Linebacker Kaveion Keys decommitted from North Carolina just over a week ago and now he has committed to Penn State. The Richmond (Va.) Varina star took an official visit to Penn State in June and then visited again for the White Out game against Minnesota in October. Virginia Tech tried to sway his decision at the last minute with an official visit this past weekend but the Nittany Lions had already won him over.
“The reason why I decided to actually decommit and want to go to Penn State is because of the culture there, the alumni, the students, and the whole atmosphere of it all,” Keys said. “It’s one of the biggest stadiums in the country. A lot of great defensive players have come out of there, specifically from the linebacker position so who doesn’t want to go there? Me playing linebacker, it was kind of a no-brainer for me.
“It was the coaches and the players that did a good job recruiting me but it was mainly coach Franklin, coach Manny Diaz, and coach AZ (Alan Zemaitis),” he said. “We really got cool when I went up there for my official visit. Coach Seider and basically the whole staff really helped recruit me.
“Even if they aren’t from down here in Richmond, the other commits are still Virginia guys,” said Keys. “We bleed VA. That played a role too. Making this move, I feel comfortable in my decision.”
Keys is an explosive linebacker that can play in space and excels at rushing off the edge. He is very physical and does a good job chasing down ball carriers. Keys has a lean frame but already plays strong. Once the Penn State strength and conditioning coaches add more solid mass to his frame, he could be a very difficult match up for tight ends and other potential blockers. There will be an adjustment period for Keys as he gets used to the speed of the college game but he could be an important piece on Penn State’s defense once he gets his feet under him.
