Booker football celebrates historic senior class on early signing day
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SARASOTA — It can be debated whether this year’s senior football players at Booker High is the best in program history.
That question can be made moot in two weeks if the Tornadoes are able to win their first state championship.
Regardless of rings, this group has already made history.
Principal Dr. Rachel Shelley announced that seven Tornadoes football players are on track to graduate in December and enroll early in college, a first for Booker High.
Wednesday, Dec. 3, four of those players — Chauncey Kennon, Dylan Wester, Jamaun Thompson and Kevontay Hugan — celebrated their commitments to play college football on early National Signing Day at the Booker High Visual and Performing Arts Center.
Not present were Tyren Hornes, Joel Morris, and Karaijus Hayes, who are also expected to announce their commitments within the next two months.
The players present committed to their respective schools months ago, and stuck with it – a rare occurrence in the modern-day landscape of college athletics.
For Kennon, there was never any doubt that he would attend Florida State.
The four-star cornerback, ranked third in the nation at his position per 247Sports, has been a Seminoles fan since childhood. He made his commitment public on July 6 at a signing ceremony and reaffirmed Wednesday that he will remain committed regardless of what happens with coach Mike Norvell, who has been the subject of firing rumors this season.
“Every team has its ups and downs, but I try to look at the positive narrative,” he said. “I’ll still be committed. I built a relationship with Norvell, but Florida State is the school I always wanted to go to. It was my childhood dream. I grew up watching Jameis Winston, Dalvin Cook, and all of them boys.”
Kennon said he wants to pursue a business degree at Florida State with the intent of selling real estate in the future.
Dylan Wester, a three-star wide receiver and cornerback, committed to Pittsburgh in March and remained committed throughout the recruitment process.
Though Wester has excelled on both sides of the ball at Booker, he said the Pitt coaching staff projects him as a wide receiver. If a Wester playing wide receiver sounds familiar, it’s because it is. LaJohntay Wester, a former FAU and Colorado standout who is currently with the Baltimore Ravens, is his cousin.
“The coaches were loyal to me,” said Wester, who added that receivers coach JJ Laster making a home visit sold him on Pitt. “They reached out every other day. They built a relationship with me and my family, and they made me a priority.”
Wester said he wants to major in finance at Pitt because he wants to learn how to manage money.
Thompson, a defensive end, transferred from Riverview to Booker before the season began and has become a crucial piece of a suffocating Tornadoes defense.
He committed to New Mexico State, where his older brother Jamall Thompson Jr. plays. However, there was more to the Aggies than a brotherly connection for Thompson.
“They have very great character development, and they develop you for the NFL,” Thompson said. “I would love to play with my brother, though. I haven’t played with him since flag football.”
Thompson said he plans to major in biology at New Mexico State due to his love of nature.
Hugan took an alternative path to his signing day. At one point, he was a running back, but switched to defensive end at the urging of Booker coaches, and became a coveted four-star recruit.
He committed to Indiana in June, and although he admitted he doesn’t watch Hoosiers games, he said he is excited that they are ranked No. 2 in the nation.
“I really like how they develop their players,” Hugan said. “They get their players to the NFL, and I want to go to the NFL.”
Hugan said he plans on majoring in business at Indiana because he wants to one day sell clothes.
Though Wednesday was a monumental day for the Booker High football team, the best days could still be in front of them.
A Class 3A state semifinal matchup with Jacksonville Raines awaits on Friday, with a state championship game the following week should they win.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Booker High standouts sign to play college football
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