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ATLANTA--After graduating no scholarship seniors from its inaugural team, Georgia State added a signing class of nine student-athletes who inked National Letters of Intent on Wednesday's National Signing Day.

Ninety-seven of the 105 members, including 58 letterwinners and every starter except the placekicker, return from the 2010 squad, which posted a 6-5 mark in its inaugural season. 

The 2011 class signed by head coach Bill Curry and his staff includes three junior college transfers and six high school players. Six of the nine are from Georgia, including five from metro Atlanta, plus one each from Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina. The Panthers added three defensive backs, two defensive linemen, one linebacker, one quarterback, one offensive lineman and one placekicker.

"This is a very strong class, although a small one," said Curry. "We had a limited number of grants this year, but we helped ourselves markedly in areas of need. I've never been involved with signing a class this small so what this has meant is that I've had the privilege of spending more time with the players and their families and getting to know them better.

"We've recruited against a higher level of competition," he continued "We've recruited against more very successful FCS programs and many more FBS programs. When you are up against FBS programs, they can always come back and do something to snatch one from you. I think that is part of what is going to happen to us more and more as people realize that we a serious program. We are not going to back off or play second fiddle just because we are new."

Three junior college transfers, all from Georgia Military College in Milledgeville, Ga., should immediately contribute on defense with D'Mario Gunn (Hampton, Ga./Luella HS) and Demazio Skelton (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) in the secondary and Qwontez Mallory (Albany, Ga./Dougherty County HS) at linebacker.

In addition to Gunn, who is already enrolled and will participate in spring practice, and Skelton, the Panthers also added high school prospect Nick Henderson (Roswell, Ga./Roswell HS) to the secondary. A versatile athlete who played tight end in high school, Henderson projects as a safety.

"One of the things we lacked last year was safeties with size, safeties that are six feet, 200 pounds, and that's what we've added," said Curry. "In today's football, safeties have to be able to run so they can cover the third receiver when the field is spread. They also have to be able to come down and support the run, by taking on lead blockers and making tackles."

Mallory, 6-2 and 235 pounds, adds size and experience to the linebacking corps.

"Qwontez Mallory is another one of those outstanding players from Georgia Military College," said Curry. "Another kind of player that is very difficult to find, you usually have to grow those guys. He can run and he tackles well."

The defensive line gained two prep prospects in McClain Head (Fayetteville, Ga./Whitewater HS) and Roderick Thompson (Atlanta, Ga./Mays HS).

The Panthers added depth at the quarterback position with local product Ben McLane, the starting quarterback for Class AAAAA state champion Brookwood High in Gwinnett County.

"When Ben McLane sits down with you and starts talking about football, you just know you are in the presence of somebody that makes things happen," said Curry.

Georgia State replaced the one starter who graduated, placekicker Iain Vance, by signing Christian Benvenuto of Palm Coast, Fla. (Matanzas HS).

David Huey, a 6-2, 285-pounder from Nashville, Tenn. (Pearl Cohn HS), bolsters the offensive line.

"David Huey is a real catch for us," said Curry. "We have him listed as an offensive lineman but he can play offense or defense. He's a tremendously versatile athlete.

Two individuals in the class are "second-generation" Curry players. Henderson is the son of Steve Henderson, who played for Curry at Georgia Tech in the 1980s, while Head's uncle, Tony Head, was a fullback at Georgia Tech when Curry was an assistant coach there in 1976.

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