Before walking across the stage at the place they got their start, two of Eastside’s defensive anchors made their decisions known on what their next stop would be.

Jameel McMichael and Christian Seymore became the final two Class of 2026 Eagles to sign their letters of intent to play college football on May 11. 

McMichael signed with Hanover College, a Division III college in Indiana. After signing, he expressed his excitement about fulfilling a lifelong goal.

“It feels really good,” McMichael said. “It’s a childhood dream of wanting to go to play college and hopefully the NFL and just be at the next level and making my Mama proud.”

Seymore signed with Division II Anderson University in South Carolina, joining his fellow Eagle teammate Tyler Solomon. 

“It feels great man,” Seymore said after his signing. “You know, the coaches, they guided me through this journey and I just love it.”

The duo were a force in the front seven for Eastside this past season. McMichael led the team with 54 total tackles, with two of them for a loss and two sacks. Seymore led the team in sacks with five total. He also finished the year with 41 tackles with eight of those being for a loss.

McMichael and Seymore worked well together in large part due to the comradery they enjoyed while on the Eagles football squad.

“When I first came here, it felt like family,” Seymore said. “I wasn’t left out, they made me feel like my family. They made me feel at home.”

Now, the duo will head into their next chapters in different destinations. For McMichael, his opportunity at Hanover intrigued him due to the immediate playing time he could receive.

“It was a great community and a great coaching staff,” McMichael said. “I’ve got potential to start as a freshman so I feel good about that.”

Seymore praised the development that players go through at Anderson, while also citing the proximity to home.

“Everything’s not too far,” Seymorel said. “Everything’s a little bit close. The coaches, they talked to me and kept it real with me.”

With both players set to start their next chapters in the coming months, both young men want their fanbases to know the type of player they’re getting in them.

“They got someone who’s coming in to play, be a dog and someone who’s actually going to be a leader, being a Mike linebacker kind of like the quarterback of a defense,” McMichael said. “So I’m gonna be someone who’s gonna be there to be vocal, be ready to play and be ready to hit.”

“They’re getting a dog and a player that wants it,” Seymore said.