Boise State’s latest 2021 commit Jalen Richmond is familiar with winning traditions
Chandler High School in Arizona has developed a reputation over the years as a quarterback factory.
Brett Hundley led the Wolves’ offense before going on to UCLA and the NFL, where he’s currently backing up Arizona Cardinals starter Kyler Murray. Bryce Perkins started the past two seasons at Virginia, and Chandler coach Rick Garretson’s son, Darell, started games at Utah State and Oregon State.
Chandler is led again this year by a Division I-bound quarterback in Mikey Keene — a three-star prospect, according to 247Sports, with offers from UCF, Hawaii, Nevada and Tulane to name a few.
The quarterback won’t get all the spotlight this year, though, and Boise State’s latest addition to its 2021 recruiting class is part of a talent-rich group of wide receivers out to change the perception at Chandler.
Wide receiver Jalen Richmond announced his verbal commitment Tuesday afternoon on Twitter. He’s a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports, and he holds more than 15 scholarship offers.
Richmond said Tuesday that his final decision came down to Boise State, Nevada, Rice and San Jose State, and it was the Broncos’ reputation that convinced him to commit.
“They just win football games, and they’ve produced and developed a lot of players who made it to the NFL,” Richmond said by phone. “It’s a big-time program, and they play big-time football games.”
Richmond knows a thing or two about winning. At Chandler, he’s part of a program that has won four straight state championships and five in the past six years.
Expectations are high again this year. The Wolves head into an uncertain 2020 season on a 26-game winning streak and rank No. 10 nationally in a preseason poll released by Maxpreps.
“Jalen is used to the competition side of things that he’s going to experience every day at a place like Boise State,” Garretson said by phone on Tuesday. “We have a competitive culture where guys know if they don’t do things right, they have someone looking over their shoulder ready to take their spot. That’s why our guys do pretty well at the collegiate level.”
This year, Richmond — a starter on varsity since he was a sophomore — is one of six offensive playmakers on Chandler’s roster with Division I offers, counting Keene.
Oregon, Arizona State, Cal and Hawaii are after running back Quaron Adams. Wide receiver Nason Coleman has offers from Iowa State, BYU, Nebraska and Arizona State, among others. Receiver Kyion Grayes has offers from Miami, Michigan State, Arizona, Arizona State and Kansas, and, according to Garretson, tight end Eli Swope has several FCS offers.
“Everyone wants to compete. Everyone wants to be the best,” Richmond said. “When we do individual drills, everyone wants to look good, so we all push the next guy. We all learn from each other, and we see where we all can get better.”
Last season, Chandler’s offense averaged 50 points a game, according to Maxpreps, which helped propel the team to a 13-0 record.
Richmond finished the year with 41 catches for 725 yards and a team-high nine touchdowns, and despite all the talent around him, he emerged as one of Keene’s top targets in the biggest moments of the season.
“Last year, he was the guy that made the big catch at the big moment,” Garretson said. “He’s got big-play ability, and he’s the type of guy people in Boise will enjoy watching play.”
Physically, Richmond (6-0, 185) fits the mold of recent wide receivers at Boise State. Garretson said he’s quick and shifty like Boise State senior CT Thomas (5-8, 185) and has big-play ability similar to that of fellow wideout Khalil Shakir (6-0, 195).
“He’s in an offense where not just one guy is getting the ball, so he understands schematics,” Garretson said. “He knows how to run routes and how to get off press coverage, and he’s very good at high-pointing 50-50 balls. He’s a pretty advanced kid.”
Coronavirus prevented Richmond from taking in-person visits to his top schools, but he took virtual tours of Fresno State, Eastern Michigan and Boise State.
He said his tour of Boise State lasted about 2 hours and included videos and pictures of campus and the football facilities and a detailed academic plan.
He was pretty sold after the tour, but Richmond had insight into Boise State’s status in Idaho long before he ever logged on. His wide receivers coach at Chandler, Chad Carpenter, grew up in Weiser and filled him in on the highlights.
“The football team, it’s the talk of the whole state. They’re the show,” Richmond said. “Everyone knows who you are. Everyone in the state supports Boise State.”
Richmond is the Broncos’ first addition to their 2021 class in almost two months. On April 8, inside linebacker Jai Jones became the first commit in the class.
2021 recruiting class
LB Jai Jones, 5-11, 230, South Oak Cliff High (Dallas, Texas)
WR Jalen Richmond, 6-0, 175, Chandler (Arizona) High
This story was originally published June 30, 2020 at 2:46 PM.
