MOULTRIE – Three Colquitt County football players took advantage of the NCAA’s early National Signing Day period to make known where they will play at the college level.
And two of three will be at schools who compete in the same conference.
Defensive tackle Jartavius Flounoy signed with Georgia State and defensive end Amari Wilson will head to Statesboro to play at Georgia Southern.
Both schools are in the Sun Belt Conference.
Offensive lineman Khalil Collins is going to the Sunshine State to play at South Florida.
Collins and Flounoy will be early enrollees and will begin their college careers next spring.
Colquitt County head coach Sean Calhoun said as many as seven other Packers could sign on the National Signing Day on February 5.
The three who signed their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday were multi-year starters for the Packers, playing on teams that have posted a combined record of 41-9 over the past four seasons.
The Packers won 14 of 16 region games and three region titles during that time.
“This is one of my two most favorite days of the year: graduation and signing day,” Calhoun said. “It is life-changing for them and their families and recognizes all their hard work.
“I’m excited that they will get a chance to put on another jersey and hopefully use that jersey to help them get a degree.”
Calhoun also noted that all three have been team leaders in the weight room.
Wilson has been a prime contributor to the Packers defense since his sophomore season when he had 63 total tackles, including 12 for losses and four sacks.
This season, he was credited with 48 solo and 17 assisted tackles for 65 total stops, including 19 for loss and 8.5 sacks.
This season was especially memorable for the 6-foot-1, 240-pounder.
He intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown in the region victory at Camden County and caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Day’Shawn Brown in the playoff game against Collins Hill.
For his career, in which he was a three-time first-team All-Region selection, Wilson had 198 total tackles, including 52 for losses and 15.5 sacks.
Wilson will be joining a Georgia Southern program that has gone 8-4 this season and posted a 6-2 record in the Sun Belt Conference under head coach Clay Helton.
The Eagles bowl opponent has not yet been determined.
Flounoy also has been a solid producer on the defensive line for the Packers the last three seasons, being credited with 113 solo tackles and nine assists. He also had 31 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks in his career.
This year, he had 65 total tackles, leading the team with 10 sacks and tying with Wilson for the team lead with his 19 tackles for loss.
Flounoy, a 6-foot-2, 272-pound first-team All-Region selection, will head to Atlanta to join a Georgia State program that went 3-9 overall and 1-7 in the Sun Belt Conference.
Collins lost some playing time in 2023 as a junior when he was injured for a portion of the season, but still leaves Colquitt County with 97 knockdown blocks.
He had 57 of them this season while blocking for Brown, Ramsey Dennis, Jae Lamar and the rest of the Packers ball carriers.
Although he started at left tackle for the Packers, the 6-foot-3, 290-pounder is expected to play guard for South Florida.
“He has been one of our most passionate players,” Calhoun said of Collins. “There has never been a question about his heart and his desire.”
Collins also has been one of the team’s top scholar-athletes and has a 3.7 grade point average.
South Florida, which is located in Tampa and plays its home games at Raymond James Stadium, has gone 6-6 this season and 4-4 in the American Athletic Conference.
The Bulls will play on Christmas Eve against San Jose State in the Hawaii Bowl.