Former Mobile prep stars sign their first pro contracts
Two former prep football standouts at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School have signed their first pro contracts.
The Tennessee Titans signed Eric Garror after the cornerback attended their rookie minicamp this weekend as a tryout player, the NFL team announced on Monday.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats signed linebacker Carlton Martial, the CFL team announced on Sunday.
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Garror moves from rookie minicamp into Tennessee’s offseason program after securing a contract.
Martial joined the Tiger-Cats in time to start training camp on Sunday. Hamilton opens its preseason schedule on May 27 with a home game against the Toronto Argonauts.
In 2017, Garror earned all-state recognition in the athlete slot on the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 7A All-State team. He intercepted four passes and scored seven touchdowns – four punt returns, two receptions and one missed field-goal attempt return – for the Yellow Jackets, who took a 13-0 record into the AHSAA Class 7A championship game before falling to Hoover 48-20.
Martial was a year ahead of Garror at McGill-Toolen. He earned All-State recognition as a linebacker in 2015 and 2016. In 2015, the Yellow Jackets went 13-1 and defeated Spain Park 14-12 in the AHSAA Class 7A championship game. In 2016, McGill-Toolen went 13-1 and lost to Hoover 17-7 in the AHSAA Class 7A championship game.
Garror played five seasons at Louisiana, where he intercepted eight passes and returned 95 punts for an 8.6-yard average and three touchdowns.
In 2022, Garror had two interceptions and 26 punt returns for a 15.1-yard average and two touchdowns. He led the nation with 392 punt-return yards and was the All-Sun Belt Conference return specialist.
After a redshirt year, Martial played five seasons at Troy, where he established an NCAA FBS career record with 578 tackles. That total included 51 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks, and Martial also intercepted six passes and forced eight fumbles.
Martial was an All-Sun Belt first-team selection in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Garror becomes the second former Alabama prep star in the Titans’ secondary. Former Williamson High School and Auburn standout Roger McCreary joined Tennessee in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
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Martial joins former Troy defensive back Will Sunderland on the Tiger-Cats’ roster. Hamilton also has former UAB defensive end Tre Crawford and former Auburn wide receiver Duke Williams.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.