Happy Signing Day! This is our Live Blog where we will update this post throughout the day as the NLI’s roll in! So, go ahead and keep this tab open and hit that refresh button frequently! In the meantime, head over to our message board to discuss the days’ events in our Signing Day December 2019 thread. Also, be sure to check out our Signing Day Primer if you missed it yesterday.
The Liberty coaching staff is in Orlando where they are working out of a conference room to bring in these early signees, a crop that should produce a class around 19 today.
One bit of news as Liberty 3-star defensive back commit Deon Biggins, who was expected to sign today, announced on twitter late Wednesday evening that he would be waiting until February to sign.
“I will no longer be signing on December 18 because this decision is a very tough decision,” Biggins stated. “I just want to make the correct decision to w here I will want to spend the next 3-4 years of my life because this is a dream I’ve had since I was a kid and I want to be 1000% positive.”
NLI’s Received
QB Sean Brown
6’2″ 185
Apex, North Carolina
Middle Creek High School
Notable offers: Charlotte, Campbell, Elon.
ASOR story: Commitment
The pro-style quarterback also had offers from Bucknell, Campbell, and VMI, and he becomes the first quarterback to commit to the Flames under head coach Hugh Freeze. Brown finished his last two years of high school throwing for 5,034 yards and 50 touchdowns. He was a two-time all-conference honoree and his team’s 2019 Offensive MVP.
DL Kendy Charles
6’2″ 245
Orange Park, Florida
Orange Park High School
Notable offers: Coastal Carolina Western Kentucky, Wofford
ASOR story: Commitment
Charles took an official visit to Liberty during the Buffalo game. He had a final three of Liberty, Coastal Carolina, and Wofford. As a junior, Charles had 96 tackles, 11 TFLs, 9 sacks, 6 QB hurries, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 2 fumble recoveries. Through his first 4 games this season, Charles has accumulated 54 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack, 5 QB hurries, and 2 blocked field goals. He finished his high school career with 216 tackles, 30 sacks, 24 quarterback hurries, and 4 forced fumbles. He also scored a pair of touchdowns, 5 two-point conversions, and connected on 15-of-17 field goal attempts. Charles was named the 5A Co-Player of the Year and was a 5A all-state honoree
DL Karsen Perkins
6’4″ 250
Concord, North Carolina
NW Cabarrus High School
Will enroll in January
Notable offers: Charlotte, Akron
ASOR story: Commitment
3-star defensive line prospect Karsen Perkins picked up an offer from the Flames on March 1st to go along with several other offers including Charlotte and Akron. Perkins plays tight end and defensive end for Northwest Cabarrus High School in Concord, North Carolina where he recorded 52 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 25 QB hurries, 13 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery in 14 games as a junior. According to 247Sports, Perkins is the 4th highest rated recruit in school history, and he’s just behind fellow 2020 commits Rashad Whitehead and Brian Hannibal. Current true freshman Tayvion Land holds the #1 spot on the list.
LB Anthony Butler
6’1″ 225
Charlotte, North Carolina
Vance High School
Charlotte grad transfer
Will enroll in January
The grad transfer from Charlotte provides immediate help at a position of need for the Flames and with one season of eligibility remaining he should come in and immediately provide depth. In 2017 and 2018, Butler started 15 games at linebacker for the 49ers before he decided to transfer early in the 2019 season.
OL Will Buchanan
6’6″ 300
Asheville, North Carolina
Christ School
Will enroll in January
Notable offers: Jacksonville State, Richmond, William & Mary, Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb
ASOR story: Commitment
Buchanan visited Liberty’s campus for an unofficial on July 31st and shortly thereafter announced he would be making his commitment public on August 10th. He was named first-team all-conference and first-team all-state while being named to the USA Today All-North Carolina team. Buchanan helped Christ School to two state runner-up titles.
DB Juawan Treadwell
6’0″ 185
Ford Heights, Illinois
Independence CC
Will enroll in January
Notable offers: Akron, Old Dominion, SMU, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Temple
ASOR story: Commitment
Treadwell is the younger brother of former Ole Miss (under Hugh Freeze) and current NFL WR Laquon Treadwell. This past season, Juawan Treadwell recorded 57 tackles, 10 pass breakups, and 1.5 tackles for loss in 10 games.
DB Louis Taylor III
6’1″ 180
Ridgeway, Virginia
Magna Vista High School
Will enroll in January
ASOR story: Commitment, Taylor will bring speed, size to secondary
Taylor is from Magna Vista High School in Ridgeway, Virginia just outside of Martinsville. Taylor camped with Liberty as part of the Friday Night Lights elite camp with approximately 150 of the Flames’ top prospects this past summer, picking up an offer and committing shortly thereafter. In his senior season, he had 32.5 tackles, 6 pass breakups, and an interception as he was named first-team All-Region Defense.
OL Gage Bassham
6’5″ 315
Daleville, Virginia
Lord Botetourt High School
Notable offers: Old Dominion, Marshall
Will enroll in January
ASOR story: Commitment, last minute visit pushes Bassham to commit
Bassham finished his senior season as the District Lineman of the Year while being named first-team all-district, first-team all-region, and first-team all-state as he helped Lord Botetourt to the 2019 Blue Ridge District and Region 3D championships. Bassham and Lord Botetourt advanced all the way to the 2019 state championship game played at his future home, Williams Stadium.
DB Jerome Jolly Jr
6’0″ 200
Jacksonville, Florida
Mandarin High School
Notable Offers: Southern Miss, Georgia Southern
Will enroll in January
ASOR story: Commitment, Jolly fell in love with campus on visit
Jolly was the high school teammate of current Liberty true freshman wide receiver Demario Douglas at Mandarin, where they led the team to its first ever state championship in Florida’s Class 8A in 2018. He also took an unofficial visit to Liberty’s Cure Bowl opponent Georgia Southern. Jolly is expected to be in attendance Saturday in Orlando to watch the Flames in their first ever bowl game. He finished his career with 104 tackles, 6 sacks, and 5 pass breakups.
DL Rashad Whitehead
6’2″ 245
Atlanta, Georgia
B.E.S.T. Academy
Notable Offers: Appalachian State, Arizona, Army, Charlotte, Navy, Rutgers, South Alabama, USF
ASOR story: Commitment
Whitehead is the highest rated prospect in the class, according to 247Sports and the 2nd highest rated in school history. He had over 20 offers. He had 151 tackles and 16 sacks while also finishing his career with 45 receptions for 385 yards and 7 touchdowns.
DB Marcus Haskins
6’1″ 180
St. Paul, Minnesota
Iowa Western CC
Notable offers: Louisiana Tech, Buffalo, Troy, Charlotte, NMSU, Kent State, Akron, Coastal Carolina
Will enroll in January
ASOR story: Commitment
Haskins earned All-American honors his freshman season at Division II Concordia University in St. Paul. He then earned All-American honors again this past season at Iowa Western Community College where he recorded 31 tackles, 7 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 fumble recovery.
OL Chase Mitchell
6’4″ 330
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington High School
Notable offers: UMass, William & Mary
ASOR story: Commitment
Mitchell committed to Liberty in early September after receiving interest from a number of FBS schools including Cincinnati, Toledo, Miami (OH), and Ohio. He helped Washington High School to four conference titles and a WPIAL title.
WR Ahmad Jackson
6’1″ 200
Atlanta, Georgia
Sandy Creek High School
Notable offers: Akron, Boston College, Buffalo, Colorado State, Indiana, Ole Miss, South Alabama, Troy, Tulane
ASOR story: Commitment. Jackson commits to LU after long relationship with Coach Harris
Jackson committed to the Flames despite several Power Five offers and he held true to his word, signing with Liberty today. He will be part of the new look wide receiver corp that looks to step into the shoes left by Antonio Gandy-Golden.
DL Aakil Washington
6’2″ 230
Marietta, Georgia
Wheeler High School
Notable offers: Akron, Buffalo, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Troy
ASOR story: Commitment, Washington says Liberty checked all the boxes
Washington committed to Liberty following an official visit to Lynchburg for the Buffalo game.
DL Durrell Johnson
6’4″ 225
Baltimore, Maryland
ASA College (NY)
Notable offers: South Alabama, Akron
Will enroll in January
ASOR story: Commitment
Johnson is one of the newest commitments as he visited campus just a couple weeks ago as part of Liberty’s big official visit weekend that saw 15 prospects on campus. He recorded 41 tackles, 20 TFLs, and 8.5 sacks in 8 games played at his JUCO this season. He took official visits to Akron and Grambling State in addition to Liberty. He was a two-time all-conference honoree at ASA College.
OL Brian Hannibal
6’3″ 290
Silver Spring, Maryland
Blake High School
Notable offers: Buffalo, Marshall, ODU, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, UMass
ASOR story: Commitment
Hannibal is ranked as one of the top prospects out of Maryland and one of the top guards in the country. He’s also one of the highest rated prospects to ever sign with Liberty, rating just behind Tayvion Land and current 2020 signee Rashad Whitehead.
WR CJ Daniels
6’1″ 185
Lithonia, Georgia
Parkview High School
Notable offers: Air Force, Army, Navy, North Dakota State
ASOR story: Commitment, Daniels commits to LU, scores 4 TDs on grandmother’s birthday
Daniels finished his senior season with 1,411 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on 93 receptions. He helped lead Parkview High School to a pair of regional titles.
CB Deon Biggins
6’1″ 170
Horn Lake, Mississippi
Horn Lake High School
Notable offers: UL-Monroe and Louisiana Tech
ASOR story: Commitment
There was a little bit of drama surrounding Biggins over the past 24 hours or so as he tweeted late Tuesday night that he was going to wait until February to sign. That all got rectified today, as the shutdown corner from Mississippi makes it official with Liberty. He ran a 4.35 forty yard dash and finished his senior season with 3 interceptions and 7 pass breakups. Biggins was also part of the 2018 Horn Lake 6A State championship team.
WR Javian Lofton
6’2″ 195
Rancho Cucamonga, California
Chaffey CC
Notable offers: MTSU, Western Kentucky
Will enroll in January
Lofton didn’t make his commitment public until today as he chooses the Flames fresh off a weekend visit to Lynchburg. This past season he had 37 receptions for 834 yards and 9 touchdowns.
S Tim Coutras
6’2″ 195
Nolensville, Tennessee
Nolensville High School
Will enroll in January
ASOR story: Commitment, Coutras cites academics, coaches for commitment
Preferred Walk-On’s
LB Gabe Fuster
6’1″ 217
Chesapeake, Virginia
Deep Creek High School
Will enroll in January
ASOR story: Commitment
DB Aaron Lovins
6’0″ 180
Brentwood, Tennessee
Brentwood Academy
