Southern California cornerback R.J. Regan commits to ASU

R.J. Regan hated playing cornerback. In his mind, he was a wide receiver. But Orange Lutheran Hugh had a logjam of pass-catchers, a few that have landed at big-time schools (namely Kyle Ford, who’s now at USC) and the coaches moved him to defense.

Even after he made the move his sophomore year, there were no dreams of snatching interceptions, no expectations college scholarships would roll in for a position he had never played.

J.P Presley chuckles as he learns about Regan’s initial disdain for the cornerback position. And the Orange Lutheran coach doesn’t laugh because of some story that enters his head, he laughs because he had no clue.

“R.J. was a guy who would do whatever you asked of him,” Presley said. “I would never be able to tell you he was upset about it. I would just tell you that he’s a guy who would be like, ‘If this is where I’m at, if this is where you see me, then I have to master my craft’ … He found a way to catch up to that curve.”

Attention came quickly. In the fall of 2018, a few schools began contacting Regan and inquiring about him as a college cornerback. “I’m like maybe this is my real position,” Regan thought.

He was right. That November, Arizona State became the first school to offer Regan as a cornerback and Monday, Regan’s cornerback journey reached its apex. He publicly committed to the Sun Devils, joining ASU’s 2021 class that now includes 13 players.

“The biggest thing was the relationship with the coaches because I wouldn’t want to go to a school where I didn’t talk to them much,” Regan said. “I feel like with ASU; I really built that bond with them.”

Especially with newly-hired cornerbacks coach Chris Hawkins, who initially sparked a relationship with Regan while a grad assistant at USC and further bonded while trying to bring him to Tempe.

“He’s really cool,” Regan said of the 25-year old Hawkins. “Because he’s young, you’re able to get along with him more.”

Regan’s praise of Hawkins was high, making note on multiple occasions that Hawkins was the main reason he committed, the guy who gave him the most comfort in his college decision. But, unlike most college recruits right now, Regan wasn’t forced to commit solely based on his bond with the coaches.

While some prospects can often be on official-visit stand by until they finish their junior season, Regan was able to take visits to Wisconsin, Boise State, Kansas, and Arizona State early in his high school career, an experience that grew in value as the COVID-19 pandemic has stopped official visits since March.

The Southern California native was in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium for ASU’s 2018 victory over UCLA and 2019 loss to USC.

“I loved it, especially the environment during the game -- how hype it was,” Regan said of ASU. “It’s just like a great college town to be in … (I want to be in a college town because) of the experience and that type of thing, like how you see in movies, just that feeling of being in college.”

“R.J. was really focused on where he wants to be,” Presley added. “Like the type of places, the type of coaches, the type of environments he would thrive in ... He kind of did a lot of the work as a younger recruit.”

Presley thought back to the beginning of Regan’s sophomore year. He started the first two weeks on J.V. Perhaps it could have been a more extended stint, but Regan turned into the junior-varsity Renaissance Man, making the disparity in the Thursday and Friday night competition look like Pop Warner and the NFL.

“He never saw another Thursday game from there,” Presley joked. “He’s telling me, ‘Hey coach, I’m ready now.’”

His confidence was validated. Regan jumped to varsity and rarely stepped outside the white lines. He took snaps at receiver, played numerous spots in the secondary, returned kicks and “He made every tackle on the kickoff team,” Presley said.

The Orange Lutheran coach tried to emphasize that point to the college coaches who stopped by his program. This kid is selfless, he told them, he’ll do whatever you ask and dominate. Just like he did playing cornerback -- secretly hating the position two years before power-five schools clamored for his services to play it.

“I just practiced it,” he said nonchalantly before pointing out what intrigues Hawkins about his game. “He said how I play the ball, how I don’t panic when it’s in air. He said he likes that about my style of play. And my coverage, how I’m really good in man-to-man coverage and have good technique.”

"When I watch RJ Regan's tape, I see a corner who's talent and athleticism allows him to be left isolated on the opposing team's no. 1 receiver< 'said Recruiting Analyst Cody Cameron. "Regan possesses great man-to-man technique, and his fast feet allow him to stay toe-to-toe with the fastest wideouts in Southern California.

"Turning on the tape, I love the break he makes on the ball at the 1:28 mark. He doesn't let the WR break his cushion; he reads the QB's eyes, T-steps, and plays right through the receiver's hands to break-up the pass. The following play on his film at the 1:35 mark against powerhouse program Mater Dei is another perfect example of Regan's tremendous coverage skills. Regan presses the receiver outside towards the sidelines, stays with the receiver's hip stride for stride, turns his head, and swats the deep pass down for a PBU. This is a phenomenal 2021 class talent and a huge addition to the Arizona State secondary."

Regan joins Tommi Hill -- a three-star athlete who became ASU's ninth commitment last Wednesday -- as the pair of cornerbacks ASU has already secured in the 2021 recruiting class. And as the depth chart forms for the 2021 campaign, the duo might be competing for a starting gig, the second, they step foot on campus.

Both Chase Lucas and Jack Jones, the expected starters should the 2020 season commence, are both seniors. While cornerbacks Keon Markham and Jordan Clark would both be in their third year in 2021, there's no guarantee either or both slide into a starting role, and as we already knows, there is no reason why Herm Edwards wouldn't elevate a newcomer into the first-team role if he earns it.

So if nothing else, Regan will be in the mix for playing time from the second he arrives in Tempe.

"I think he brings a great future (to ASU) defensively," Presley said.

is the 13th known commitment of the Sun Devils 2021 class, the fourth California prospect in this group, and the second defensive back who pledged to ASU in less than a week.

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