University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
2025 Football Signing Class
12/4/2024 7:21:00 AM | Football
Signing Day Page
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Silas Corder
6-1, 200, QB
Pascagoula, Miss. (Pascagoula HS)
Was the all-time winning quarterback at Pascagoula High, establishing school records for passing yards, touchdown throws, completions and attempts, as well as career 150-plus yard games…Records also include most passing TDs in a game, as well as most completions and attempts…Earned a spot in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Classic…Named second team All-State by the coaches following his junior year…Voted all-Region 4-6A MVP and was the Co-Offensive MVP pick during senior campaign…One of two QBs at school to throw for 2,000-plus yards in a season…Earned first-round state playoff wins in consecutive seasons…Team scored most points since 1987…Named a Scholar-Athlete by both WLOX-TV and WXXV-TV…Expected to graduate in December with a 4.0 GPA...Expected to be Top 3 in graduating class…Member of the National Honor Society…Pascagoula's Mayor's Youth Council, Terrell Buckley's Youth Camp QB Coach and Pascagoula Parks and Rec Youth Camp Coach.
Malachi Henderson
6-2, 222, LB
Hattiesburg, Miss. (Oak Grove HS)
Helped lead Oak Grove High School to the second round of the Class 7A state playoffs this fall…Named to play in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star game…Posted 73 tackles (45 solos) with four tackles for loss, a sack, three quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown…Voted second team Class 7A all-state after his junior season…During junior season, he registered 132 tackles (68 solos), six TFLs, five quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and one forced fumble as he also earned Region 3-7A honors.
Fredrick Nicholson
5-11, 205, LS
Gautier, Miss. (Gautier HS)
Helped Gautier High play for 2024 Class 5A state championship on the Southern Miss campus…A first-team All-State Class 5A selection following his junior campaign by the state's coaches…Earned a spot in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Classic…Also plays baseball…Finished the regular season with a team leading 123 tackles, four interceptions, a team=best four forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks and two blocked field goals.
Jack Richardson
6-3, 205, P
Madison, Miss. (Madison Central HS)
Played at Madison Central High School where he averaged 45.6 yard per punt over 59 books, including 61 percent of those inside the opponent's 20-yardline…Added 99 career kickoffs for an 83.8 percent touchback ratio…Added 6-of-10 field goals with a long of 43 yards, while converting all 29 point after touchdowns…During his senior campaign, he averaged 45 yards over 34 punts with 64.7 percent inside opponent's 20…Was a first-team punter by All-Gridiron following senior campaign…Junior honors included first-team Kohls All-American punter,  first-team All-regional 2-7A punter, second-team Class 7A all-state by the coaches, and first-team preseason all-state punter…Set to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game.
Zach Ruffin
6-3, 190, SAF
Philadelphia, Miss. (Neshoba Central HS)
A member of the Neshoba Central High School…Set to play in Mississippi/Alabama All-Star game…Nominated for best defensive back in vote by Clarion Ledger readers…Recorded 121 total tackles with five tackles for loss and six pass deflects in 2023…Named a second-team Class 6A All-State performer following his junior campaign…His uncle, the late Chad Ruffin, lettered for the Golden Eagles from 2001-04…Plays for his Dad, Shannon in high school.
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| 2025 | |||||
| Player | Hgt. | Wgt. | Pos. | Class | Hometown (Previous School) |
| Silas Corder | 6-1 | 200 | QB | Fr. | Pascagoula, Miss. (Pascagoula HS) |
| Malachi Henderson | 6-2 | 222 | LB | Fr. | Hattiesburg, Miss. (Oak Grove HS) |
| Fredrick Nicholson | 5-11 | 205 | LS | Fr. | Gautier, Miss. (Gautier HS) |
| Jack Richardson | 6-3 | 205 | P | Fr. | Madison, Miss. (Madison Central HS) |
| Zach Ruffin | 6-3 | 190 | S | Fr. | Philadelphia, Miss. (Neshoba Central HS) |
Silas Corder
6-1, 200, QB
Pascagoula, Miss. (Pascagoula HS)
Was the all-time winning quarterback at Pascagoula High, establishing school records for passing yards, touchdown throws, completions and attempts, as well as career 150-plus yard games…Records also include most passing TDs in a game, as well as most completions and attempts…Earned a spot in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Classic…Named second team All-State by the coaches following his junior year…Voted all-Region 4-6A MVP and was the Co-Offensive MVP pick during senior campaign…One of two QBs at school to throw for 2,000-plus yards in a season…Earned first-round state playoff wins in consecutive seasons…Team scored most points since 1987…Named a Scholar-Athlete by both WLOX-TV and WXXV-TV…Expected to graduate in December with a 4.0 GPA...Expected to be Top 3 in graduating class…Member of the National Honor Society…Pascagoula's Mayor's Youth Council, Terrell Buckley's Youth Camp QB Coach and Pascagoula Parks and Rec Youth Camp Coach.
Malachi Henderson
6-2, 222, LB
Hattiesburg, Miss. (Oak Grove HS)
Helped lead Oak Grove High School to the second round of the Class 7A state playoffs this fall…Named to play in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star game…Posted 73 tackles (45 solos) with four tackles for loss, a sack, three quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown…Voted second team Class 7A all-state after his junior season…During junior season, he registered 132 tackles (68 solos), six TFLs, five quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and one forced fumble as he also earned Region 3-7A honors.
Fredrick Nicholson
5-11, 205, LS
Gautier, Miss. (Gautier HS)
Helped Gautier High play for 2024 Class 5A state championship on the Southern Miss campus…A first-team All-State Class 5A selection following his junior campaign by the state's coaches…Earned a spot in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Classic…Also plays baseball…Finished the regular season with a team leading 123 tackles, four interceptions, a team=best four forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks and two blocked field goals.
Jack Richardson
6-3, 205, P
Madison, Miss. (Madison Central HS)
Played at Madison Central High School where he averaged 45.6 yard per punt over 59 books, including 61 percent of those inside the opponent's 20-yardline…Added 99 career kickoffs for an 83.8 percent touchback ratio…Added 6-of-10 field goals with a long of 43 yards, while converting all 29 point after touchdowns…During his senior campaign, he averaged 45 yards over 34 punts with 64.7 percent inside opponent's 20…Was a first-team punter by All-Gridiron following senior campaign…Junior honors included first-team Kohls All-American punter,  first-team All-regional 2-7A punter, second-team Class 7A all-state by the coaches, and first-team preseason all-state punter…Set to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game.
Zach Ruffin
6-3, 190, SAF
Philadelphia, Miss. (Neshoba Central HS)
A member of the Neshoba Central High School…Set to play in Mississippi/Alabama All-Star game…Nominated for best defensive back in vote by Clarion Ledger readers…Recorded 121 total tackles with five tackles for loss and six pass deflects in 2023…Named a second-team Class 6A All-State performer following his junior campaign…His uncle, the late Chad Ruffin, lettered for the Golden Eagles from 2001-04…Plays for his Dad, Shannon in high school.
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