There’s a usual mad dash for quarterback recruits to make their commitments early on in the recruiting process. But sometimes, in the case for Millennium’s Jalan Early, patience pays off.
While Early wasn’t, well, early, the class of 2020 signal-caller announced his commitment on Friday to the Fresno State Bulldogs.
“They recruited me a little later, but it’s family there,” Early said. “I have family out in California and family all around there. Going there, once they saw me, they took me in as family. They just had everything that I needed to be a part of that and it be a perfect fit for me.”
Feeling family on the football field is a regular occurrence for Jalan, who played for his father, Lamar, at Millennium. He will join a figurative family at Fresno, but also literal family as well. His cousin is currently on the roster.
“(My father has) always been there since I picked up a football,” Jalan said of Lamar. “It’s been a great experience. It’s something a (coach’s) son would never trade a thing in the world for their dad to be coaching them.”
Waiting beyond signing day was a decision Early and his family made despite risking his potential spot being filled by someone else. It was not a decision for the faint of heart.
“It was so stressful for not only me but my family,” Early said. “It was a decision that had to be made…We were going to commit right there on (Signing Day) right then and there but more schools were calling.”
Ultimately, it worked out for the Early family and Jalan will be taking a blueshirt opportunity, meaning he will be put on scholarship in the fall and his scholarship won’t be counted against the 2020 class for Fresno State.
“Waiting was the right thing to do. Fresno came along and gave that opportunity, that full-ride scholarship and when I took my visit, I knew that was the place I wanted to be.”
Early was exclusively a quarterback his senior season, but played as a linebacker and safety previously for the Tigers. In his senior campaign, the quarterback threw for 2,015 yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also rushed for 642 yards and 12 touchdowns on 94 attempts.
He held offers from NAU, Dixie State, Yale, UTEP, Western Illinios, Idaho, Southern Utah, Fresno State and New Mexico. He plans to continue to condition and get on campus this summer with the Bulldogs.
