Football lands 28 on National Signing Day
Miles head coach
Reginald Ruffin and his staff have been hard at work since winning the 2015 SIAC football title and the early fruits of their work was on display Wednesday when they released their list of commitments for the upcoming season on the first day of the signing period.
The group of 28 signees has a decidedly local flavor. Each of them hail from high schools in the state of Alabama and 12 of them come from schools in Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa and Bibb Counties. Ruffin said that was a strategy for his coaching staff.
"We did a good job of finding top local talent. There's always been talent here. But we couldn't force them to come," Ruffin said."But we continued to show them love and now, we have them stay at home and grow here at Miles College."
Ruffin said that he also recognizes an additonal benefit to having players play close to home.
"They have local family and local friends and they come and support their people and Miles College," Ruffin said. "When you come to a Miles game, the stands will be packed. The tailgaiting will be great. It's going to be exciting."
Winning at Miles, which Ruffin has done with two league titles in five season, also goes a long ways towards bringing in top talent on the recruiting trail.
"We still have to do our part to sell the program. There were a few guys that we got and some that we didn't get," Ruffin said. "But you love the ones you get and we got the ones who wanted to come here."
Aside from the players being close to campus, the Golden Bears were looking for talent in the trenches, especially on the offensive side. Among the group is Oak Mountain offensive lineman Justice Hammond, who was a First-Team Birmingham All-Metro selection.
"We lost so many guys on the offensive line, that was a great need. We definitely needed some players at the tight end/H-Back position as well," said Ruffin, who signed six offensive linemen and three tight ends.
In addition to the offensive linemen and tight ends, Miles signed five defensive linemen, four wide receivers and linebackers, three running backs, two defensive backs and one athlete. One of thos edefensive linemen is Leeds' Josephus Smith, who had 25sacks. 147 tackles – more than one third for losses - and was named by one publication as the Central Alabama Defensive Player of the Year.
While the first day is in the book, Ruffin said there are still more to come.
"It's not over. We are still looking around for the best scholar athletes we can find."
2016 MILES COLLEGE FOOTBALL SIGNEESÂ
| NAME | SCHOOL | POS | HT | WT |
| Wade Streeter | Spain Park | RB | 5'9 | 185 |
| Montavious Tinch | Elbert Co. | TE | 6'3 | 220 |
| Ja'Kobe Sanders | Carver-Montgomery | OL | 6'3 | 280 |
| Demontae Haigler | Carver-Montgomery | DE | 6'1 | 250 |
| Darrain Steele | Carver-Montgomery | WR | 5'7 | 165 |
| Justice Hammond | Oak Mountain | OL | 5'11 | 265 |
| Chance Kimbrough | B.C. Rain | Ath | 5'10 | 180 |
| Roger Womack | Carver-Birmingham | OL | 6'1 | 288 |
| Deaudre McCurry | Carver-Birmingham | LB | 6'0 | 215 |
| Carlos Taylor | Tuscaloosa Central | TE/HB | 6'2 | 205 |
| Trion Williams | Ramsay | DL | 6'0 | 250 |
| James Moss | Opelika | WR | 5'10 | 180 |
| Jordan Paradise | Auburn | OL | 6'2 | 280 |
| Robert Moore | Auburn | OL | 6'4 | 330 |
| Ozzie Williams | Bessemer City | LB | 6'0 | 210 |
| Denzel Mooney | Gadsden | WR | 6'2 | 180 |
| Jalen Swain | Gadsden | WR | 6'2 | 190 |
| Sean Long | Saraland | RB | 5'10 | 185 |
| Austin Stephens | Munford | LB | 5'11 | 210 |
| T'Auntre Spence | Hale County | C | 6'0 | 290 |
| Timmie Gibson | Tuscaloosa Central | DB | 5'10 | 170 |
| Kendrell Walker | Tuscaloosa Central | DB | 5'9 | 168 |
| Josephus Smith | Leeds | DL | 5'10 | 289 |
| DeAnthony Philon | McGill-Toolen | LB | 6'0 | 220 |
| Emillio Rogers | Saginaw | DL | 5'9 | 215 |
| Juwan Suttle | Bibb County | TE | 6'3 | 215 |
| Cameron Elliott | Decatur | DL | 6'0 | 260 |
| Joshua Rice | Carver-Birmingham | RB | 5'10 | 200 |
