THOMASVILLE — As the 2023 football season officially comes to a close, ITG-Next held it’s South Georgia banquet where they honored the best players and coaches from around South Georgia. Mercer commit Cole Shaw received the offensive Player of the Year award and Keshawn Jordan won defensive Player of the Year for Thomasville.
Shaw, who will sign with Mercer on Wednesday of this week, had a terrific senior campaign. He led the Bulldogs in receiving yards per game, receiving touchdowns and total touchdowns. Shaw finished this season with 31 receptions, which he took for 712 yards and nine TDs. Over his four year career with the Bulldogs, he established himself as an elite receiver. Shaw will leave Thomasville having caught 89 passes for over 1900 yards and 21 touchdowns.
”He’s just one of those guys that comes in a does everything right, doesn’t really say much and gets the job done,” said Thomasville head coach Jonathan DeLay. “We’re really going to miss him and the kind of production, especially over the last three seasons, that he’s given us.”
Jordan had his best statistical season in his senior year. The senior defensive end led the team in sacks with 12 on the season, while making the opposing backfield miserable as he racked up 6.2 tackles per game and a team high 16 QB hurries.
This year, Jordan had several stand out performances, including four different games with multiple sacks, Against Dougherty, he recorded 13 total tackles, 12 of which were solo tackles. Overall, Jordan finished this year with 74 total tackles and 52 solo tackles, including 11 tackles for a loss.
”Keshawn, over the last few years, he’s been our sack guy,” DeLay said. “He does a real good job rushing the passer, plays the run real well.”
Over his four year career with the Bulldogs, Jordan recorded 136 tackles, 88 of which were solo, 18 sacks and averaged 4.1 tackles for a loss per game.
These two remarkable talents will be missed in Thomasville, but their contribution to the Bulldogs will not soon be forgotten.
”Those are two big shoes to fill when you talk abut both of those guys,” said DeLay. “We are going to miss them.”