NICEVILLE — Wednesday’s National Signing Day offered the first chance for high school football players to etch their collegiate futures, and a who’s who of area stars took advantage.
While Freeport wide receiver Julius Miles signed with the University of Louisville, over in Niceville receiver Robert Oliver cemented his future with West Virginia University, linebacker Harper Campbell signed with Samford University and Justus Donahoo continued his career with Northern Illinois University as part of a signing day that involved 11 Eagles.
Enrolling early this January are Donahoo and Oliver, who hope to make an immediate impact.
Oliver and his 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame went from a track star to a playoff darling as a junior for the Final 4 Eagles with 45 catches, 810 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. The four-star recruit built on that as a senior, hauling in 51 receptions for 918 yards and 11 scores for the 6-5 Eagles. He’s hoping that trajectory continues to Saturdays and then hopefully Sundays.
“The ultimate goal is to get to the NFL,” he said. “They’re going to develop me and I hope to start right away. That’s the goal. I’m there to compete and I’m going to to try my hardest to make the team better.”
Donahoo, a 6-2, 190-pound three-star prospect, was an integral part of Niceville’s secondary during the Final 4 run and this past year. Donahoo delivered 49 total tackles, 13 passes defended, three interceptions and the game-sealing pick in overtime to lift the Eagles to the Final 4 as a junior, and this past year he added another three picks and five turnovers created. At Northern Illinois, Donahoo hopes to flash his ball-hawking skills in multiple roles
“They really want me to play outside linebacker, but they can plug me me in anywhere, they said, because I’m versatile,” he noted. “I want to get in there immediately and learn the playbook, prove myself out there.”
Campbell, meanwhile, heads to his dream school in Samford after combining for 202 tackles, 10 sacks, 37 tackles for loss and three caused fumbles as an upperclassman for a Niceville program that in 2024 nearly advanced to its first state title appearance since 2013.
“I have a lot of history in Birmingham,” said Campbell, who said he expects to put on some weight and play inside linebacker and special teams for Samford. “I grew up going there, my grandma lived there, my dad was raised there and three of my family members went to school there. But mostly because it’s a Christian school and they’re really rigorous in that area. I’m going to go study biblical studies and hopefully go to seminary after that. I’m a big academic in that area and I’m super excited to get into that.”
Outside of football, Niceville celebrated eight other signings.
Thrower Kimah Allen, who finished fourth and fifth at state in the discus and shot put last year, signed with the University of Hawaii, and state champion shot putter Nunu Krider signed with Troy University.
On the baseball diamond, infielder Deacon Avery signed with Coastal Carolina University, Aahron Geleta signed with Calhoun Community College and David Colwell signed with Wallace State Community College.
Flag football two-way star Layla Hughes signed with Lindsey Wilson University, and multisport star Anabelle Shackelford signed with Chipola College sotball after helping lead the Eagles to a state runner-up campaign her junior year. In lacrosse, Taylor Hardy is headed to Hundington College.
Meanwhile in Freeport, Miles is a four-star prospect that’ll bring Louisville stability it’s lacked at the tight end position. The 6-foot-6 playmaker is coming off a senior campaign where he delivered 62 receptions for 1,176 yards and totaled 18 touchdowns for the 5-5, playoff qualifying Bulldogs.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Campbell, Donahoo, Oliver & Niceville classmates celebrate Signing Day
Reporting by Seth Stringer, Northwest Florida Daily News / Northwest Florida Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
