Arriving at Jackson Christian School as a fourth grader, Daniel Green will leave this spring with a diploma and football scholarship in hand.

Green, a 6-foot, 6-inch, 245-pound senior tight end with the Eagles, signed with the University of Tennessee Chattanooga during a ceremony at Jackson Christian’s Jerry Escue Gymnasium, Friday.

“For me it was the culture … finding the right fit … the right program,” Green said, “The way the tight ends coach recruited me was different that any other coach. Things like that stuck out to me.”

Members of the Southern Conference, the Mocs, who are adding three tight ends to the 2024 roster, were one of eight Division I schools to offer Green, who plans to major in Exercise Science.

At Jackson Christian, Green was part of a football program that averaged nine wins each of his four varsity seasons.

“This school is everything to me, I played football here every year since the fourth grade,” Green said, “The football program and the community around it means everything to me, and I hope I can make them proud in whatever I do.”

Playing for Darby Palmer, Jackson Christian’s head football coach, was more than X’s and O’s to Green, who was a two-time Division II-A All-West Region performer.

His senior year, Green hauled in 32 passes for 426 yards.

For his career, Green accumulated 600 yards plus and accounted for 12 career touchdowns – one rushing.

But Green wanted to discuss what he learned from Palmer.

“I learned how to lead – humbly and by example,” Green said, “He (Palmer) loves the whole team and cares for us, serves us but never takes credit for anything.”

Green said he is ready for the next step in his life, academically and athletically.

“I’m ready for the change,” Green said, “It’s definitely intimidating, the change in general, but I know being a college athlete you have all kinds of help (including) academic, but I’m sure I can figure it out.”

Palmer is confident Green is prepared for the next step in his life.

“We’re extremely excited about Daniel making the next step and signing to play at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga,” Palmer said, “Daniel is an unbelievable player on the field, but also off the field.

“His leadership and who he is as a person – we are honored to have coached him.

“He’s been a huge blessing to our program … a senior class that has won 37 games from their freshman year up.

“We’re excited about the journey he is on, and we are excited about the opportunity he has to be a Moc, but he’s always going to have a home at Jackson Christian … he’s always going to be an Eagle.”

(PHOTO: Daniel Green, center, signed with the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Friday. He is with parents Karie, right, and Kelly, left)