:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27500249/siren.0.jpg)
Amani Oruwariye, ladies and gentlemen!
Stats:
Home/HS: Tampa, FL/Gaither
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 180 lbs
Recruited by: Josh Gattis
Starz 'n Sheetz:
Stars: 3* 247, Rivals, Scout, ESPN
Offer Sheet: Vanderbilt (had committed October 29, 2013; decommitted January 15, 2014), Arizona, Boston College, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Duke, FIU, FAU, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Louisville, Michigan State, MTSU, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rutgers, USF, Syracuse, UCF, Virginia, Wake Forest
Cinema:
Find more video of Amani from Hudl, here.
The Tale:
Per Tampa (Fla.) Gaither head coach Jason Stokes, 2014 DB Amani Oruwariye has committed to #PennState. http://t.co/BFxpTTZU78
— Lions247 (@Lions247) January 30, 2014
Tampa (Fla.) Gaither High safety Amani Oruwariye wasn't ready to have it out there, but since it is, can confirm he committed to #PennState.
— Greg Pickel (@GregPickel) January 30, 2014
Oruwariye had a list of offers as long as his arm before committing to James Franklin and the Vanderbilt Commodores in October, over MSU and Rutgers. After the announcement that Franklin had taken over as head coach for Penn State, he was one of the first players to announce that he'd received a PSU offer, and subsequently decommitted from Vanderbilt. The 'Dores were still in Oruwariye's top three, along with the Nittany Lions and the Scarlet Knights, before the DB pulled the trigger during his official visit to Happy Valley this weekend.
This weekend was originally supposed to be an official visit to Vanderbilt, but things changed for Oruwariye, and he made the trip to Penn State with Farmer and more than a dozen members of the 2014 Penn State recruiting class.
Outlook:
While Saturday's commit, Koa Farmer, looks to either move full time to linebacker or inhabit a sort of hybrid DB-LB role going forward, Oruwariye is a definite defensive back/athlete. He played receiver as well as d-back in high school, and also returned kicks (he had only 8 receptions, but notched 47 tackles and 4 interceptions with 9 passes defended as a senior); but his impact could be felt immediately in special teams for PSU--he blocked three punts in each of his junior and senior years at Gaither.
In terms of how he plays, Penn Live describes him as:
...not one of those blazing fast corners, but he possesses long arms and plays much bigger for his size and has extremely keen awareness and ball skills.
Playing corner has a lot to do with technique and footwork, but a feel for reading the quarterbacks eyes and natural instincts are invaluable. Oruwariye clearly has both of these because he makes strong plays on the ball and is very good in the air.
In terms of specific coverages, Oruwariye is better in zone than man-to-man. And he's not all that great against the run. He'll make a tackle, but he's not one of those physical hitters off the edge in the run game.
Welcome to Penn State, Amani!
