Penn State picks up new commitment from 2023 receiver Yazeed Haynes
Penn State football picked up a new commitment on Sunday.
The Lions landed a pledge from Lansdale, Pa., North Penn wide receiver Yazeed Haynes. A former Rutgers commit, Haynes announced his decision to become a Nittany Lion following an official visit over the weekend. That trip came after last weekend’s unofficial visit, when the 6-foot-1, 170-pound prospect put his speed on display at Penn State’s Whiteout camp, leaving town with an offer.
“Me and Coach [Taylor Stubblefield] started talking this spring,” Haynes told BWI last weekend. “I’ve been talking to Coach Terry [Smith] since back in the fall,” he said. “I like how they always keep it 100 with me. They let me know the things I’m doing good, and the things I’m doing wrong. They’re always trying to coach me up. Coach Terry, me and him have talked for a while. We always stay in contact. I just like the relationship we’re building and the culture with their recruits.”
Related: On300 cornerback Elliot Washington recaps Penn State official visit
Haynes is a versatile prospect. While he put his receiving skills on display to earn an offer, he could actually be a defensive back at the next level. He and Penn State are keeping their options open at this point in time, and playing either side of the ball is still a possibility.
“After the camp, they took me into a meeting room. It was me, Coach Stubbs and Coach [James] Franklin. That’s when they gave me the offer,” Haynes told BWI.
“They were very impressed with my testing scores, and they said they were impressed with my route running and speed. They also said that the offer is to play wide receiver or [defensive back]. So, it’s not just for wide receiver.”
Tracing Haynes’ path to Penn State
Haynes committed to Rutgers back on March 24. However, he decommitted from the Scarlet Knights in May. The senior-to-be had planned to visit Georgia, Minnesota, and Tennessee this summer. Those trips are no longer in play now that he’s a Nittany Lion.
Penn State moved swiftly to make Haynes a priority following camp. The fact that he took an official visit one week after earning an offer was an encouraging sign for the Nittany Lions. While not everything is always as it seems in the recruiting world, the back-to-back trips indicated strong mutual interest. That ultimately netted the Lion a commitment on Sunday.
Haynes is the 13th player to pick Penn State in the Class of 2023. If he plays receiver, he’s the second to do so, joining Winslow, N.J. Atco High four-star Ejani Shakir.
