As a flurry of teams from the Mountain West Conference have made their way into state 48 to recruit Arizona talent, it didn't take long for the reigning Mountain West Champs to make their presence felt. Chandler High School wide receiver, Jalen Richmond, took to Twitter to announce his college commitment to Boise State University today, becoming the 9th Arizona high school football player from the Class of 2021 to commit to a Mountain West Conference school.
"Their winning tradition and ability to develop players is what attracted me," Richmond told ArizonaVarsity. "They have a pipeline of players in the league and they are a top program in the country. I had been in contact with Boise for at least two months before they offered and I kind of new it was coming, I just had to be patient."
Richmond stated that one of the many factors that played a role in his decision making was the connection that he made with Boise State's WR's coach, Matt Miller. Miller, a former Boise State WR from 2011- 2014, had the ability to give Richmond an inside look on the program not only from a coaching perspective, but that as a former player as well. Boise State had been after Richmond for months, and once they pulled the trigger with the offer a few days ago, Richmond knew it was decision time.
"Just that fact that (Coach Miller) played there at Boise and was able to give me a lot of insight on the program," said Richmond. "I also liked his laid back vibes because that's kind of how I am as a person as well, so we were just able to click. Playing on that nice blue turf in that amazing stadium, knowing I have the whole towns...whole states support. I can’t wait to showcase my talents on the big stage against big-time opponents."
Coach's Comments
Jalen Richmond is not only a great receiver but he's become one of the best permitter blockers in the state, what makes him a special player?
Rick Garretson, Chandler Head Coach: "He works hard at it. He works every day on his craft with Coach Carpenter and Coach Bottrill. In our offense, if you don't block you don't play. Many times he's making a block to spring one of our running backs for a big gain. When you're a tough blocker like Jalen is, you're usually a great receiver and route-runner. He's been that guy for us for two years now. He takes pride in that."
Film Analysis
My Take: Jalen Richmond had a monster Junior season last fall, finishing the year with 41 receptions for 725 yards and 9 TDs. He's an extremely versatile WR who can win 1-on-1's on the outside, as well as lining up in the slot, causing mis-matches for a skip linebacker/safety. When you turn on the film, you'll see Richmond catching quick bubble screens and consistently making the first couple defenders miss as he gets north for huge gains. With his muscular build, Richmond shows no fear going over the middle on deep dig routes, catching passes in traffic. He possesses quick feet, especially on double moves, and he always explodes out of his breaks. I love Richmond's nastiness on the permitter as a run blocker as well. This is a player who has all the tools to have an extremely successful career at Boise State in the near future.
Alec Simpson, former D1 Linebacker and current Rivals Analyst: "Jalen Richmond is somebody that stands out right away," said Simpson. "This is a prospect that loves the weight room. At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds he provides a solid frame for weight to be added to at the next level. Richmond does a fantastic job of having no false steps at the line of scrimmage and has no rounding in his route running. His routes are crisp and polished. Richmond is a playmaker and the special part about his game is his yards after the catch. Many times Richmond is able to catch the football and break away from multiple defenders for a score. He’s a playmaker in space and when the ball is in the air he will get up there and grab it nine times out of ten. Richmond isn’t the fastest receiver on that field, but his physical presence and field vision sets him apart amongst other competition. With some more work on his speed he will be a dynamic presence at the collegiate level. The best comparison I would give is Corey Davis, current Tennessee Titan receiver out of western Michigan. They both do a tremendous job or making plays with the ball in their hands after the catch. Expect Richmond to have a standout senior season with a big time 2nd team all state junior season last year."
