The562’s football coverage for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Long Beach Poly alums Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
The Millikan Rams added three more names to their list of college signees on Wednesday at the start of the regular football signing period for the Class of 2026.
Quarterback Ashton Pannell is headed to Chicago State, defensive end Dominic Palma is on his way to the University of Puget Sound, and defensive end Peyton McCutcheon signed with Sacramento State.
“In seven years, including these three, we’re at 44 kids in college, and we really pride ourselves in that,” said Rams head coach Romeo Pellum. “That’s a little over six students per year going to college to continue to play football from our program, which averages about 40 percent of our seniors, and that’s really, really good. It’s a testament to the coaches and just the overall structure of the program.”
It was a tumultuous senior season for Pannell, who started the season as Millikan’s QB1, then transferred to play at a school in Arizona after transfer eligibility issues arose with the CIF-Southern Section. In limited time as a Ram, Pannell showcased his playmaking ability, and he’s excited to get some stability in the next stage of his playing career.
“All I’ve been asking for is a chance, and I think I got that chance,” said Pannell of signing with the Cougars. “You get to see growing up all these people sign, and it’s kind of a dream, and now you get to live out that dream. It’s surreal.”
Pannell will join a brand new program at the FCS level, as the Cougars will debut this fall as the only DI football program in the Windy City. After taking a visit last weekend, Pannell said he loved the area, and felt the program’s vision aligned with his own, making it the right fit for his college experience.
Next up was Palma, who was a four-year Millikan player that let hard work lead him to college football. As an undersized defensive lineman, he would be easy to overlook, but Coach Pellum praised his work ethic in creating an opportunity for himself at the next level.
Palma said he really connected with the coaching staff at Puget Sound and is excited to get up to Tacoma, Washington and be a Logger.
“That moment meant everything for me,” said Palma on the feeling of signing his letter of intent. “From being a little kid coming here as a freshman, a small, skinny, white dude with these giant kids, it means everything to me to be able to play at the next level. It’s a dream come true from baby freshman Dom. It really means everything to me and I hope I can make my coaches and my parents proud.”
Lastly, Peyton McCutcheon made his college decision official with Sacramento State. After originally committing to San Diego State, McCutcheon had to pivot when the Aztecs went in a different direction, and he found a new home in the state capital.
“I’m blessed,” McCutcheon said. “It was a blessing to be able to see everybody’s faces today, like everybody from The562, to my family, my mom, my friends, my teammates, coaches, everybody that came out to support. It’s a surreal feeling, and it’s a feeling that’s unmatched.”
Not only does Coach Pellum have confidence in McCutcheon to be an impact player for the Hornets quickly, McCutcheon has the confidence in himself to be a difference maker as a freshman.
“Words from Coach (Alonzo) Carter himself, he said be ready to play when I get there,” McCutcheon stated. “So it looks like I’m not going there to redshirt or nothing, I’m going to play. So I’m ready. I’m psyched. I’m ready to get out there and see what college ball is talking about.”
This latest trio of Rams joins Jude Nelson in the Class of 2026, after he signed with Utah State back in January.
“We’re so thankful for guys like this and all the guys in our program,” Pellum said. “I’m thankful for our coaches, they do such a great job day in and day out, of preparing these guys and living up to the culture and the standards that we have here at Millikan … I’m grateful for such a great administration team here, the support that the football team gets, it’s unmatched, and we’re really, really grateful for that.”
