Between the placards on the table and caps on the heads, Hinds Community College seemed to have most of the four-year schools in a three-state swath covered when its players lined up for a signing day picture earlier this week.

Hinds, which came within a game of winning the 2014 NJCAA Division II national championship, had 11 players sign with NCAA Division I colleges during the early signing period that ended this week.

Hinds coach Sam Temple said it’s one of the most talent-laden groups he’s worked with in 10 years at the Raymond school.

“That’s the most D-I guys we’ve had in the early signing period. I feel completely confident there’s two more in the spring time that are slam dunks, and an outside chance of two more,” said Temple, a Vicksburg native.

Five Division I colleges mined Hinds for talent this fall.

Pitcher Austin Sanders signed with Ole Miss, pitcher Houston Case went to Southern Miss, and pitcher Randy Bell to South Alabama.

Infielders Marshall Boggs, Jordan Washam and Chase Lunceford, along with catcher Jonathan Washam and pitcher Casey Sutton, signed with Louisiana Tech.

Pitchers Derek Martin, Keller Bradford and Tyler Cox are all headed to Louisiana-Monroe.

Temple noted that his starting third baseman last spring, Luke Reynolds, left Hinds in the summer for Mississippi State.

“When you add it all up, 16 of the players on last year’s team will probably have signed D-I by the end of next season,” Temple said. “And we’re not done yet.”

While Temple was proud of the signings, he beamed even more about the team’s success in the classroom. The team’s average GPA was 3.3 in the spring semester.

Temple said that sends a message to incoming players that it’s as important to take care of things off the field as well as on it.

“What I tell these young guys is go hit in the batting cage, take grounders, do all the baseball things. But if you don’t hit the books, it’s not going to happen,” he said. “They handle their business outside of baseball very well. These are not kids. These are young men.”

In addition to all of the early signees, Hinds will have five players from Warren County on the roster in 2015.

Catcher Hunter Austin (Warren Central), outfielder Hunter Bell (WC), infielder Carlisle Koestler (WC), utility man Jonah Masterson (Porters Chapel) and catcher Josh Sterling (Vicksburg High) will all make their debuts for Hinds.

After last year’s success, Temple said he was looking forward to making another run toward the NJCAA World Series and a possible national title.

“I’m blessed that I get another year to coach them and be around them and watch them grow,” Temple said.