KB Bonds’ journey from Oglethorpe County to playing Division I football came with detours, not shortcuts.
Bonds, a former OCHS standout offensive and defensive lineman, will spend his final season of college football at South Carolina State after transferring from Division II Shorter University last week.
The move places him on a Division I stage for the first time and closes a circle that began somewhere opportunities felt limited.
“It means a lot,” Bonds said of representing Oglethorpe County. “I always call it the little town with the one red light. A lot of us around here, we don’t get a lot of opportunities. It’s time to put it on the map.”
After graduating from OCHS, Bonds, who plays defensive tackle in college, took the Division II route to Shorter University, a decision shaped more by circumstance than ambition.
He believed his high school career didn’t draw the attention his play warranted, but he stayed patient and focused on development.
At Shorter, Bonds appeared in nine games in 2023 and recorded eight tackles with one-half sack.
His role expanded in 2024, when he again played in nine games and finished with 24 total tackles, one-half sack, a pass deflection and a fumble recovery.
This past fall, he had 26 tackles, 2½ for loss and 1½ sacks.
That progression helped open doors once the transfer portal window arrived.
Bonds, who was listed by Shorter at 6-feet-3, 285 pounds, said he received 17 offers during the process, including 14 from Division I programs.
South Carolina State stood out because of its culture and winning tradition, he said. The Bulldogs went 10-3 and won the HBCU national championship this season.
“Coach Chennis Berry, man, what he says goes,” Bonds said. “He’s big on acronyms, and his words are powerful. As he speaks, it feels like we’re at practice during the visit. He has a history of winning. Everywhere he’s been, they’ve won. They’re 18-time MEAC champions and two-time (HBCU) national champions.”
For him, the opportunity represents both validation and urgency.
“This is my last year,” he said. “I don’t get another opportunity after this. This is the year I have to be at my peak. This has got to be my top year, my top dollar year. So, like I said, here comes the peak.”
Those who watched his development from the beginning, though, are not surprised. OCHS football coach Michael Holland said Bonds is among the most dominant players he’s coached at the high school level.
“He was a dominant player for us on both sides of the ball,” Holland said. “Usually, we try to keep linemen from having to go both ways, but he never came off the field for us. As a defensive lineman, he’s one of the best I’ve ever been around at the high school level.”
Holland said Bonds’ presence and story have also shaped the program’s culture.
“KB and his family are Oglethorpe County, through and through,” Holland said. “Always willing to help and always willing to give back to the program.”
That responsibility has remained central as Bonds prepares for life in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
He hopes younger athletes in Oglethorpe County see his path as proof that patience and belief matter, even when recognition comes late. Bonds held a football camp at OCHS last summer.
“I’m saying some of those younger kids that are in that area, I hope even reading this article in The Echo, or reading how everything was handled for me, with me being a big motivation and impact guy, man, step out,” Bonds said. “If you’re in Oglethorpe County, you can make it. I promise you can make it. Put yourself out there. Better yourself.”