huff and veteran Logan Smothers. Zion Turner transferred after one year at Jax State.
The signing class announced Wednesday includes Kentucky transfer Gavin Wimsatt, a senior, Cade Cunningham, a freshman from Wake Forest, N.C., and Jack Moran, the Gatorate Player of the Year for New Jersey.
Jax State also suffered huge losses in the defensive backfield, either through graduation or the portal.
The class of defensive backs includes six cornerbacks and two safeties, including Rod Elston, the Auburn transfer who played for Donoho and Oxford High.
“When I got settled in, there was one quarterback on scholarship and, basically, one corner,” Kelly said. “We had to get to work on that.
“As of today, we’ve got four quarterbacks on scholarship, and we have another guy that will be here that I can’t talk about just because of NCAA rules, but we feel like we’re going to have five quarterbacks on campus that will be able to compete.”
The list of incoming defensive backs included the following:
–Elston, a safety who saw action in three games at Auburn. He’s a former Class 6A all-state performer at Oxford.
–Manny Watkins, a safety and three-star prospect from Temple, Ga.
–Linebacker/defensive back Luke Reynolds, from Briarwood Christian.
–Athlete/defensive back D.J. Vinson, a three-star prospect from Montgomery Academy.
–Defensive back Temarion Foster, a three-star prospect from Riviera Beach, Fla.
–Defensive back Tyrin Taylor, a freshman from Huntsville, N.C.
–Defensive back Larry Preston, an Apopka, Fla., product who spent two seasons at Florida International and a season at Murray State.
–Defensive back R.J. Rainer, a three-star prospect from Cornelius, N.C.
Kelly served as co–defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Auburn before coming to Jax State.
“In evaluating defensive backs, one of the things we look for is length,” Kelly said. “That is a critical factor. If a guy doesn’t meet that criteria, we have to move on, and, of course, speed along with it. Can they cover man-to-man. …
“Where we have to get better in pass defense is, you’ve got to be able to cover the slot in the secondary. If you can’t, it’s going to be a long day. You can’t play zone all of the time.”
Kelly, who coached Elston at Auburn last season, compared Elston D.J. Douglas, whom Kelly coached while an assistant at Alabama. Douglas played in one game a Alabama but became a two-year starter at Tulane before transferring to Florida.
Kelly sees Elston as a potential corner or slot cover man.
“Last year was the first time I was around Rod at Auburn, and he was very multi[ple in what we did.” Kelly said. “I felt like he was very instinctive. He was a very smart player. He was very physical.
“I watched who he covered in practice every day. I didn’t know if he was going to move into front of Sylvester Smith and a couple of those guys that they had. I thought, if you give this guy an opportunity, he’s going to have a chance to play.”
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