Signing day for high school football’s 2023 class came and went Wednesday, and top athletes from the D.C. area put pen to paper in one of the biggest decisions of their lives.
Each of the nine D.C. area players in ESPN’s Top 300 has now chosen their school for next season, with most of them inking their National Letters of Intent during the early signing period.
1) Nyckoles Harbor (Athlete)
WELCOME HOME, @Nyck1k!!!! pic.twitter.com/2SM8loQZUe
— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) February 1, 2023
- Ranking: 39th on ESPN’s Top 300
- Signing: University of South Carolina
- High school: Archbishop Carroll High School
- Hometown: D.C.
- Height: 6’6″
- Weight: 240 pounds
- Notes: D.C.’s 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the year, Harbor recorded 45 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries as a defensive end. He led the Lions to a 10-3 season, also playing tight end on the offensive side of the ball. He’ll likely transition to a full-time pass catching role in college. Harbor also visited Maryland, Michigan and Oregon before ultimately choosing South Carolina on Wednesday.
2) Alex Birchmeier (OG)
Don’t look now but @Alex_Birchmeier just became the newest Nittany Lion #WeAre23 | #NSD pic.twitter.com/KhIEBhuOb6
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 21, 2022
- Ranking: 76th on ESPN’s Top 300
- Signing: Penn State
- High school: Broad Run High School
- Hometown: Ashburn, Va.
- Height: 6’5″
- Weight: 285 pounds
- Notes: Birchmeier was a two-year team captain at Broad Run and led the Spartans to a 13-2 record and a state runner-up finish during his junior year. He was a first-team all-state selection in 2021, and received an invite to the Adidas All-American Bowl and the Under Armour All-America Game. Birchmeier also wrestled at Broad Run, winning two state championships. He received offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland, LSU and other schools before signing with Penn State.
3) Jason Moore (DT)
Always had dreams, now it’s time to fulfill them. Buckeye Nation Let’s Get Active‼️#KAO #NewTrap✈️ pic.twitter.com/65kJVElFYl
— Jason Moore (@jayymoneyy32_) July 10, 2022
- Ranking: 87th on ESPN’s Top 300
- Signing: Ohio State
- High school: DeMatha Catholic High School
- Hometown: Hyattsville, Md.
- Height: 6’6″
- Weight: 260 pounds
- Notes: Moore was selected as Maryland’s 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the Year, recording 96 tackles and 13 sacks on the year while leading the Stags to a 10-2 season. He’s following former DeMatha grad Chase Young to Ohio State, but also received offers from the likes of Maryland, Virginia, Notre Dame, Penn State and Michigan.
4) Desmond Umeozulu (DE)
Welcome home, @KashDez! pic.twitter.com/15L4Gh5f3D
— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) December 21, 2022
- Ranking: 114th on ESPN’s Top 300
- Signing: University of South Carolina
- High school: Charles H. Flowers High School
- Hometown: Springdale, Md.
- Height: 6’6″
- Weight: 240 pounds
- Notes: Umeozulu played tight end and defensive end for Flowers, leading the Jaguars to a 13-1 record and a spot in the state championship game as a senior. He’ll transition to a full-time edge rusher in college. Umeozulu received offers from Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech, and also visited UNC, Pitt and Ohio State before signing with South Carolina.
5) Tony Rojas (OLB)
#WEARE pic.twitter.com/DfHKSYPwOc
— Tony “🏎” Rojas ✪ (@Tony_Rojas5) July 14, 2022
- Ranking: 130th on ESPN’s Top 300
- Signing: Penn State
- High school: Fairfax High School
- Hometown: Fairfax, Va.
- Height: 6’2″
- Weight: 195 pounds
- Notes: Tony Rojas is Virginia’s 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the Year. He recorded 2,240 rushing yards and 38 rushing touchdowns as a running back, and tallied 72.5 tackles and 13 sacks as a linebacker for Fairfax. He led the Lions to a 13-1 season and a state semifinal appearance. Penn State lists Rojas as a linebacker. He received offers from Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech and visited Clemson before picking Penn State.
6) Neeo Avery (DE)
REPRESENT YOUR CITY!@Neeo_avery is LOCKED IN#OwnTheTh2on3 👑🐢 pic.twitter.com/HGgTYU2vee
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) December 21, 2022
- Ranking: 211th on ESPN’s Top 300
- Signing: University of Maryland
- High school: Our Lady of Good Counsel High School
- Hometown: Olney, Md.
- Height: 6’5″
- Weight: 236 pounds
- Notes: Avery was a 2022 First Team All-WCAC selection as a defensive end in his senior season for the Falcons. Maryland lists him as a linebacker. He received offers from Virginia Tech, Georgia and other schools, and visited Kentucky before signing with Maryland.
7) Dylan Gooden (DE)
LOCKED IN!🐢 #goterps #tbia @coachjthomas11 @CoachLocks pic.twitter.com/cuwFf3gQ7X
— Dylan Gooden (@DylanGooden4) December 18, 2022
- Ranking: 217th on ESPN’s Top 300
- Signing: University of Maryland
- High school: Wilde Lake High School
- Hometown: Columbia, Md.
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 202 pounds
- Notes: Gooden transferred to Wilde Lake from Good Counsel and earned 2023 Under Armour All-American honors as a defensive end. Maryland lists him as a linebacker. Gooden is the son of four-time MLB All-Star and World Series Champion pitcher Dwight Gooden. Dylan Gooden chose Maryland after visiting Rutgers and receiving offers from Virginia Tech, Ole Miss and Notre Dame, among other schools.
8) David Ojiegbe (DE)
Officially A Clemson Tiger Thank You God🐅🧡 @coachski_ @WesleyGoodwin @CUCoachReed pic.twitter.com/dy4KLFqPK7
— David Ojiegbe🥀 (@bigbossdae) December 21, 2022
- Ranking: 250th on ESPN’s Top 300
- Signing: Clemson
- High school: St. John’s College High School
- Hometown: D.C.
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 240 pounds
- Notes: Ojiegbe helped St. John’s to a WCAC title in both his junior and senior years, including an 11-0 season in 2021 and an 8-4 finish in 2022. He tallied 30 tackles for loss and 16 sacks on the way to MaxPreps All-America honors in his senior season. Ojiegbe received offers from Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, Penn State and other schools before deciding on Clemson.
9) Oluwatosin “Tosin” Babalade (OT)
Boom we back in business lock in🤞🏾@CoachSBeamer @RivalsFriedman pic.twitter.com/ucJCw0o9Og
— Oluwatosin Babalade (@_Bigtree23) December 21, 2022
- Ranking: 264th on ESPN’s Top 300
- Signing: University of South Carolina
- High school: DeMatha Catholic High School
- Hometown: Hyattsville, Md.
- Height: 6’5″
- Weight: 320 pounds
- Notes: Babalade played left tackle for DeMatha and helped the stags to a 10-2 record and a spot in the WCAC championship game as a senior. He visited Maryland, Ohio State, UNC and Rutgers before signing with South Carolina.
Other local signings
- Quince Orchard High School quarterback Savan Briggs signed Wednesday with Howard University. Briggs led the Cougars to consecutive state championships.
- 3-star recruit and defensive back Mykel Morman from Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, signed with Maryland.
- Wide receiver and 3-star recruit Sean Williams from St. John’s College High School in D.C., signed with Maryland.
