By: Mac Cummings, @SSN_GSU
The Holidays are here and it’s time for us in the Panther Family to open our presents! Check out our 2024 recruiting class below, dubbed “#ATLMade2024”. The player names in italics are those of the transfers the Panthers have coming in. Welcome to the Family, guys!
CJ Beasley
RB – 5’9 – 212lbs
Maury High School – Norfolk, VA – Coastal Carolina
Other Offers: N/A
What To Watch For: Shifty back with breakaway speed, great on-field vision to find the holes in the defense, athletic ability to make defenders miss in more ways than one, scored game-clinching TD against GS in 2022 (see image above), was named to All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention in 2022
GSU Player Comparison: Tra Barnett
Victoine Brown
DL – 6’4 – 241lbs
Grayson High School – Loganville, GA – Louisville
Other Offers: Charlotte
What To Watch For: Quick pass rusher who blows by blockers with elite speed, sheds blocks easily and crashes the run game, didn’t see much action at Louisville so should be fresh and hungry
GSU Player Comparison: Kevin Swint
Dominic Johnson
IOL – 6’1 – 260lbs
Trinity Catholic – Ocala, FL
Other Offers: Arkansas State, Bethune-Cookman, Brown, and Bryant
What To Watch For: Uses size to gain leverage on defender and then uses power to drive them to the ground, fierce run blocker always looking to hit someone, high motor
GSU Player Comparison: Luis Cristobal
Kyrik Mason
OT – 6’4 – 290lbs
St. Johns – Washington, DC – Monmouth
Other Offers: Wagner, Morgan State, Southeast Missouri, Wofford, Bryant, East Tennessee, Eastern Kentucky, Western Carolina, and Delaware State
What To Watch For: Elite size and uses it to his advantage, savvy blocker who lets the defenders moves take themselves out of the play, finishes blocks to keep defender out of play
GSU Player Comparison: Montavious Cunningham
Avery McFadden
ATH – 5’9 – 174lbs
Hillcrest High School – Simpsonville, SC
Other Offers: Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, James Madison, and Liberty
What To Watch For: Speedy WR that uses his quickness to blow by defenders, will likely be used in the screen game predominantly as he is a YAC magician, elite punt/kick returner
GSU Player Comparison: Jacari Carter/Tailique Williams
Austin McGee
CB – 5’7 – 160lbs
Athens Academy – Athens, GA
Other Offers: Alabama A&M, Bowling Green, Illinois State, and Middle Tennessee State
What To Watch For: Great instincts on defense, seems to always find the ball, a little undersized but plays like a safety, may even see some time at receiver depending on depth
GSU Player Comparison: Gavin Pringle
Jules Ney
IOL – 6’3 – 285lbs
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School - Rabun Gap, GA
Other Offers: Campbell, Wagner, Penn, and Western Carolina
What To Watch For: Athleticism to finish blocks downfield in run-block, tenacious blocker that’s not afraid to get his nose dirty, will likely be utilized most when running screens as the sliding guard
GSU Player Comparison: Chauncey Kamakea
Recordo Tarver
WR – 6’0 – 180lbs
Houston County High School – Warner Robbins, GA
Other Offers: Central Michigan, Georgia Southern, Massachusetts, and Miami (OH)
What To Watch For: Uses speed to blow by defenders and then uses shiftiness to create space during route and after catch, super slippery player that just hard to bring down, could be utilized in the return game to start his career at GSU
GSU Player Comparison: LaMarcus Brand
Domonique Thomas
RB – 5’8 – 210lbs
Ohatchee High School – Ohatchee, AL – Clemson
Other Offers: Richmond, Troy, Virginia Tech, Missouri, Memphis, Arkansas State, West Virginia, and UAB
What To Watch For: Nicknamed “Quadzilla”, absolute tank of a runner with a high motor, incredibly strong work ethic, could very well end up be a leader of the team, HS coaches had to ask him to stop squatting so much weight so that he wouldn’t lose quickness, Muscle Hamster
GSU Player Comparison: Marcus Carroll
Lane Wadle
TE – 6’5 – 245lbs
Greenfield Central High School – Greenfield, IN
Other Offers: UCF, Georgia Tech, Northern Illinois, and Air Force
What To Watch For: Has the ideal frame for a TE, not afraid to get in there and run block by moving defenders off the ball, played LB in high school as well so has great feel of the field, underrated quickness, could have immediate impact
GSU Player Comparison: Avion McBride
Deuce Walker
WR/CB – 5’10 – 185lbs
Salisbury High School – Salisbury, NC
Other Offers: Campbell, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, and Duke
What To Watch For: Set records for WR in HS but was named to Shrine Bowl as DB, father is longtime football coach, great instincts for the ball and is able to finish the play due to him playing receiver too, most likely will not need to wait long to see the field next season
GSU Player Comparison: Robert Lewis/Ronald Cooper
Damaine Wilson
Edge – 6’2 – 215lbs
Coconut Creek High School – Pompano Beach, FL
Other Offers: FIU, Florida Atlantic, Florida State, Louisiana-Monroe
What to watch For: Rare combination of power and speed that wreaks havoc on the field, heat-seeking missile to the ball on just about every play, uses high motor to never give up on play, my prediction for best player from this class
GSU Player Comparison: Shamar McCollum