Putnam County football senior Rashod Daniel has already determined where he will play college football.
Daniel recently announced he will continue his career on the gridiron at the United States Military Academy (USMC) in West Point, N.Y., after graduating next year.
Daniel chose the Army Black Knights over Appalachian State, Troy, Wofford, and Ole Miss.
“It feels good,” Daniel said. “I get to live out my dream for the next four years.”
Daniel said he chose Army due to his relationship with its staff, specifically head coach Jeff Monken, offensive coordinator Cody Worley, and running backs coach Blake Powers.
“It was to be the relationship with the coaches. That was the biggest thing that determined why I made the decision,” Daniel said, adding that he also spoke with outside linebackers coach John Loose.
Daniel is projected to play tailback for the Black Knights, who primarily run the ball, so he will fit in well. The staff may also use the 5-foot-11, 215-pound prospect as an outside linebacker on defense.
Daniel said he loves to play with physicality and doesn’t shy away from contact on either side of the ball.
“They love my physicality and how I like to strike first. That was the biggest thing their staff loved about me,” Daniel said. “They told me to keep doing what I regularly do. I liked to hear that from them.”
Daniel hasn’t visited West Point yet, but he knows all about the academy. He has family who served.
“It means everything to me. I have a couple of uncles who served and did similar things I will be doing,” Daniel explained. “[My family] was very happy for me. I felt it was something I was called to do, plus I had intentions of joining the Army after college anyway, so it’s like I get a two-for-one deal.”
With the War Eagles last season, Daniel rushed for team-highs in rushing yards (625) and touchdowns (10). He also averaged 5.9 yards per rush attempt and 56.8 yards per game in head coach Joel Harvin’s first year.
Daniel earned All-Region First-Team selections for the third time following his high school junior campaign.
Harvin said he is proud of Daniel, who helped make his transition easier in his first year at Putnam County.
“It was something [Rashod] felt good about, and I believe he was ready to decide. Now, he can focus on his senior season [at Putnam],” Harvin said. “I don’t think he could have chosen a better school. He will be set up for life when he is done with his football career.”
Now that his college decision has been made, Daniel can focus on his senior campaign as a War Eagle. He acknowledged wanting to leave the Putnam County football program in a better place than when he started.
“I want to be able to turn the heads of the people that don’t believe in us right now,” Daniel said. “My expectations are winning one game at a time. Just take our time. We don’t want to move too fast. And also to build more chemistry. That’s about it.”