Everyone is a winner on national signing day

    On national letter of intent day, the drill for the media is the same. Television cameras huddle around the top recruits. Parents, head coaches and administrators speak of the value of education.
    At press conferences later in the day, head coaches rave of the signings, saying they got what they needed from “this class.”
    Several great things happen on signing day away from the cameras.
    At Newman, tears welled in the eyes of head coach Nelson Stewart as he spoke of his recruits, offensive lineman Alex Paul (Tulane) and defensive back James White (Cornell).
    In a room beautifully decorated in Tulane green and Cornell red, Stewart spoke glowingly of both players, not as athletes but as leaders and people. It was a stirring moment. When Stewart finished, a packed room of students, parents and administrators gave Stewart a rousing ovation.
    At East St. John, Darion Monroe (projected to play cornerback) shed tears as he signed with Tulane, thus becoming one of the highest-profile recruits for the Green Wave in the past decade. Away from reporters, Monroe gave thanks to his father for “starting me in football when I was 4 years old.”
    Monroe’s reputation is as a great player and an even better person. I can second that.
    And, then there are the head scratchers on signing day.
    Archbishop Rummel wide receiver/kick and punt returner Cyril Grayson did not get one football offer. Head coach Jay Roth said Grayson has several track offers.
    The 5-11, 175-pound Grayson is the state 5A 800-meter champion and finished second in the 400 meters. He set school records for receiving yards in a season (827) and receiving yards in a game (212) against Acadiana.
    I think the University of Colorado got an excellent  player in defensive back Jeffrey Hall, 5-11, 175 pounds, from St. Charles Catholic. The speedy Hall is a very fluid athlete. And, when you leave St. Charles Catholic, you know all about discipline and great practice habits, skills taught by head coach Frank Monica and his excellent staff.
    On the first Wednesday of February 2013, my guess is I will be at the signings of at least two outstanding New Orleans area high school quarterbacks.
    Rummel quarterback Damien Williams is a dual threat who can make every throw. And, in the playoffs, Williams showed great courage by playing on a painful high-ankle sprain. One of the endearing moments of the season was watching Williams, hobbling in the pocket, throwing darts to his receivers in a second-round playoff upset of defending 5A champion Acadiana.
    Then, there’s Jesuit quarterback Tanner Lee. Lee has no idea how good he can be. A pure pocket passer, he has touch and he can make all of the tough throws outside the hash marks.
    Lee and Williams will make two college head coaches very happy on signing day, 2013.
    Ed Daniels is sports director of ABC26 WGNO. He can be reached at [email protected].