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WEST VALLEY PREPS

Jalan Early gets shot at becoming Division I quarterback

Wait pays off as Millennium star signs with FBS school Fresno State

Posted 3/29/20

Waiting nearly two months beyond the Feb. 5 National Signing Day paid off in almost every respect for Jalan Early.

The Millennium senior received offers from a mixture of higher profile FBS …

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WEST VALLEY PREPS

Jalan Early gets shot at becoming Division I quarterback

Wait pays off as Millennium star signs with FBS school Fresno State

Posted

Waiting nearly two months beyond the Feb. 5 National Signing Day paid off in almost every respect for Jalan Early.

The Millennium senior received offers from a mixture of higher profile FBS schools and some of the better FCS schools like Idaho and NAU. And most recruiting services listed the 6-3, 210-pound dynamo as an athlete - since he started as a linebacker in 2018, was the Tigers' quarterback in 2019 and looked like a prototype safety.

On March 27 Early announced he was committing to Fresno State, the highest-profile team of his final five schools. And he heads to the San Joaquin Valley with an opportunity to achieve his dream of becoming an NFL quarterback.

"Quarterback. I know that I can play any position on the field. But I’ve been playing quarterback for only 2 years, unlike most of these quarterbacks who are getting all this attention who have been playing their whole entire lives," Early stated in a Twitter interview. "But I wanna progress at quarterback and he the next Lamar Jackson or something. If I feel I ever need to change the position then we’ll look into it, but right now it’s QB and QB only."

His extended recruiting period even included a late offer from another FCS school. New Mexico, a Mountain West Conference rival of fresno State,  extended the scholarship offer on March 9.

But later the week, as the country began to realize the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunity to see the Lobos facilities and campus in person essentially vanished.

"The final five were NAU, Idaho, New Mexico, UTEP, and Fresno. It really came down to where I see myself in the next four years. All the coaches on the coaching staffs were amazing and I have the upmost respect for all of them but you can’t go wrong with Cali ball espically when there is family up there and the program was just the right fit," Early stated. "It doesn’t help with the coronavirus going on so I couldn’t really take a visit to New Mexico so I just took what I had."

The lure of family was strong, as  Jalan's cousin, LJ Early, redshirted for the Bulldogs in 2019 and will play as a junior this fall.

LJ grew up in nearby Tulare, Calif.

"My nephew plays there (Jalans cousin), there are ties with some of the staff there. The school itself is a great school, football program is stable and always very competitive. As my son said he felt like a part of the family there which they made him feel welcome," said Millennium coach and Jalan's father, Lamar Early stated.

Fresno State offered Jalan on Jan. 31 and did not pressure him to sign by signing day, he said. That did not change as winter stretched into spring.

Jalan Early said the  offer came by surprise. One night  Bulldogs coaches came down to see him throw at 10 p.m. at Millennium, he said.

They waited while Jalan started at forward for the 5A runner up  Millennium basketball team.

"And it was cold but I performed pretty well and ever since the full ride offer they have been on. I didn’t feel pressured at all. Me and my family felt like waiting after the signing day was the best decision with all the distractions and stuff with basketball. So it just felt right," Jalan Early stated.

Lamar Early thanked every college coaching staff that recruited his son and gave him the opportunity to be part of their football program.

As his head coach, Lamar was more involved than a typical parent. But he said the end decision was all Jalan.

'I just tried to help guide him in the process asking questions on what he like and pros and cons of his visits, school, coaching staff, academics, etc.  Like any other athlete he had questions and as with any other athlete I answered without any bias because it is his decision. I gave him space and told him to let me know when he was ready to make a decision. I’am proud of him because he didn’t rush to make a decision and he really thought this through," Lamar Early stated.

Jalan Early said he would like to study forensics or criminal justice in college.

He said he felt comfortable with the university, its tradition and the bond between the Bulldogs and the rest of the San Joaquin Valley.

“Everyone is all about Fresno football and just they love the people more then the player and I really admire that. Off the field aspect that stood out was just the coaching staff and location of the university. The campus is beautiful. Once I got there I knew it somewhere I would wanna be,” Jalan Early stated.