After listening to grandma, Handy's emerged as a top DE
Jaren Handy listened to his grandmother — eventually.
Linda Handy passed away last summer, but she knew what was best for her grandson. She had been talking to her grandson about giving football a chance. He grew up playing basketball, his first love, but she saw football in his future.
It started when he was in ninth grade. For two years, he stuck with basketball, but after she passed, the Rivals 250 defensive end out of New Augusta (Miss.) Perry Central strapped on the pads and gave football a chance.
Grandma definitely knew best.
"This past season was my first time ever playing football," said Handy. "I never played in middle school or when I was a kid. I just played basketball.
"My grandma talked me into it. She told me that I could be good at football if I put my mind to it, so she got me on the football field.
"I play for her."
Since racking up 15 sacks in his first football season ever, his recruitment has taken offer. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee among others have offered the 6-foot-4, 260 pounder.
Each time a school offers, he gives a special thanks to grandma Linda.
"Every time I get an offer, I thank her. I do this for her. I played every game like it was my last. She was my best friend and when I lost her, I lost a part of myself.
"I just wanna make her proud at the end of the day."
Handy is on track and we are know grandma has a big smile on her face.
One of the first schools to offer him was Ole Miss, and in-state program and that he spent time at over the weekend. It will be his second visit.
"I was at an Ole Miss camp last summer and that was my first visit, so I met some of the coaches and they have really made me feel like a priority since then," said Handy. "The coaches are real cool and they really want their guys to do well on and off the field.
"I talk to coach [Jacob] Peeler (wide receivers) and coach [Freddie] Roach (defensive line) a lot and they are really recruiting me hard. I like a lot there and they make me feel at home."
There are a couple of other SEC schools that Handy wants to see for the first time.
"I want to get out there and see Tennessee and Florida. I knew coach [Dan] Mullen when he was at Mississippi State, so I want to see what Florida is like. I do not know much about them yet, but it seems like a nice place.
"Tennessee is really about the same. They have a nice program and I want to get up there and learn more about it."
He mentioned potential visits to LSU and Mississippi State too. If you notice the theme here, each school mentioned is in the SEC.
That is likely the conference Handy ends up playing in.
"All I can say is I love the SEC," said Handy. "It is where the top players play and so many of the top teams, so I want to play with the best and against the best.
"It would be great competition each game and I would be around great guys."
Handy denies having any favorites yet, but did tweet something interesting Sunday night coming off that visit to Ole Miss.
When asked about that tweet, Handy said, "I am close to committing. It will happen in the next few months."
Could that timeline change? Sure. No date is locked in for a decision, but one thing is for certain, grandma Linda knew what she was talking about and she has helped her grandson shape his future.