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Natchez native DK McGruder has signed to play football with the Troy Trojans.

The Natchez native was a football and baseball star at Natchez High School and then Adams County Christian School. He earned All-Metro in baseball and football during his high school career and signed with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC). In his freshman season as defensive back, McGruder played in nine games and tallied 11 tackles, one tackle-for-loss and six pass breakups. As a junior this season, McGruder earned 12 tackles, one tackle-for-loss and two pass breakups in 10 games. The 6-foot-3-inch, 178-pound cornerback committed to Troy over offers from other schools like Western Kentucky, Arkansas State and Alcorn.

Troy, coached by Jon Sumrall, will host the Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 2, at The Vet for a second straight year after securing the league’s best conference record and winning the Sun Belt West Division title for a second consecutive year.

Troy will host App State or Coastal Carolina, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. The Trojans are in search of their league-leading eighth Sun Belt Conference title. The Trojans have won 21 of their last 23 games, including a victory over Coastal Carolina in the 2022 Sun Belt Championship Game.

Troy’s 2024 Recruiting Class now includes Mobile (McGill-Toolen) cornerback Shemar Welch, Charles Henderson (Troy) athlete Jywon Boyd, UMS-Wright (Mobile) athlete Joe Lott, Baker athlete Kevin Beckham Jr., McAdory linebacker J’Quan Mason, Westlake (Ga.) offensive lineman Dominic Steward, Booker T. Washington (Tuskegee) athlete Elijah Hall Jr., Montgomery-Catholic quarterback Caleb McCreary, Jacksonville quarterback Jim Ogle, Jefferson (Ga.) offensive lineman Brian Senter and West Jefferson (La.) receiver Shaun Nicholas. The recruiting class also includes junior college (JUCO) commitments from receiver Zeriah Beason, offensive lineman Zerian Hudson and defensive backs McGruder, Samson Israel, EJ Fisk, Navarion Benson, Kris Robinson and Cary Grant.