Published Jun 14, 2020
Louisiana safety Eric Randall commits to Memphis
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Sam Spiegelman  •  Rivals.com
National Recruiting Analyst
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@samspiegs

THE SITUATION

Eric Randall's decision is in.

The three-star Baker (La.) safety committed to Memphis on Sunday evening. Randall also held offers from the likes of Kentucky, Ole Miss, Michigan State, Indiana, Utah, Kansas State, Arizona and Louisiana Tech. Schools like Georgia and Oklahoma were also showing interest earlier this year.

Memphis became the destination for two Baton Rouge-area defensive backs this weekend. Along with Randall, Baton Rouge (La.) Madison Prep cornerback Tyrell Raby joined the Tigers' 2021 recruiting haul on Sunday. Randall and Baker are currently the only two Louisiana prospects in the class. Both were recruited by area recruiter John Simon Jr. and Sherman Wilson.

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IN HIS OWN WORDS

"The decision was tough. I have a lot of schools that see wonderful potential in me and I appreciate every coach that took their time out to evaluate me, but I know that Memphis is the fit for me. My family loves it and they're 100-percent behind me. Memphis is an outstanding program and they're an upcoming program coming off an outstanding 12-2 season last year. My goal is to help them win it all."

"After my virtual tour with Memphis, that's when I knew it felt like home. The biggest reason that I'm committing to Memphis is that I feel like it's a life decision; not just a four-year (decision). With three seniors leaving and all of the great talks that I've had with the Memphis staff, I can come in and be a big factor for the program, and honestly, I'm blessed to be in this position right now. I'm just ready to come in and work, work, work!"

RIVALS REACTION

Randall is the son of former Southern quarterback Eric Randall, who is now his son's high school football coach at Baker High. Randall plays both offense and defense for his varsity squad and was a First-Team All-Selection last fall at wide receiver in addition to playing in the secondary and contributing in the return game. Randall made a ton of plays in the secondary at both cornerback and safety while also playing a big role as Baker’s No. 1 receiver and return specialist. He's also a dual-sport standout, also competing in track and field.

In terms of measurables, Randall possesses a big frame (6-foot-1, 183 pounds), is very long and has some impressive testing numbers, including a 7.76-second 60-meter time, a 57.57-second 400-meter time, a 4.57-second 40 last spring, a 4.33-second short shuttle time and a 33.7-inch vertical.

Randall's length allows him to be very effective shadowing receivers in 1-on-1 coverage and also playing free safety over the top. His length gives him a distinct edge, as does his experience playing on the offensive side of the ball. Randall is not shy about being physical and will be a solid second line of defense for the Tigers and a versatile chip for the defensive coaches to use at multiple positions, including safety, in the slot and near the line of scrimmage.