CHULA — Ahmad Mosley became the second Tiftarea Academy football player to ink in 2017 when the Panther running back signed with the University of West Georgia Tuesday.

Coach Joe Barkman introduced Mosley. Barkman said he was glad to see Tiftarea athletes “play the sport they love and get a great education” in college.

“We love it,” said Barkman, who asked Mosley to “finish and finish strong” at West Georgia.

Assistant football coach Jimbo Hale told Mosley he was proud of him.

“I’m glad you can achieve your dreams,” said Hale.

Hale said to Mosley that the door was always open for him to visit Tiftarea again.

“Don’t be a stranger,” he said.

After the signing, head football coach Tully Payne talked about everything Mosley had to overcome as an athlete to make it to West Georgia.

Payne said Mosley is “a great testimony to dealing with adversity to overcoming it and never giving up.”

Mosley arrived at Tiftarea in 2015 as a transfer from Sherwood Christian. He played a handful of games for the Panthers, but injured an ankle, ending his season.

Instead of throwing in the towel, Payne said Mosley worked even harder.

“He increased as a player dramatically,” said Payne of Mosley’s development from 2015 to the summer of 2016. “He kept working, kept pursuing his goals.”

Among Mosely’s big performances in 2016 was a 252-yard game against Terrell Academy, which saw him run for two touchdowns, one for 95 yards.

Looking at Mosley posing with family members at the signing table, Payne said, “Today he accomplished what he wanted to accomplish.”