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Grant Haley, ladies and gentlemen!
Stats:
Home/HS: Atlanta, GA/Lovett School
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170 lbs
Recruited by: James Franklin
Starz 'n Sheetz:
Stars: 3* 247, Rivals, Scout, ESPN
Offer Sheet: Vanderbilt (had committed July 23, 2013), Arkansas, Cincinnati, Duke, Florida, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin
Cinema:
Find more video of Grant from Hudl, here.
The Tale:
Haley is the second commit today, and the fifth to follow James Franklin from Vanderbilt to Happy Valley. Like fellow commit Trace McSorely, Haley was up for an official visit at PSU this weekend, and walked away a committed player. Also like McSorely, he was scheduled for an official visit to Nashville this coming weekend--a visit that likely will no longer happen.
Unlike McSorely, Haley held offers from a ton of SEC schools, and actually attended junior day at both USCe and UGA. He also led his team to a state football title this past season.
Oh, and there's this:
Worth noting that new commit Grant Haley's mother attended #PennState from 1982-86. http://t.co/TC7vWwdrzn via @247Sports
— Sean Fitz (@seanfitz247) January 20, 2014
Outlook:
A two-sport star at Lovett School, Haley has clear athleticism that will translate well immediately on the field for the Nittany Lions. Look for him to challenge for playing time right away, and crack the nickel package at the least in a position that is still very thin two years after Bill O'Brien complained about defensive backfield depth.
In addition to d-back, Haley returned punts and kicks, and had some all-purpose yards as a senior. He was set to return kicks for Franklin at Vanderbilt, so look for him to be deep on returns right away. It is highly unlikely that Haley will redshirt, despite being on the small side, and he could have an immediate impact on the field in 2014.
Welcome to Penn State, Grant!