From Cincinnati to Wisconsin, area football players take their next steps on national signing day

St. Joseph’s Prep had so many players signing national letters of intent that one table wasn’t enough for all of them on the stage in their school’s theater.

The school needed to put three tables together to have room for all 11 seniors, not including two — quarterback Samaj Jones (Cincinnati) and wide receiver Dave Washington Jr. (Kentucky) — who couldn’t make it to the ceremony.

“This is the end of an era,” said running back Kahseim Phillips, who signed with Towson. “Because these are the guys I came here with. … We’re starting our lives without each other, but it felt good to see all of us sign and finally get part of our dream. The dream is to get to the NFL, but this is just one step.”

The long hours of preparation and navigating the recruiting process paid off Wednesday as more than 20 Philadelphia-area recruits made their college football commitments official.

The Prep has the most athletes from one program in Philadelphia officially extending their football career. Head coach Tim Roken expects even more players, potentially eight, to follow suit during the regular period on Feb. 7.

Cornerback Shamir Johnson also signed with Towson. The Hawks’ class also includes the wide receiver trio of Elijah Jones, who is joining Samaj Jones at Cincinnati, Brandon Rehmann (West Virginia), and Joseph Lindsey (Wilkes).

“Every single time that we’ve had a signing day, I’ve always come and just watched them, saying, ‘One day that’ll be me,’ ” Elijah Jones said. “Now to have it finally be me, it’s kind of crazy.”

Cornerback Omillio Agard, the No. 7 prospect in the state, is headed to Wisconsin. Linebacker Nick McGlynn will take his talents to Army, where he said his goal is to one day join the special forces.

Running back Taj Dyches committed to Robert Morris, defensive tackle/center Ryan Kyle will play at Johns Hopkins, and offensive lineman Lakeem Steele is signed to Merrimack. Kicker Skyler Sholder is headed to Delaware, which will join Conference USA and the FBS in 2025.

A little ways across the Delaware River, Eastside and Camden held ceremonies celebrating their signees.

Eastside head football coach Melik Brown reminded his three seniors, who sat at a table in front of family, friends, and teammates, to enjoy the moment.

“Watching these kids grow up and being around them since they were 13-14 years old to now 17-18 years old, seeing them sign national letters of intent is amazing,” said Brown, a graduate of Woodrow Wilson. “It’s a very joyous occasion, especially through the hard times when they were young.”

Linebacker Fatim Diggs (Syracuse) and cornerbacks Willy Love (Monmouth) and Marshall Washington Jr. (Long Island), couldn’t hold back their smiles as they put pen to paper.

It was a moment the three have been waiting for. Each of them had a different journey through the recruiting process, which wasn’t the easiest, Love said. But the stress is behind them now.

“Now that I have a secure place I can call home, it means my mind can be put at rest,” Love said. “I can get ready to work at the next level.”

At Camden, head coach Rob Hinson recognized defensive tackle Richard James Jr. (North Carolina Central), tight end Dylan Seay (Penn), safety Eric Lee (New Hampshire), and defensive back Braheem Long (Syracuse) for making their commitments.

Winslow Township’s Jaylan Hornsby, one of the top receivers in New Jersey, signed his letter of intent for Syracuse at Eisenhower Middle School in West Berlin, where he once attended.

From Imhotep, wide receiver Tyseer Denmark and cornerback Kenny Woseley signed with Penn State, while defensive tackle Jahsear Whittington (Pitt) and offensive lineman Zafir Stewart (Illinois) also inked their letters.

Bonner-Prendergast edge rusher Mylachi Williams signed with Penn State.

Pope John Paul II’s Kevin Heywood, an offensive tackle who is the highest-ranked player in the area at No. 3 in Pennsylvania, also signed to Wisconsin, and Malvern Prep’s Peter Jones signed with Notre Dame.

» READ MORE: Wisconsin-recruit Kevin Heywood’s evolution into a highly coveted prospect happened by design