The Junior College Signing Period began on Wednesday, meaning JUCO prospects that are planning on enrolling at their new schools in January could make their college decisions official. There are some late bloomers who are just now getting the attention of big schools, but for other prospects, Wednesday’s deadline represents a second chance. We take a look at five prospects that signed on Wednesday that should be familiar to recruiting fans.
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Originally signed with: Florida State (2015)
Signed this year with: Florida Atlantic
What happened: Johnson lit up the state of Florida, setting state passing records while playing in the Jacksonville area. He committed to Florida State early in his high school career and was battling with Deondre Francois before an off-field assault charge let to him being dismissed from the school. The incident, in which Johnson could be seen punching a woman in the face, made national headlines. Johnson ended up transferring to East Mississippi Community College and is expected to be featured on Season 2 of the Netflix series “Last Chance U.” Johnson will now team with Lane Kiffin as both work to rehabilitate their reputations with the Owls.
Originally signed with: Georgia (2015)
Signed this year with: Mississippi State
What happened: Rivers originally signed with Georgia out of high school and actually saw action with the Bulldogs during his true freshman season. But multiple marijuana-related incidents saw Rivers get dismissed from the team earlier this year. He also transferred to East Mississippi Community College and received several offers before announcing his commitment to the Bulldogs on Wednesday.
Originally signed with: Michigan State (2014)
Signed this year with: Oregon State
What happened: Evans was one of the nation’s top defensive tackles in the 2014 class and despite a long-time commitment to Wisconsin, ended up flipping to Michigan State late in the process. He played two seasons in East Lansing, including playing in 11 games last season when the Spartans qualified for the College Football Playoff. But Evans left the team in the spring for “personal reasons” before resurfacing at Arizona Western this fall. He represents a good fit at a position of need for the Beavers.
Originally signed with: LSU (2015)
Signed this year with: Arkansas
What happened: Once a student at the much-maligned Prime Prep Academy in Dallas, Martin failed to qualify for the Tigers out of high school and attended junior college at Mississippi Gulf Coast. He redshirted his first season there, then came on strong this fall and was re-ranked as one of the top overall junior college prospects in the country. Despite efforts from LSU and Auburn, Martin made a late decision to commit to Arkansas, where he will have three years of eligibility.
Originally signed with: Clemson (2015)
Signed this year with: South Carolina
What happened: Chalmers committed to Clemson early in the process and never wavered, not even bothering to take an official visit to another school. His career with the Tigers didn’t go as smoothly as he was dismissed during the spring of 2016 after being arrested on drug-related charges. Chalmers will now suit up for Clemson’s in-state rival, as he signed with the Gamecocks on Wednesday.
