ROCKINGHAM — The day that five Richmond Senior High School football players have been waiting for their entire lives unfolded in celebration in the school’s media center on Wednesday.
The NCAA early signing period opened this week, and five Raiders signed their National Letter of Intent to play Division-I football. It’s the largest number of D-I players to sign under head coach Bryan Till, who is in his fourth season at Richmond.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, seniors Jakolbe Baldwin (wide receiver), Jaleel Davis (offensive lineman), Caleb Hood (quarterback), Dalton Stroman (wide receiver) and C.J. Tillman (linebacker) each had their own 30-minute signing period with friends and family members present.
Seated at a table adorned with Richmond apparel and gear from their future school, the Raiders all made their future playing careers official.
Till said it was important to let the five teammates celebrate together, especially in the face of adversity that has been their senior year. Each player stayed to support his newly-signed teammate, all of whom received full-ride scholarships.
Baldwin and Davis will continue to be teammates after they signed with North Carolina State University. Stroman will be a future Appalachian State University wideout, Tillman signed with Campbell University and Hood followed his family’s tradition with his signing to the University of North Carolina.
Till, who has coached all five Raiders since their freshman season in 2017, also his first season with the program, explained that the quintet is entering the top circuit of college football for three reasons.
“First, they are all very talented. Most importantly though, they have all dedicated themselves to the process of getting better and understanding the grade requirements it takes,” Till said. “Each of these young men have come in and worked, even during the pandemic, to get where they are.
“They have studied and have been great leaders in the weight room,” he added. “However, I don’t look at these moments as a culminating event. It is more evidence of what has been done in the past. I look forward to bright futures for all of these young men as they continue down the path of excellence they have started.”
The college signees have all played an instrumental part in continuing the winning tradition on and off the field at Richmond. The Raiders have progressed deeper into the playoffs each of the last three years, including a trip to the West Regional Championship in 2019, the first time since 2008.
With the high school season delayed because of the pandemic, Hood has been a three-year starter under center for the Raiders. Baldwin, Davis, Stroman and Tillman have all been regular varsity contributors since their sophomore season.
Till explained that the bigger picture is seeing five student-athletes get the chance to continue their educational and athletic careers at the next level. Part of that also stems from the rich history Richmond has of sending student-athletes in several sports to college.
“I am proud that we are sending five more young men to college for free,” Till said. “The chance to go to school, earn a degree and get a job without debt can help set these young men up for the rest of their lives. It is a blessing to help young men realize this goal using the gifts that God has given them.
“The standard these young men have helped continue is that Raider football helps take boys and equip them with the necessary tools to be great men. They have learned the values of hard work, discipline, brotherhood, selflessness and how important it is to have joy in life. I hope they carry these with them in every step of life.”
Dalton Stroman (WR), Appalachian State University
Stroman, a 6-4, 200-pound wideout, verbally committed to App State on Aug. 9. He had over a dozen offers, mostly Division-I, but narrowed his choices to App State, Wake Forest, Coastal Carolina, Duke and Liberty earlier this summer.
The future Mountaineer has averaged 20.5 yards per catch and 44.5 yards per game in his 23 career games. In 2019’s season opener against Clayton High School, Stroman hauled in his longest career touchdown catch, a 77-yard grab early in the first quarter.
Against Cardinal Gibbons High School last year, Stroman reeled in a career-high six receptions for 143 yards. His junior season was his breakout year, collecting 31 receptions for 716 yards (23.1 yards per catch). He was also first on the team with nine receiving touchdowns. He’s a two-time All-Sandhills Athletic Conference selection.
Jakolbe Baldwin (WR), N.C. State University
A couple days before the shutdown in March, Baldwin announced he would be joining the Wolfpack.
As a junior, the 6-1, 205-pound wide receiver led the Raiders in receptions with 34 catches and was second on the team behind Stroman in reception yards (687 yards), reception yards per game (52.8 yards) and receiving touchdowns (8).
Baldwin’s biggest performance came against Myers Park High School in the third round of the NCHSAA 4AA state playoffs, when he hauled in a career-high six receptions for a career-high 124 yards.
He also eclipsed the 100-yard mark in a 48-13 bashing of rival Scotland High School in the regular-season finale to clinch Richmond’s second straight conference title. Baldwin is a two-time All-SAC selection and has served on the Raider Leadership Council.
C.J. Tillman (LB), Campbell University
Tillman’s future home in Buies Creek was decided just last week after the linebacker decommitted from Liberty University earlier in November. Now a part of the Camels’ program, the former All-State selection will join former defensive teammate D’Marcus Harrington.
A regular hard-hitting linebacker for Richmond, Tillman (6-0, 235 pounds) tied the Raider program record for the most first-hit tackles in a game with 18 tackles against Pinecrest in 2019. Tillman had six tackles for a loss in that game and forced a red zone fumble with the Raiders backed up on their own two-yard line.
Through his 26 appearances at the varsity level the past two seasons, Tillman has 179 total tackles (130 solo), averages 6.9 tackles per game, has eight career sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
After his junior season, Tillman was recognized as the SAC’s “Defensive Player of the Year.”
Jaleel Davis (OL), N.C. State University
A staple on a fierce offensive line the last handful of years, Davis verbally committed to join Baldwin and the Wolfpack on May 26. He also had offers from the University of South Carolina and the University of Tennessee.
The left tackle is coming off his second-straight All-Sandhills Athletic Conference selection, as his 6-6, 316-pound frame protected Hood’s blind side the last two years.
Davis was part of an offensive line that helped produce an average of 397.8 offensive yards per game and 78 total touchdowns in 2019, as the front five also helped produce an SAC-best 569 points.
Joining Baldwin, Hood and Tillman, Davis was also chosen to represent his team on the Raider Leadership Council this season. He was also an All-State selection in 2019.
Caleb Hood (RB), University of North Carolina
Known for his playmaking abilities at quarterback since his freshman season, the only Raider under center to ever start as a ninth grader, Hood signed with UNC as a running back. In doing so, he follows the footsteps of his dad, Errol Hood, who played defensive back for the Tar Heels from 1998-2001.
Hood verbally committed on Jan. 19, making him the first Raider in the class of 2021 to do so. This past season, Hood continued his electric high school career and recorded a career-high 2,176 passing yards, while also tying a career-high with 21 passing touchdowns in 14 games.
A dual-threat from under center, Hood set career-highs in rushing yards (976 yards), rushing touchdowns (16) and rushing attempts (214 carries). He’s been named to three All-SAC teams and was the “Offensive Player of the Year” in 2019.
Hood fueled a comeback win with a career-high four rushing scores against Myers Park High School in the third round of the 2019 playoffs. Also as a junior, he surpassed 5,000 passing yards, the first quarterback in school history to do so.
“I will miss them more as people than as athletes because we have spent so much time together over the last four years,” Till closed. “Those experiences in practice, before and after games, and talking in my office will mean more than any score of any game ever.”
VIDEO: For a complete video of Richmond’s signing day, click here.
