ROCKINGHAM — Jaleak Gates knew that he would have to put in some extra effort on and off the football field this past season if he wanted to continue playing in college.
The soon-to-be Richmond Senior High School graduate did just that, and he recently announced that he will be playing at Georgia Military College in the fall.
With his verbal commitment, Gates became the second Richmond Raider football player in the class of 2022 to join the college ranks. Former teammate J.D. Lampley signed with and enrolled early at East Carolina University earlier this month.
“I chose Georgia Military College because it felt like that was the best opportunity for me,” Gates explained of the junior college. “I really liked the coaching staff, who really introduced me to the campus and built a strong bond with me.
“I’m excited to play in college,” he added. “I didn’t like how our high school season ended, and I wanted to continue to do bigger things down the road with football.”
Gates, who has been recruited as a 6-2, 170-pound cornerback by the GMC Bulldogs and head coach Rob Manchester, also had an offer from Fayetteville State University.
Around Thanksgiving, Gates went on a visit to GMC in Milledgeville, Ga. with Richmond defensive backs coach Chris Campolieta.
When Gates was a sophomore, he had a breakout season starting at linebacker for the Raiders, playing in 12 games.
Showing a lot of talent and potential early in his career, Gates looked like he would help the Raiders for two more years and even received an offer from ECU following that season.
But when the global pandemic hit in the spring of 2020, things slowed down for Gates.
Gates missed his junior season because of ineligibility, and he said that if it wasn’t for the relationship he’d formed with Campolieta, he likely wouldn’t have played his senior season this past fall.
“I’ve known Coach Campo since seventh grade and he’s been there supporting me the whole time,” Gates said. “He really helped me get back on the field my senior year.
“If I didn’t have Coach Campo in my life, I wouldn’t have played my senior season or gotten to the college level. He really helped me focus when I needed it most.”
This past season, which saw the Raiders go 10-2 and win their fourth straight conference championship, Gates returned to the lineup and played a successful role in his first season at cornerback.
He was also one of 14 Raiders named to the All-Conference team, his first selection. Following the season, he and Lampley were chosen to play in the Carolina Bowl, a senior showcase all-star game.
Gates had 23 total tackles (16 solo and 7 assists) in 12 games, including 1 tackle-for-loss against Lee County. He had a season-high 7 tackles against Butler in the second game of the season.
Gates led the Raider defense with 11 passes defended, and recorded two knockdowns in three different games. He finished third in the SAC with 3 interceptions, which came in three consecutive games.
Finding the end zone one time, Gates returned a fumble recovery for a score in the season opener at Mount Tabor. He also carried the ball one time, a 17-yard gain on a fake punt, in a win over Pinecrest.
“Gates has always been a special athlete,” Campolieta said. “The biggest growth came in his 10th grade year when he was just a baby in terms of being a football player. As the season went on, he continued to get better.
“He understands the game at a very high level, which has always helped him,” he added. “This year, he was easy to coach. We challenged him every week to lock up the opposing team’s best wide receiver and he always seemed to take it personal if he gave up at catch, which is what you want in an elite DB.”
The Bulldogs, which is an independent program that competes in the National Junior College Athletic Association, went 6-5 in 2021.
According to its media guide, GMC has helped nearly 600 players since 1991 continue their academic and football careers at the NCAA level, averaging 20 student-athletes a year who sign scholarships to play.
“This is a second chance for me since I didn’t get to play junior and lost my offer from ECU,” Gates explained. “If I had played, I think I’d have plenty more offers.
“But I’m thankful for GMC because now I get a second chance to get back right for two years and then hopefully transfer to a D-I college. I’d like to get another offer from ECU and continue playing with J.D. (Lampley).”
Aside from wanting to impress in the secondary, Gates noted he wants to “do well with my grades, learn to be a better man and improve my attitude.”
“GMC is a great fit for him and I think Gates realizes they’re giving him a second chance to right some mistakes he made as a junior,” Campolieta said. “I think going to a junior college will help him grow as a player, and more importantly a student.
“They have a great foundation, great coaches and a head coach with a strong faith background, which I think any young man needs in order to be successful,” he continued. “As a football player, Gates is a power five DB all day long.
“He has the speed and size to play with anyone at that level, but he just has to take this second chance as a blessing, and understand that myself and the rest of Richmond County are behind him and can’t wait to follow his journey.”
Gates closed by saying he wanted to thank all of his coaches, especially Richmond head coach Bryan Till, who taught him physical and mental toughness during his sophomore and senior seasons.
Set to join the Bulldogs later this summer, Gates will participate in National Signing Day with other classmates on Feb. 2.
