Penn State Football Class of 2013: Welcome, Kasey Gaines

Kasey Gaines isn't the biggest name in Bill O'Brien's inaugural recruiting class, but due to the 15-scholarship limit forced on Penn State, he's in the same boat as every other player in this landmark 2013 class--the S.S. "Bill O'Brien wanted you enough to give you a precious scholarship" (I could've sworn I had something better for that. Eh).

A defensive back out of Loganville, Georgia listed at 5'10" and 160lbs (paging Dr. Fitzgerald), Gaines was recruited by ex-defensive coordinator Ted Roof, but never wavered on his commitment once Roof bolted for Georgia Tech. He promptly signed on the dotted line on Wednesday, as expected.

His greatest asset appears to be his speed--he reportedly ran a 40-yard dash in the mid to high 4.4 range at his high school's prospect camp. He'll likely be asked to play special teams and provide cover at safety this season. A redshirt isn't totally out of the question, but for a secondary that's pretty thin, especially at safety, that seems an unlikely scenario. You'll be hearing his name soon enough though--the incumbents at his position, Stephen Obeng-Agyapong and Malcolm Willis, will be moving on after the 2013 season, leaving Jake Kiley as the only other scholarship player left at safety (barring position changes).

Doing a little research on Gaines, I found this quote he gave the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about BOB's recruiting pitch pretty interesting:

"Coach O'Brien said I was exactly the kind of player they need right now," Gaines said. "He said ‘We need football players right now, not superstars. I know how football is played down there, and you're the kind of guy we need up here.'"

Oh, and you want to talk #culture? Gaines' final two schools were PSU and Harvard. Yeah, he'll fit in nicely 'round these parts.

Welcome, Kasey!

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