National signing day is just over a week away and the new Eagle coaching staff is nearly complete in signing the last few commits to the 2016 recruiting class. Georgia Southern is set to have one of the top classes in the Sun Belt Conference.

Many of the best recruits that the Eagles have netted came in the past week for new head coach Tyson Summers and his band of new coaches. Things looked bleak about a month ago after former coach Willie Fritz’s departure came with the news of several recruits de-committing. It turns out that they might have been better off holding onto that decision as the Eagles have been picking up some of Georgia’s best high school players.

The first spotlight recruit just signed over the weekend, Darion Anderson, a receiver from Houston County High School. The receiver is rated as an 88% four star recruit with great speed and hands and ranked as the 28th best recruit in the state of Georgia, he also made history as the first ESPN 300 player to sign with Georgia Southern. Anderson had compiled nine total offers from school such as UNC, Marshall, Boston College, and most notably: The University of Georgia where he flipped after the news of the changes coming to the Bulldog program.

The former 2-AAAAA Region Player of the Year shocked many with his commitment to the Eagles and his arrival likely signals more of an emphasis on the passing game in the coming year as the team continues to open up the run game. Anderson picked up 22 catches last season for 432 yards and doubled in the defensive backfield with 28 total tackles and an interception in 10 of his team’s 13 games played.

With the best running game in college football, the Eagles are constantly looking to improve their backfield. Between Walker Award nominee Matt Breida, the consistently good L.A. Ramsby, and the up and coming Wesley Fields, it seems like the backfield is full to the brim. However, one of the latest recruits is likely to add another dimension to the running game, but also could be used to stuff a run game.

Last Tuesday, running back Jermany Hawkins committed to join the Eagle backfield in the 2016 season. The three star running back hails from Sylvania (Screven County). Hawkins ranks as an 84% on 247 Sports and had raised eyebrows across the state. With great size, many wouldn’t expect his 4.48 speed and his hard hitting ability as he split his time as a linebacker for Screven High.

Hawkins proved to be one of the most lethal defensive players for his high school. Aside from leading his offense in rushing with an average of 11.9 yards per carry, he also led the team in tackles with 99 total and 41 solo tackles.

Eagles football recruiting has always been a force to be reckoned with, but the unique style taken by Coach Summers is certainly paving the way for one of the best classes ever. With a barrage of new head coaches coming from the high school ranks, they brought their former players with them. The last two weeks has seen several more high-profile signees that we will cover more in depth in our signing day wrap-up next week.