NFL calls on Mercer, Fort Valley State after the draft as free agents (State UFA signings)

          A pair of Central Georgia college players who weren’t expected to be drafted but were expected to be sign are under contracts with NFL teams.

          Fitzgerald grad Jason Poe of Mercer, listed as a guard and fullback, signed immediately after the draft concluded early Saturday night with San Francisco.

          FVSU wide receiver Shemar Bridges, who also impressed scouts in the offseason, signed with Baltimore.

          Poe went to Hutchinson Community College out of high school and played there in 2017 as a 249-pound running back. He transferred to Division II Lenoir-Rhyne, and was twice the South Atlantic Conference’s top blocker, earning first- and second-team All-America honors in two seasons, 2018 and 2019.

          With the fall 2020 season postponed, he decided to transfer to Mercer early in 2021, when both programs played spring games.

          In the fall 2021 season, Poe all 10 games in Mercer’s 7-3 season, and was listed as a graduate student.

          Drew Cronic had moved from Lenoir-Rhyne to Mercer as head coach after the 2019 season.

          Bridges caught 28 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown in four games last fall. In 2019, he had 51 catches for 765 yards and four touchdowns.

          The Jacksonville native started his career at Tusculum in Tennessee, transferring after two years.

          The 6-4, 210-pounder participated in the HBCU draft-eligible all-star game, the Lagacy Bowl, in New Orleans, and the first NFL HBCU combine, also showing his skills at a pro day at Kennesaw State.

Late Saturday’s Peach State free-agent signings

Georgia Tech CB Tre Swilling, NY Giants

Georgia Tech RB Jordan Mason, San Francisco

Georgia Tech DB Juanyeh Thomas, Dallas

Georgia Tech WR Kyric McGowan, Washington

Georgia Tech OL Devin Cochran, Cincinnati

Georgia Southern DB Darrell Baker Jr., Arizona