Strawberry Crest WR Karel Hamilton, whose breakthrough senior year culminated with honorable-mention recognition on the Associated Press' Class 6A all-state team, announced Sunday that he has committed to Division I-AA Samford.
Hamilton, who also had offers from Chattanooga and Coastal Carolina, will become the first Division I or I-AA signee in Chargers history, Coach John Kelly said. He has qualified academically, Kelly added.
"I (chose Samford) for better education," Hamilton said in a text message to the Tampa Bay Times on Sunday. "They expect higher standards out of their student-athletes. It also felt like an extension of my family and they were just on me from Day One."
A Brooklyn native, Hamilton (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) had 59 catches for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns as a Chargers senior. He was a first-team pick on the Times' All-Hillsborough County squad.