December 19, 2018

Golden Eagle football signs 13 on first Football Signing Day

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The 2018-19 signing class is getting the pens and paper ready as Tennessee Tech and head coach Dewayne Alexander puts together its newest class of football signees. This list will be updated throughout the morning. Among the signees Wednesday were:

By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Dewayne Alexander put a lot of miles in during the months of November and December, and still has many more to go before the recruiting process is complete. But, on Wednesday, he saw 13 players sign their names on the dotted line, becoming new members of the Tennessee Tech football team.

Among the signees Wednesday were:

Josh Reliford (DB, 5-11, 196, Hutchinson [Kansas] JC, Fitzgerald, Ga., Fitzgerald HS)

Last season at Hutchinson Junior College, Reliford recorded 62 total tackles (34 solo, 28 assists), while also picking off two passes and recovering a fumble.

While at Fitzgerald, he had 97 tackles, a sack, five interceptions and a blocked field goal. He was a Class AA first-team all-state selection by the Georgia Sports Writers Association in 2016.

His grandfather, Joe Reliford, is the youngest player to participate in professional baseball, appearing in a game at the age of 12, playing for the Fitzgerald Pioneers in July 1952.

Justin Oden (WR, 6-3, 180, Spring Hill HS, Columbia, Tenn.)

As a senior, he caught 16 passes for 195 yards in an injury-plagued season, but as a junior, Oden had 27 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns. He was a three-star recruit by 247sports and Rivals, getting attention from many Division I schools last season.

He played four seasons at Spring Hill, earning all-region and all-district honors in both football and basketball, where he was a 1,000-point scorer.

Jamal Boyd (DB, 6-0, 190, Cedar Shoals HS, Athens, Ga.)

Boyd had a solid season for Cedar Shoals, recording 60 total tackles in the 2018 campaign, including 42 solo tackles and 18 assisted. He picked off a pass and defended two, while also blocking a punt and a field goal. On the offensive side, he also caught one pass for seven yards. He was selected to the Northeast Georgia FCA All-Star Game last weekend.

Boyd was also a standout on the Cedar Shoals wrestling team.

Demetrien Johnson (WR/FS, 6-3, Knoxville Central HS, Knoxville, Tenn.)

Johnson was also a versatile athlete, playing both wide receiver and safety. In the TSSAA Class 5A title game against Henry County, Johnson recorded one tackle, caught a pass for 14 yards, rushed once for eight yards, returned two punts for 19 yards and led the team in all-purpose yards for the game.

Johnson finished the season as a receiver with 61 catches for 1,109 yards and 11 touchdowns, then also rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. Defensively, he had eight interceptions, 32 tackles and six passes defended. He also returned 14 punts for 256 yards with a longest return of 61 yards and two touchdowns.

He was also selected to the TACA All-Star Game. Johnson also is a standout on the Knoxville Central basketball team.

Trevor Stephens (OL, 6-5, 324, Woodstock HS, Woodstock, Ga.)

The Tech offensive line added some size up front with the addition of Stephens. A four-year player who started a school-record 44 consecutive games, Stephens was selected first-team all-region twice and was named to the Cherokee Tribune all-county team three times.

While on the team, Woodstock reached the state Sweet 16 in 2016 and 2017. He is also a multi-sport athlete, competing in wrestling and lacrosse.

Xavier Washington (LB, 5-10, 200, Knoxville Central HS, Knoxville, Tenn.)

One of the top defenders in the Knoxville area, Washington will add another powerful piece in the Golden Eagles' linebacker corps. This season, Washington recorded 127, total tackles – 90 solo – and 23 for-loss. He also had nine sacks, three interceptions, defended 10 passes and forced three fumbles for a Knoxville Central program that also produced Tech linebacker Josh Poplar.

Washington ended his career with 244 total tackles, five interceptions and four forced fumbles. In the TSSAA Class 5A State Championship, he recorded seven tackles – three solo and two for-loss – and a pass breakup in the 14-9 win over Henry County.

Washington was also a selection for the TACA All-Star Game.

Chris Stevenson (LB, 6-1, 205, Austin-East HS, Knoxville, Tenn.)

A four-year standout at Austin-East, Stevenson played two positions and excelled at both, helping the Roadrunners to the TSSAA Class 3A state quarterfinals. During his career, he earned All-Region, All-State and Defensive Player of the Year honors. In his senior campaign, he had 149 tackles with 37 for-loss and six sacks in 13 games. He scored seven offensive touchdowns -- three receiving and four rushing.

He was selected to the TACA All-Star Game. He also competes in track and field.

Jamaal Singleton (DB, 5-9, 170, Buford HS, Buford, Ga.)

Singleton finished the 2018 campaign with a great year for traditional Georgia power Buford. He ended the year with 40 tackles in 13 games, while recording one interception as the team reaches the state quarterfinals. Buford, while Singleton was there, also reached the state semifinals in 2017 and was the state runner-up in 2015 and 2016.

He earned an All-Region 8-AAAAA nod this season. He was selected to the Northeast Georgia FCA All-Star Game last weekend. He has also competed in track and field, putting together fantastic times in the 100-meter dash and the 4x100 relay.

Christian Cantrell (DL, 6-1, 250, Oakland HS, Murfreesboro, Tenn.)

Cantrell was a three-year starter for the Oakland HS squad, helping his Patriots squad to the recent TSSAA Class 6A State Championship in the BlueCross Bowl at Tucker Stadium.

This past season, he was named to the all-region team and was a preseason all-state selection. He earned all-state, all-region and defensive lineman of the year honors in his region as a junior.

He is also a versatile player, playing tight end and fullback as well for head coach Kevin Creasy. He recently was selected for the TACA All-Star Game roster.

Cameron Hudson (DB, 5-11, 165, Cedar Shoals HS, Athens, Ga.)

Hudson caught six passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns for Cedar Shoals HS, then returned seven kickoffs for 128 yards. He shined on the defensive end, collecting 41 total tackles – 36 solo and five assisted – while picking off three passes and recovering a fumble. He was named first-team all-region as a junior and senior. He also won the Georgia 5A state championship in track and field in 2017 and was a runner-up in 2016.

Heath Price (LB, 6-1, 190, Watertown HS, Watertown, Tenn.)

An athlete in every sense of the word, Price was everywhere on the field for Watertown. At quarterback, he passed for 217 yards on 14-of-16 passing. As a running back, he rushed for 643 yards and 13 touchdowns on 69 carries. As a receiver, he caught 24 passes for 558 yards and 11 touchdowns.

But he's coming to Tech as a linebacker and he put together tremendous numbers on the defensive end. He recorded 144 tackles this season, including 18.5 for loss and averaging 11.1 per game. He also had two sacks for 10 yards, an interception returned 90 yards for a touchdown, four pass deflections, one fumble recovery and four forced fumbles.

En route to the Region 4-2A Most Valuable Player award, Price scored 198 points as a senior with 29 touchdowns, 22 2-point conversions and going 2-for-3 on PATs, averaging 15.2 points responsible for per game. Price was selected for the TACA All-Star game and was a semifinalist for the TSSAA Mr. Football Award.

He is also a four-sport athlete at Watertown, competing in football, basketball, baseball and track and field.

Metrius Fleming (WR, 6-0, 175, Elbert County HS, Elberton, Ga.)

A fantastic receiver out of Elbert County HS, Fleming put up big numbers this season. He caught 66 passes for 1,180 yards, averaging 17.9 yards per catch and 118 yards per game. He also saw action at running back, rushing 11 times for 182 yards, and at quarterback, completing a pass for 56 yards.

In track and field, Fleming recorded a state championship in both the long jump and 110-meter high hurdles.

Fleming was named All-Region and Honorable Mention All-State in 2017, while named the Region 8AA Athlete of the Year, preseason All-State by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the team's Golden Helmet MVP winner this season.

Kail Dava (DT, 6-4, 280, Mississauga, Ontario, Clarkson Secondary School)

Dava barnstormed this fall in a 12-game schedule for Clarkson Football North. He played three seasons for head coach Larry Jusdanis, and was named the team's Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player and Defensive MVP.