It’s not only the 2022 recruits who were ready to pounce and take advantage of a revived recruiting calendar allowing them to visit with coaches on campuses. ASU had a handful of four-star 2023 prospects coming in for unofficial visits, highlighted by Pittsburg, Calif. Top-75 prospect and four-star quarterback Jaden Rashada.
If the surname sounds familiar, that is because his father, Harlen Rashada was a safety for the Sun Devils between 1992-4. Yet, the ASU quarterback told Devils Digest credited his father for not pressuring him to follow in his footsteps, which probably helped the younger Rashada to already form a very favorable opinion of Arizona State.
“Today was the first time I got to see all the facilities,” Rashada said. “They have a super good coaching staff, with coach Herm and coach Hill. I really like the culture there, and how everyone is connected like a family. Coach Hill told me that he loves my athleticism and what I can do in that offense if I go there. Watching them last year, I liked the offense that they were running because it is evenly attacking on both points of the ball. They run the ball as much as they pass it. I know in the COVID year, it was a little harder for them to open up the (passing) playbook, but I know they're they plan on picking it up, and they're a program that's is only going up from here.
"I like how coach Herm having a team that is player-led and not being in control of everything. At some point, it has to be in your (the players') hands. He asked me, 'what is your purpose? You don't have to answer that right now, and if you don't find out in two years. It's okay.' He said that by the time I'll leave home for college, I would find it out."
Rashada is also able to further learn about ASU’s offensive philosophy from the person who actually guides this unit every Saturday, quarterback Jayden Daniels. The two have talked on multiple occasions, with the last one taking place during last weekend's Steve Clarkson’s QB Retreat.
“Something Jayden told me was that they the coaches are always gonna put you in the best position possible,” Rashada recalled. “So, you just got out and trust it, and he had only good things to say about ASU.”
And much like Daniels in high school, Rashada being labeled a gifted dual-threat quarterback tends to over highlight his running skills while indirectly diminishing his passing prowess. And much like the Arizona State signal-caller, this ASU prospect takes exception with anyone who doesn't believe that he’s still not a well-rounded quarterback at this point of his career.
“I’m huge on throwing the ball because I'm a quarterback and not nothing else other than that,” Rashada stated. “The quarterback does need to throw the ball well, so that's definitely my priority. I don't use my feet unless I have to. I definitely do like throwing the ball better than running it. This last year I really improved a lot on both my arm strength and accuracy. I also improved on my anticipation and timing and I’m a whole different player for this upcoming year than I was back then. It's been a lot of learning for me, and I know I hit some of those (learning) curves , and I'm pretty glad I went through them.”
The quarterback named LSU, Florida, Washington, and Georgia Tech who along with ASU are recruiting him the hardest. Rashada s planning June visits to Clemson, LSU, and perhaps Washington but doesn’t have firm dates. He added that he does plan to visit Tempe on gameday for either the USC or Arizona contests.
Rashada admitted that during today’s visit it was watching his dad take a trip down memory lane as he walked Sun Devil Stadium and the campus. The fact that his former position coach, Donnie Henderson, is on the ASU staff as a consultant only enhanced that experience (“when coach saw my dad walking in it was like a super family day.”). Nonetheless, even after such an emotional for Harlen Rashada, his son knows that the hard recruiting sell for Arizona State isn’t forthcoming.
“I really got to know ASU well because of them recruiting me,” Rashada explained. “Everybody know that whatever school I go to has to be the best fit for me, and not for my dad. There have been a lot of times where people would think that I was a 100% ticket to ASU just because of my dad. But that's not the case. I have to do whatever's best for me and my dad isn’t in my ear about ASU.
“I have to say 100% open and be fair to all the other schools who are recruiting me. I don’t want to short myself just because I’m a fan for a school. But I definitely love ASU, whether my dad went there or not. We just keep on building that relationship.”
The four-star quarterback didn't rule out a late 2021 or early 2022 announcement date, yet added that if he does need more time to decide that he would take official visits to his suitors when the recruiting calendar would allow it in the spring of next year.
“When I choose a school I’m gonna loo at early playing time,” Rashada said, “look at who the coaches are and look at the culture.”
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