A four-year starter for the Eastside Rams football team, senior linebacker Demarco Daniels signed on the dotted line with the University of Delaware on Wednesday.

Daniels had 54 tackles with 3½ tackles for loss and an interception for the Rams during his senior season, as Eastside finished 9-3 with its third district title in four years and advanced to the second round of the 3A playoffs. That followed a junior season where Daniels amassed 104 tackles for Eastside.

Daniels, who is from Hawthorne and transferred to Eastside before his freshman year, explained why he chose Delaware.

“It felt like home,” Daniels said. “The coaches, the people there, everybody cares about you.”

Daniels chose Delaware over James Madison, Central Michigan, and Kentucky, among others.

Daniels said he loves Eastside and was glad he came over from Hawthorne to play for Harold “Gator” Hoskins.

“It’s been a great experience and a great group of guys,” Daniels said. “It’s a great coaching staff and community here at Eastside.”

Daniels talked about a winning legacy he hopes will continue at Eastside after he helped lead the Rams to four playoff appearances over the past four seasons. He was named to Mainstreet’s All Area big school first team as a junior.  

“We had big dreams and big aspirations,” Daniels said. “My biggest dream was to be All-American and take the team to state. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do that, but I plan on going to Delaware and making my mark. I want to show the guys that there is a different way in life than just the streets. You can play football and be somebody.”

At his signing ceremony, Daniels was lauded by Eastside coaches, administrators, and teachers for being a leader and a role model for the other students. Daniels’ head coach is one of his biggest fans.

“He (Daniels) is a heck of a player, a heck of an athlete, heck of a guy and kid,” Hoskins said. “He’s just a hard worker who loves the game. He used to call me at 7 on Saturday morning and ask me for the key to the weight room and I would say, Marco it’s 7, get off my phone. That’s the type of kid he is and he deserves everything he is getting right now.”