Lake Cormorant standouts Daniels, Matthews sign with Purdue, UNLV

Photo: Seated from left, Lake Cormorant’s Raderrion ‘DD’ Daniels and Tylen Matthews with head coach Nick Nester and the Gator coaching staff. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com) 

LAKE CORMORANT, Miss. — Two premier athletes from Lake Cormorant High School solidified their college football futures on Wednesday, putting pen to paper to compete at the NCAA Division I level.

Standouts Raderrion Daniels and Tylen Matthews officially signed their National Letters of Intent during an event at the school. Daniels signed with Purdue, while Matthews signed with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

Lake Cormorant head coach Nick Nester praised both players not just for their athletic prowess, but for the academic dedication that will allow them to graduate early.

“Both of those kids are high-academic kids that are able to get out of here at Christmas, so they’ll start (at) both universities in January,” Nester said. “Academically, they’ve done what they’re supposed to do to have this opportunity. And athletically, of course, they’ve done it and helped us have a great season.”

Daniels, who goes by “DD,” continues a growing pipeline of Gator talent heading to the Big Ten. His signing follows in the footsteps of former Lake Cormorant standout Brandon Smith, who played at Iowa. Nester noted that for players like Daniels, the decision often comes down to the program’s culture rather than geography.

“It’s not a distance thing as much as it is the right fit for the player,” Nester said. “The SEC and the Big Ten are the two best conferences out there… People know that there’s a ton of great players in Mississippi, (and) that those schools are coming down to Mississippi.”

Purdue recruited Daniels as a cornerback. By enrolling in January, he will participate in spring practice, a crucial advantage for a freshman looking for early playing time.

“Hopefully, with him getting there in January, it’ll give him a step up on the rest of the guys getting there in the summer,” Nester said. “He’ll get through spring practice and get acclimated to college life.”

For Matthews, the road to UNLV was a more fluid process that culminated in a late decision. Nester indicated that relationships with the coaching staff played a significant role in Matthews choosing the Rebels.

“Akeem Davis, his position coach, is from (Laurel) Mississippi, and (the staff) has Mississippi ties,” Nester explained. “Long term, it probably was the best fit for him… It’s a great opportunity, even though it’s in Las Vegas, for him to go out there and play.”

Nester described Matthews as a “tough player that brings a lot of grit.” While UNLV primarily recruited him to play defensive back, Nester noted that Matthews’ athleticism could see him utilized on both sides of the ball.

“I don’t think they ruled out him having an opportunity to play on the offensive side of the ball as well,” Nester said. “They are just looking for him to come in and contribute pretty quick.”

The signing day highlighted the talent level coming from Lake Cormorant, sending two more players to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

“We are super excited to see what the future holds for them,” Nester said.