Orr rings up Sun Devils

Defending national champion Ohio State kept calling, but Kareem Orr was already dialed in elsewhere.

Orr, a 5-foot-11, 190 pound cornerback at Chattanooga (Tenn.) Notre Dame High School, announced Monday in front of a large collection of family, friends and media assembled at the school that he would bypass an opportunity with the Buckeyes to sign with Arizona State during Wednesday's National Letter of Intent Day.

"It was challenging because the Buckeyes just won the title and they just kept calling, [messaging], doing everything they could to get me to flip my commitment to them, even up until today," Orr said following his press conference. "It says a lot that I picked ASU. Deep down in my heart I feel like ASU is going to win a national championship in the next two or three years. I want to be a part of it."

Orr said he knew what he wanted to do on Jan. 18, the final day of his official visit to the campus in Tempe. Ohio State wanted him to take an official visit, but Orr said he'd already been to Columbus and didn't need to again.

"The difference really was the players at ASU and how they embraced me and showed me what it means to be a Sun Devil, especially (senior safety) Jordan Simone. They are great people there and I really enjoyed it and really want to be a part of it and can't wait to get started.

"The players I'm going to play with the next four or five years, that was big. I feel like I got a really good vibe with the coaches. They told the coaches how much they love me. I felt like I fit right in with them when I went there."

Ranked No. 57 nationally at the cornerback position, Orr was committed early in the process to Louisville but as his senior season unfolded, some big name BCS programs started to express serious interest and he started re-thinking things.

"I feel like being committed in the summer, the process was going slow and then I talked to my family and in recent weeks things kept piling up and piling up," Orr said. "Then Oklahoma had offered and on the way back I had decommitted Louisville and Arizona State offered and there just kept being more and more interest.

"ASU started recruiting me and actually were first to offer me while I was committed to Louisville. Me and (secondary) coach (Chris) Ball just built a great relationship and he always kept telling me, just hold one spot [to visit] the Devils and I promise you I'll love it. And I did, I fell in love out there."

Clemson, Duke, Georgia, Indiana and Oklahoma offered scholarships, Orr said, including ASU and Ohio State along with many others. But once he visited Tempe he never felt like going elsewhere.

"ASU is going to send me my (workout) schedule and stuff," Orr said. "I'm going to start putting that to use and I'm leaving May 23 to go there. I report on May 23.

"I feel I need to get stronger. I think I have everything else I need. Coach Ball and coach (Todd) Graham tell me I can compete right away if I come in and work hard and I do as well."

A two-way player, Orr had 45 tackles with six for loss, one interception and 11 pass breakups as a senior along with 20 offensive touchdowns.

Sun Devil coaches gave Orr a nickname that he said should stick as he embraces the next chapter of his life.

"I'm from Chattanooga and here we say the Chattanooga 'Choo Choo' so I guess that's where it is," Orr said. "I'm excited about it, nothing wrong with it it all, I like it."