National Signing Day: 4 Each from Berkmar, Parkview Sign Scholarships

National Signing Day was a great beginning for local high school athletes who signed national letters of intent to play college football.

It was a pretty decent ending, too.

“This is an exciting day,” said Berkmar’s versatile Xaviir Briggs, who signed a combined football/baseball scholarship Wednesday with Tuskegee. “I’ve been waiting for this a long time. Four long years.”

Briggs was joined by teammates Justyn Shackleford (Tulane), Antonio Dill (Miles) and Rashaud Lewis (Ft. Scott, Kan., Community College) during an after-school reception to honor the Berkmar’s football scholarship winners.

Also Wednesday, Parkview had four players sign — Clayton Truitt (Charleston Southern), Joe Anderson (Lenoir-Rhyne), Marquis Webb (Lenoir-Rhyne) and Kenny Flowers (Hutchinson, Kan., Junior College).

Briggs, who played quarterback, receiver, running back and many other positions, takes his versatility to Tuskegee, where he may play a similar role.

He was signed as a football "athlete," and also will play center field on Tuskegee’s baseball team. Briggs, a three-year starter in both sports, was an all-county baseball last year.

“It’s a wonderful environment [at Tuskegee]. It feels like home,” he said.

Shackleford , a wide receiver, was Berkmar’s most decorated player last fall, breaking numerous school receiving records. He led the county in receiving yards (1,177) and had 55 receptions and 12 touchdowns.

“In my opinion, he’s the best receiver in the state,” head coach Jonathan Sanks said.

Shackleford chose Tulane for its spread offense in football and performance in the classroom. He wants to major in mechanical engineering. “I’m great in math,” he said.

Dill, a linebacker/safety, chose Miles, located in Birmingham, because “they showed me the most love.”

Lewis signed with JUCO power Ft. Scott and aims to play at Georgia by his junior season.

Sanks expects to eventually have four more players sign scholarships.