DAPHNE, Alabama — Jonathan Walton became the first Bayside Academy football player to sign a national letter of intent with an NCAA Division-I program when he officially chose South Carolina Wednesday during a signing ceremony on the Daphne prep-school campus on Mobile Bay.

A running-back/linebacker for the small 3A Admirals who readily have players go both ways, Walton said Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier probably will rely on his defensive talents most, but he hopes to play some offense on short-yardage and goal-line packages.

“They said that was a definite possibility,” he said. “Since that’s what I’ve already been doing here for coach (Phil) Lazenby and with me being more of a fulltime linebacker now and carrying the ball on special situations. But I’m just glad it’s (Recruiting) over and I’m headed to play for South Carolina in the SEC.”

The significance of being the first D-I player for the Admirals means something to him also.

“It means a lot, most definitely. Coming out of here, being the first D-I athlete — coming from football—that says a lot. It is making history. How can you not be happy for making history,” he asked with a big smile.”

Lazenby added the attention of a major-college, SEC, signing is news every year, but a school’s first D-I is always an important milestone in itself.

“First of all, we’re a small school, limited numbers but we’ve had a lot of very talented athletes. Still it says something extra about the program and the school when a kid goes on to play on a national stage. Plus he battled through a lot of tough going there early on with injuries that limited his playing time. But he just came back tougher and stronger and more dedicated to being the best he could be at whatever we needed him to do. And he understood that because we’re a team and he puts the team first. And because, like the great overall athlete he is, we had to ask a lot of him. But he never complained, kept smiling, just got on with his work and helped us all be the better for it.”

"Jonathan is a fine, fine young man," Lazenby said. "Not only is he a good football player, he's a great ambassador for our school and for our football team. I appreciate all the teachers, Mr. (Peter) Huestis (Head of School), our athletic director Doug Leffard and again all the teachers (because) they are the reason that he's up here signing this scholarship. This is a dream come true for a young athlete. And we’re so proud of Jonathan."

Walton verbally committed to Penn State early but withdrew that after a number of major programs, including SEC schools, sought him out. But Auburn and South Carolina became his top two.

"The whole time I was up there I was surrounded by good people," he said. "I got a good vibe from people. A lot of the schools that offered me had great opportunities with great people, also.”

He added that he had been a fan of Spurrier and that may have swayed him a little.

"My choice came down to Auburn and South Carolina. A tough choice making the move out of state, definitely a tough choice. But it was something I was ready to do. I'm a very independent guy. I'm just getting out of state for a bit. I loved the program. I loved the people. I feel like either one I would have ended up at, I would have been well taken care of."

At 6-foot-1, 227 pounds, Walton made 122 tackles (a school record) and blocked three punts as a linebacker in 2012. On offense, he carried the ball 41 times for 401 yards— almost 10 yards per carry— and over 8-yards per haul for his career at Bayside.

Regarded the No. 20 player in the state of Alabama and the 21st-best inside linebacker in the nation by Rivals he also had official visits to Tennessee and Minnesota.

The Gamecocks are coming off a great 11-win season finishing with a 33-28 victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl Jan. 1. SC posted the highest finish ever in the national polls in 2012 - eighth in the AP and seventh in the coaches poll.