Miami High’s Keyshawn ‘Pie’ Young announces on National Signing Day that he’s joining Central’s Jamel Cook at USC
The most highly anticipated National Signing Day announcement from an uncommitted prospect in Miami-Dade County was revealed to be a work in conjunction with the biggest Dade County flip of a commitment on Wednesday afternoon.
Miami High wide receiver Keyshawn “Pie” Young announced that he was signing with Southern California to join Miami Central defensive back Jamel Cook, who earlier Wednesday let go of his longtime commitment to FSU to also join the Trojans’ 2016 recruiting class.
The two childhood friends will travel across the country to play college football together.
“We shocked the world with this one,” Young said after the announcement, which was shot in front of a green screen in a production room for Miami High’s student broadcasting station. “We’re going to go to that West Coast and handle business.”
Added Cook, who was in attendance to witness Young’s decision after coming over from his own morning ceremony at Central: “We’re going to be teammates at the next level and we’re going to make a lot of plays together. You’re going to see us in the end zone dancing a lot.”
Young chose USC over Michigan and Louisville. The Wolverines were noted favorites for Young throughout his senior season, but USC surpassed them, especially after Young and Cook took a visit to Los Angeles over the weekend that blew them away.
“After the visit, I just felt like I belonged in that place,” Young said. “I just got the right vibe. It made me feel like home. I’m ready for it.”
Young goes to a school that has historically produced a significant number of NFL prospects — many who played his same position.
“I’m going to try to put up records — well, I’m not going to try. I will break records,” Young said firmly.
His family isn’t worried about him playing across the country. Young’s mother said they would go out to Southern California to watch him play.
“Just like we stepped into Miami High unknown and leaving unforgotten, that’s how it’s going to be out there on the West Coast,” said Keisha Young, Keyshawn’s mother. “They don’t know about these kids in the 305. We’re going to take over.”
Louisville, the third of Young’s finalists, slipped in his mind after the news that wide receivers coach Lamar Thomas — known and well-liked locally for his Miami Hurricane playing days — jumped ship to join Kentucky’s staff Tuesday morning.
Young’s mother said Louisville was in second before that. His high school coach, Ivan Rosales, noted that the Cardinals were virtually eliminated once Thomas was found to have left.
Young’s hectic recruiting cycle finally came to its conclusion.
“It was like a revolving door,” Rosales said. “I remember at one point I was meeting with one coach, and I’m getting texts from the main office that there were two coaches [waiting] — within a period of 30 minutes having three or four coaches visit.”
Young and his mother noted that the craziest part for them was the volume of mail they would receive from various schools.
As a senior, Young, who played both sides of the ball for the Stings, had 589 all-purpose yards, scored seven touchdowns and intercepted four passes defensively.
Young was the sole focus of the Stingarees’ Signing Day ceremony as the only senior to sign an athletic scholarship in any sport Wednesday.
This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Miami High’s Keyshawn ‘Pie’ Young announces on National Signing Day that he’s joining Central’s Jamel Cook at USC."