2023-24 Signing Day

Football

Football Signing Day Central

ATLANTA -- The Georgia State football program welcomed 11 new student-athletes on Wednesday's National Signing Day, including seven high school prospects and four transfers.

This Signing Day took on a new twist with the Panthers already in Boise, Idaho, for Saturday's Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

"Eleven signees today with seven high school athletes and four transfers. A couple more could be added," head coach Shawn Elliott said while standing along the Boise River outside Georgia State's hotel in Boise.

The group includes two running backs, two wide receivers, three offensive linemen, and one defensive lineman, linebacker, defensive back and tight end, 

Both running backs come via the transfer portal: CJ Beasley from Coastal Carolina and Domonique Thomas from Clemson.

"Running back was certainly a critical need for us," Elliott said. "CJ Beasley from Coastal Carolina brings experience right away that we need. I've watched him play and I've had to defend him and I think he's going to be a nice addition to our football team, along with Domonique Thomas from Clemson."

The Panthers also added defensive end Victoine Brown, who transfers from Louisville but played locally at Grayson High School. 

On the offensive line, Monmouth transfer Kyrik Mason joins high school signees Jules Ney, a native of Germany who played at Rabun Gap-Nachoochee in north Georgia, and Dominic Johnson from Ocala, Fla.

Two signees are the sons of college coaches in wide receiver Deuce Walker from Salisbury, N.C., whose father is the head coach at Catawba, and Austin McGee from Athens Academy, the son of Georgia running backs coach Dell McGee.

"Deuce Walker, from North Carolina, is a really great athlete," Elliott said. "He set all kinds of records at the wide receiver position, but he made the Shrine Bowl as a defensive back. Austin McGee brings tremendous speed. And both bring a high football IQ."

The Panthers also signed linebacker Damaine Wilson (Coconut Creek High School, Pompano Beach, Fla.) and tight end Lane Wadle (Greenfield (Ind.) Central High School) from the high school ranks.

"I think we've added a dynamic tight end in Lane Wadle," Elliott said. "This is a young man who can come in and play right away; he almost looks like he's a transfer. That's a big get for us."

The Panthers expect to add additional signees.

"This process is just the beginning," Elliott said. "Didn't want to quote-unquote spend all our money in one day. There are a lot of different pieces we want to add to our football team in the months ahead, and we want to make sure we get the right group in.

"In this business, every position is a piece you need to add. You cannot rest because you think you've got your roster set and then all of a sudden, you don't. 

"I would love to be able to sign high school athletes for every scholarship that we have, but with the transfer portal, that's not the case," he continued. "You have to find experienced guys. We're going to look to add the very best players we can."

Back to this year's team, Elliott and the Panthers are preparing to face Utah State Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

"We had an excellent practice this morning with a lot of energy," Elliott said. "We've got a lot young guys who are going to be stepping into new roles. We could have as many as seven new starters in the game. It's not something they take lightly, It's not something they take lightly, so they are going to line up and play as hard and as well as they can. And that's what I want to see, guys go out there and lay it on the line to try to win this football game for Georgia State."

UPDATE: Georgia State announced the addition of transfer cornerback Jyron Gilmore on Dec. 22. Gilmore, from Citra, Fla., and North Marion High School, spent the last four seasons at Tennessee Tech.

 
 Name Pos. Ht., Wt.  Hometown  Previous School
 Victoine Brown DE 6-4, 250  Loganville, Ga.  Grayson/Louisville
 Austin McGee CB 5-9, 155  Watkinsville, Ga.  Athens Academy
 Kyrik Mason OL 6-3, 290  Columbia, Md.  St. John's Catholic/Monmouth
 CJ Beasley RB 5-9, 212  Norfolk, Va.  Maury/Coastal Carolina
 Domonique Thomas RB 5-9, 202  Ohatchee, Ala.  Ohatchee/Clemson
 Deuce Walker WR 5-10, 185  Salisbury, N.C.  Salisbury, N.C.
 Jules Ney OL 6-3, 285  Wiesbaden, Germany  Rabun Gap-Nacoochee
 Lane Wadle TE 6-5, 245  Greenfield, Ind.  Greenfield-Central
 Recordo Tarver WR 5-11, 180  Warner Robins, Ga.  Houston County
 Dominic Johnson OL 6-1, 260  Ocala, Fla.  Trinity Catholic
 Jyron Gilmore CB 5-9, 180  Citra, Fla.  North Marion


 
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Players Mentioned

CJ Beasley

CJ Beasley

RB
Redshirt Senior
Victoine Brown

Victoine Brown

DE
6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
Austin McGee

Austin McGee

CB
5' 9"
Freshman
Kyrik Mason

Kyrik Mason

OL
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Domonique Thomas

Domonique Thomas

RB
5' 9"
Senior
Deuce Walker

Deuce Walker

WR
5' 10"
Freshman
Jules Ney

Jules Ney

OL
6' 3"
Freshman
Lane Wadle

Lane Wadle

TE
6' 5"
Freshman
Recordo Tarver

Recordo Tarver

WR
5' 11"
Freshman
Dominic Johnson

Dominic Johnson

OL
6' 1"
Freshman
Damaine Wilson

Damaine Wilson

LB
6' 2"
Freshman
Jyron Gilmore

Jyron Gilmore

CB
5' 9"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

CJ Beasley

CJ Beasley

Redshirt Senior
RB
Victoine Brown

Victoine Brown

6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
DE
Austin McGee

Austin McGee

5' 9"
Freshman
CB
Kyrik Mason

Kyrik Mason

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
OL
Domonique Thomas

Domonique Thomas

5' 9"
Senior
RB
Deuce Walker

Deuce Walker

5' 10"
Freshman
WR
Jules Ney

Jules Ney

6' 3"
Freshman
OL
Lane Wadle

Lane Wadle

6' 5"
Freshman
TE
Recordo Tarver

Recordo Tarver

5' 11"
Freshman
WR
Dominic Johnson

Dominic Johnson

6' 1"
Freshman
OL
Damaine Wilson

Damaine Wilson

6' 2"
Freshman
LB
Jyron Gilmore

Jyron Gilmore

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
CB