6-7 North Carolina linebacker Isaiah Pipkin commits to ASU
Born in the Phoenix and living there until age 10 Isaiah Pipkin attended Sun Devil football games on a regular basis but never thought he would actually pursue the sport as a young child who was much taller than kids his own age and was seemingly destined to play basketball in college. Currently standing at 6-7 225 lbs., the Wake Forest, NC linebacker pledged today to the first college football school he ever saw in-person.
“I was born there, and I have family there so Arizona State feels like home to me,” Pipkin said following his decision. “I moved to South Carolina and then North Carolina. My dad and I went to ASU games pretty much every week. So, it was cool that Arizona State offered me back in January. It was coach Tony White back then who was recruiting me. From the day they recruited me it always felt like a family atmosphere. That’s how all the coaches made me feel and I love everything the program has to offer.
“When he (White) left for Syracuse, coach Antonio Pierce started recruited me and right away he felt like a second father to me. I know I can go to him for anything. My dad is really big on getting good grades, and that’s exactly how coach Pierce is too. They both tell me education comes first before football because football can be gone at any time.”
In ten games for Wake Forest High School, Pipkin tallied 30 tackles, three passes defended, two sacks and two quarterback hurries.
“The (ASU) coaches see me as that guy that can come off the edge, rush the quarterback but also cover the field, just be a game-changer on the field. I have good speed and agility and good length. I want to get better at pass rush and coverage.”
Bowling Green, Georgia State and Toledo are some of the other schools that offered Pipkin. Not only did the linebacker view ASU as the best offer he had received, but the murky future of high football in North Carolina prompted him to act swiftly on his college career rater than waiting to visit schools and make his decision in the fall.
“I know ASU is the best fit for me, but I didn’t plan to commit this early,” Pipkin admitted. “I just don’t know if we will have a senior season this year. I didn’t want to wait to see if we had one because if we didn’t, it might have been too late (to commit). So right now, was the best time to commit.
“I didn’t get to visit ASU yet, and we’re planning on a date later on. I had a virtual visit, and I really liked the facilities, especially the medical ones where you would rehab.”
If his senior football season were to be canceled Pipkin stated that he would consider graduating high school in December, but otherwise, he will graduate in the spring of 2021.
Pipkin is the fourth known 2021 Sun Devil pledge from the Central/Eastern time zone, and the sixth ASU commitment overall in that group.
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