By: David Beall
NSD Central | Signing Day Roster | Signee Playlist
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State head football coach
Brian Bohannon added 11 players during the early signing period to begin the #LIMITEDEDI21ON class, KSU's eighth class in program history.
The 11 signees look to continue Kennesaw State Football's unprecedented success as the Owls go for their third Big South Conference championship in the last four seasons and their fourth consecutive FCS Playoffs appearance in 2021. Homegrown Georgia talent remains a priority for Bohannon with eight players hailing from the Peach State, while two individuals make their way from Florida and the first international player in program history inked with the Owls from Australia.
The class in the early period features has six offensive players and five defensive players. Kennesaw State will round out its class on National Signing Day (Feb. 3, 2021).
The Class Breakdown by Position
• 6 Offensive Players // 2 RB // 2 OL // 1 QB // 1 WR
• 5 Defensive Players // 2 DL // 2 DB // 1 LB
The Class Breakdown by Location
• 8 - Georgia
• 2 - Florida
• 1 - Australia
What Coach Bohannon is Saying
"Our staff did a fantastic job this year and we signed a heck of a class today. When you look at this group, we touched about every position. One thing we tried to do was get a little bigger up front and were able to do that. We are all about speed here, and when you turn the tape on, that's what you are going to see. When you look at these times we are in, I told our staff we are going to make this negative a positive for us and go recruit some kids that fit us and maybe we couldn't recruit in a normal year. We still have some spots out there as we move to the next signing period, but I think today was a huge success and it's a great group of kids that we are excited about."
Gabriel Benyard // RB // 5-10 // 180 // Ocilla, Ga. // Irwin County High School
High School
Played at Irwin County High School under head coaches Casey Soliday and Buddy Nobles … currently leading the Indians to the Class A state semifinals and 10-3 record as a senior … during his senior season, has rushed over 900 yards and 15 touchdowns … caught 26 passes for 634 yards and six touchdowns, including a long of 80 yards, all team-highs … leads the team with four interceptions and three defensive touchdowns … as a junior, led Irwin County to an undefeated season and Class A state championship, including a 56-14 victory against Marion County in the title game, in which he had an incredible game … carried the rock nine times for 86 yards and two touchdowns … also completed two pass attempts for 54 yards and a touchdown, and caught two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown … in addition to his two punt returns for 70 yards, he accumulated 200 total yards in the game, plus was second on the squad with five tackles and a pbu … as a junior, averaged an eye-popping 18.5 yards per-carry, with 22 touches for 406 yards and five TDs … had two 100-yard rushing contests, and caught seven passes for 75 yards with a score … also threw one pass for a touchdown.
Personal
Son of Shaneka Paschal and Tony Benyard…Has one brother, Garland and one sister, Gabrielle.
Garland Benyard // LB // 6-1 // 190 // Ocilla, Ga. // Irwin County High School
High School
Played at Irwin County High School under head coaches Casey Soliday and Buddy Nobles … listed offers from Troy and Georgia Southern … currently leading the Indians to the Class A state semifinals and 10-3 record as a senior … as a senior, has run 23 times for 230 yards and a touchdown … caught 15 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns … currently has three interceptions and nine sacks with five tackles for loss. A`s a junior, led Irwin County to an undefeated season and Class A state championship, including a 56-14 victory against Marion County in the title game … The Indians were state runner-up in 2018 and 2017 … rushed 11 times for 93 yards and a score and caught two passes for 25 yards with a TD as a junior.
Personal
Son of Shaneka Paschal and Tony Benyard…Has one brother, Gabriel and one sister, Gabrielle.
William Calhoun // OL // 6-2 // 295 // Suwanee, Ga. // Greater Atlanta Christian School
High School
Played at Greater Atlanta Christian School under head coach Tim Hardy … has led the Spartans to an unblemished 12-0 record and berth in the Class AAA semifinals … road-grader for an offense that averages 139 rushing and 162 passing yards a game … also has 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery for the Spartan defense … three-year letterwinner and led GAC to three Regional Championships and two state semifinal appearances … team went 12-2 his junior season and 9-3 as a sophomore.
Personal
Son of David and Michele Calhoun … has three sisters, Ashley, Lucy, and Olivia … plans to major in exercise science.
Arendez Fedd // QB // 6-1 // 195 // Locust Grove, Ga. // Dutchtown HS
High School
Played at Dutchtown High School under head coach Clifford Fedd … listed as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com … chose KSU over offers from Army, Coastal Carolina, Akron, and Charlotte … earned All-Region 4-AAAAA honors as a junior in 2019 while helping Dutchtown advance to the Class AAAAA quarterfinals in the Georgia High School Football State Playoffs … threw for 1,806 yards as a junior with 19 touchdown passes, while adding 665 rushing yards and 13 scores on the ground … tallied 2,000 passing yards in 2018 as a sophomore, leading his team to an undefeated regular season, the team's first Region Championship and to the Class AAAAA quarterfinals … named the team's Freshman of the Year in 2017 and led the Bulldogs to the GHSA Playoffs.
Personal
Son of Akisha Fedd … has two sisters, Avandia and Morgann … plans to major is nursing science.
Finn Hazel-Polkinghorne // DL // 6-4 // 280 // Williamstown, Australia // St. Kevin's College
High School
Played for the Melbourne University Royals under Brian Calloway… represented Australia at the 2018 IFAF U19 World Championship in Mexico … starred for his state, Victoria, at the 2019 Junior Nationals competition … played for the Monash Warriors, the most successful football club in Australia, whose alumni include 2016 NFL second-round pick Adam Gotsis … played rugby for St. Kevin's College.
Personal
Son of Anthony and Maxine Hazel-Polkinghorne … has three sisters, Casey, Mavournee and Chyna … started playing at age 13 … undecided on major.
Jordan Love // OL // 6-2 // 290 // Rockledge, Fla. // Rockledge High School
High School
Played at Rockledge High School under head coach Wayne Younger … a 3-star prospect according to 247sports … listed offers from Charlotte, FAU, Kansas, and Rhode Island … named to the 2020 all-Florida Athletic Coaches Association Offensive Player of the Year Team … helped lead the Raiders to a 7-2 record and Class 5A state runner-up finish as a senior … paved the way for an offense that averaged 235 rushing yards and 136 passing yards a game … led the team with 56 pancake blocks … defensively, totaled 48 tackles with 32 solo … as a junior, led an offensive line that opened holes to the tune of 220 rushing yards a game during an 8-2 season… had 44 pancake blocks … made four sacks and registered 63 tackles … Raiders went 10-2 and averaged 310 rushing and 121 passing yards his sophomore season … made 47 stops and five TFL, along with 33 pancakes offensively … named all-district, all-Space Coast Conference, all-state, and all-Space Coast Daily in both 2018 and 2019.
Personal
Son of David and Michelle Love … has three brothers, Tristan, Tory, and Joseph … plans to major in sport management.
Dominique Marshall // WR // 6-1 // 190 // Valdosta, Ga. // Lowndes High School
High School
Played at Lowndes High School under head coaches Jamey DuBose and Randy McPherson … has led the Vikings to a berth in the Class 7A state semifinals … in 10 games, has caught 32 passes for 610 yards and eight touchdowns … all are team-highs … season-long 81-yard score showcased his speed … breakout year has led to a first-team all-region selection in the 7a classification … as a junior, caught eight passes for 245 yards and scored three times … received honorable mention honors in 7a classification … also played basketball.
Personal
Son of Calvin and Keshia Marshall … has a sister, Zoe … plans to major in physical education.
Deontre Morris // DB // 5-11 // 175 // Atlanta, Ga. // Therrell High School
High School
Played at Therrell High School under head coach Greg Sullivan… As a senior, intercepted three passes and accumulated 242 all-purpose yards despite playing in only two games … named second team all-region as a junior after six picks and 637 all-purpose yards … had 357 all-purpose yards and one interception his sophomore season … also competed in the 100 and 200-meter for the Panther track team.
Personal
Son of Angelo Morris and Alfreda Smith … has a sister, Layla, and a brother, Lamier … plans to major in sports medicine.
Java'n Singletary // DB // 6-0 // 200 // Warner Robins, Ga. // Georgia Southern // Veterans HS
At Georgia Southern
In 2020, led the team in tackles for the first three games with 22 ... played eight snaps versus Coastal Carolina and recorded a tackle … only played in four games before opting out and entering into the transfer portal … played in nine games in 2019, starting one … saw action on 288 total snaps (181 defensive) … had 10 tackles and an interception … after missing the first two games of his career with an injury, made his collegiate debut at Minnesota … played 52 snaps on defense against Coastal Carolina … had five tackles against New Mexico State … started in the Cure Bowl against Liberty and had two tackles and an interception … made the Honor Roll in spring 2020.
High School
Played his final season of football at Veterans High for Coach Milan Turner … Named first-team all-1-AAAAA region as a senior … was a three-star prospect while leading the Warhawks to an 8-3 record.
Personal
Son of Warren and Cassandra Singletary … Has an older brother, Warren, Jr. that played at Kansas Wesleyan … plans to major in business.
Quandarius Smith // RB // 5-11 // 205 // Gainesville, Fla. // Buchholz High School
High School
Played at Buchholz High School under head coach Mark Whittemore … Listed offers from Michigan, Kentucky, Georgia State, and Western Kentucky … for two years, totaled 2,794 all-purpose yards as the premier running back for the Bobcats … As a senior, in just 8 recorded games, rushed for 1,050 yards on 142 carries … averaged 7.4 yards per rush and 131 yards a game ... accumulated six 100-yard games … career best came from a win with 25 carries and rushing for 292 yards and two scores in one game … caught 6 passes for 86 yards … responsible for 14 touchdowns … 11 rushing and 3 receiving … led the Bobcats to an 8-2 record … as a junior, rushed for an eye-popping 1579 yards on 244 carries … averaged 6.5 yards per rush and 158 yards a game … seven of his 10 games saw him break the century-mark in yards … caught seven passes for 79 yards … found the endzone 18 times on the ground… received athlete of the week and most valuable player of his team … also ran track and played basketball.
Personal
Son of Tuwonna Smith … has an older sister, Alana, and a younger brother, Cavarius … plans to major in business.
Adam Watkins // DL // 6-0 // 285 // Dacula, Ga. // Dacula High School
High School
Played at Dacula High School under head coaches Clint Jenkins and Tommy Jones … led the Falcons to a 7-4 record as a senior … wreaked havoc defensively with 24 tackles, six TFL, two sacks, and 17 QB hurries as a junior … starred both ways with 66 pancakes and a 90% blocking grade to be named all-region … graded at 90% with 39 pancakes as a sophomore… gained playing time as a freshman and recorded 20 tackles … won the 15- and 16-year-old national title in the shot put with a throw of 55 feet, one inch National AAU Junior Olympics in Greensboro, N.C. … also was fourth nationally in the discus at 155-1 … finished his 2019 track and field season unbeaten in the shot put, including a Class 6A state championship with a throw of 58-9 ½ … named a 2020 male track & field "Super Six" by the Gwinnett Daily Post.
Personal
Son of Emmett and Rosalind Watkins … has a sister, Jacobia, and a brother, Emmett, Jr. … plans to major in exercise science.
