VALDOSTA — Cultivating a family-like atmosphere at Valdosta High has been a priority of the coaching staff since head coach Alan Rodemaker stepped to the helm of the program two years ago, and the results were clear Wednesday.

On national signing day, eight Wildcats took their turns sitting at a table in the Performing Arts Center, joined by family, friends and coaches, and signing letters-of-intent with their respective choice of school in front of an auditorium filled of Valdosta faithful.

As the players each spoke for a moment about why they made their choice, a common theme began to form — each player committed to a school they said made them feel like family.

“It’s a wonderful experience,” Valdosta defensive back Jalen Everett said after committing to Reinhardt University. “I just want to thank God for all he’s done, giving me the opportunity to go play at the next level.

“I wish this day would never end. It’s an amazing day, being able to help my family out by paying college tuition and all that.”

Star linebacker Zakoby McClain committed to Auburn at the early deadline in December, but it was important for the three-year starter to celebrate national signing day with some of the family he’s grown up with both on and off the field, especially defensive back Jayce Rogers.

“It’s amazing, because we grew up together and played little league together,” McClain said of signing with Rogers. “It just felt good.”

McClain said he’s been in constant contact with position coach Travis Williams, who told him he should see time in Auburn’s linebacker rotation this season.

Rogers is also looking forward to earning early playing time with West Virginia after making his commitment official Wednesday.

Since committing to the Mountaineers in July, Rogers has never wavered on his decision, even if it means he’ll play college football more than 750 miles away from his hometown of Valdosta.

West Virginia cornerbacks coach, and Lowndes alumnus, Doug Belk eased any concerns about the distance.

“I got my man, Coach Doug Belk, up there,” Rogers said. “He’s from Valdosta, so he already knows what kind of swagger I’m bringing to the team.

“I’m ready to get there. I’m ready to be different. I’m ready to get out there and play early, try to get on the field as early as I can.”

Rogers was one of five Valdosta defensive backs to sign on to play college football — a sign of the strength of the Wildcats’ secondary the past few years.

Defensive back Jalen Harrell, a West Georgia recruit, claimed bragging rights for the position group following the ceremony.

“I just feel like we’re the best athletes on the team,” Harrell said. “It kind of spoke for itself today.”

Rogers added: “We’re out here with the same mindset everyday. We’re the loudest group at practice. Everybody hears us at practice. We’re beating up everybody at practice.

“For all of us to come together, to sign together, it means a lot. I hope we go our separate ways, and they do what they’ve got to do, and they ball.”

Tyler Berrian is taking his talents in coverage to Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio, where he’ll likely see time all around the secondary.

Nick Jackson was only at Valdosta for one season as a transfer, but he quickly left his mark on the team, and opposing ballcarriers. Jackson said he needed to be “a dog” to come in and start immediately, and he proved that by dishing out a number of highlight-reel hits from his spot at safety.

It is Jackson’s physicality in the secondary that drew interest from the coaching staff at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee.

“The coaches already love that,” Jackson said. “They said they like how I like to hit, because they need some safeties to come down and make plays.”

Wildcats defensive backs coach Kendall Lacey took pride in seeing much of his position group move on to the next level.

A former college athlete himself, Lacey made sure to pass along one final message to his pupils.

“I just told them this is the beginning of the rest of their lives,” Lacey said. “You can either go up there, do what you’re supposed to, handle your business, and become a successful citizen and person, or you can make mistakes and be back here.

“Most of these guys, I think, have their head screwed on right, and they’ll go up there and do the right thing every single day.”

Valdosta offensive lineman Jalen Wilcox signed his LOI with Atlanta Clarke University and fulfilled a dream of playing college sports — though it wasn’t the sport he would have guessed prior to seventh grade.

Wilcox is the son of Valdosta High’s girls basketball head coach, and hoops is the sport he grew up playing until he met Valdosta Middle football coach Matt Futch.

“That day, Coach Futch, he opened up a lot of doors for me,” Wilcox said. “I really didn’t think I was going to be good at football like that.

“After he told me I should play football, I just kept playing, and I kept loving it, and you know it’s Valdosta, so we kept winning. I just couldn’t stop playing.”

Quarterback Hunter Holt is another Wildcat that just can’t get enough football, so much so that he’s set to attempt to walk on to the team at the University of Mississippi.

Holt attended the Ole Miss game against Texas A&M and fell in love with the atmosphere. He got accepted into the university through his academics and plans to study pre-law in addition to trying out for the team.

“I’ve just got to work,” Holt said. “I’m trying to go up there during the summer so I can have a better chance of making the team.

“It’s just a good opportunity to walk on there. It’ll be a good time, but it’ll be hard work to make that team.”