Lanier's Glenn, Cruz sign LOIs on National Signing Day
Feb. 3—LAKELAND — Lanier County football is sending two more Bulldogs to the next level.
Free safety, wide receiver and running back Jamir Glenn and punter Daniel Cruz signed college letters of intent Wednesday morning.
Glenn signed with Point University in West Point, Georgia while Cruz will take his talents to Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock, Arkansas.
"It's always a big day," Lanier head football coach Kurt Williams said. "To be such a small school and send kids to the next level, I believe we're at eight in the last four years and seven in the last three which puts us in the top five of Single-A with kids playing at the next level which we're very proud of."
At 5-8 and 165 pounds, the dynamic Glenn did some of everything on both sides of the ball for the Bulldogs as a senior as helped lead the team to a 6-6 record and its first playoff win in school history in 2022.
On defense, Glenn recorded 121 tackles (44 solo, 77 assists) for an average of 10.1 stops per game along with 2.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. Glenn's work on defense earned him Region 2-A Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Offensively, Glenn was a difference-maker with 41 carries for 128 yards and six touchdowns while also producing six catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.
"It's a dream come true since I was a little kid," Glenn said. "I witnessed my brother signing and ever since then, I've been wanting that for myself and I finally get to do it. It feels good knowing that Lanier accepted me and embraced me into their community. Sometimes it's hard to accept someone new coming in, but they all accepted me with love and I love each and every one of them from the bottom of my heart."
When asked what he learned in his two years at Lanier County that he'll take with him to Point, Glenn highlighted two things.
"Toughness and physicality," Glenn said. "Being able to keep going when things don't go your way. That's what all my coaches have taught me and I'm going to keep doing that."
Cruz took a big leap as a punter for the Bulldogs as a senior.
Cruz had 44 punts for 1,145 yards with 12 punts inside the 20. He also participated in kickoffs with six kickoffs for 240 yards.
Cruz did enough to earn Region 2-A Special Teams Player of the Year.
"It's just a dream come true," Cruz said. "My dreams became a reality and I'm actually happy and nervous at the same time. I'm getting to go to Arkansas soon. I don't know what to say.
"I really worked on getting my technique right with punting and just working every day to get everything better. My coaches — Coach Long, Coach O.B., basically all the coaches. They all got together and tried to get me better at what I was struggling with."
Glenn and Cruz join star running back Jaylon Calhoun in the 2023 class of Bulldogs to sign college scholarships.
Calhoun signed with Division I Appalachian State back in December — becoming the first Division I football player from Lanier County High School.
"Jamir and Daniel, they gave us a lot this year," Williams said. "Daniel was Special Teams Player of the Year and was an absolute weapon — pinning people deep and I think 12 of those 44 kicks were inside the 20. Then Jamir did so much for us — he long snapped, he called our defense, led our team in tackles and made one of the biggest plays of year versus Turner County. He caught a wheel route for a 71-yard touchdown that put us on our way to the playoffs and was just a great leader, too. Those two guys are definitely gonna be hard to replace next year."
Shane Thomas is the sports editor at the Valdosta Daily Times.
