For class of 2017 Miami Hurricanes cornerback Trajan Bandy, National Signing Day was a dream come true.
“It’s a moment that I can’t even tell you how I’m feeling right now I’m just happy,” Bandy said.
After signing his national letter of intent to attend the University of Miami Wednesday, Bandy will now officially follow in the footsteps of one of his biggest role models, former Miami safety Deon Bush.
“Deon has been a big fan in my life, he has been like a big brother to me,” Bandy said. “Any time I need something I always hit him up, whenever I wanted to workout he would pick me up, whenever I needed a ride he would pick me up -- he was like this guy that he will always be there.”
Bush could not attend Bandy’s signing day ceremony, but Bandy said he texted him this morning to say he was ‘glad he is part of the U’. Bush entered Miami in 2012 standing at 6’1” to play safety, while Trajan enters under 6 feet tall to play cornerback.
Bandy says he has been proving the doubters wrong his whole life due to their criticism of his height, and Columbus head coach Chris Merritt believes it will not be a problem at the college level.
“I don’t think he is undersized to be honest with you,” Merritt said. “We’ve got a lot of high profile defensive backs on this team that are taller but it does not matter, and this is not a shot at them, who we play or how tall that receiver is Trajan is going to lock him down and he has throughout his entire career.”
Merritt said Bandy had a big smile on his face when he signed his letter of intent this morning, and believes that throughout his whole life it has ‘quietly been his dream’ to attend the University of Miami.
After a 2017 class that includes top JUCO corner Jhavonte Dean entered the program on National Signing Day, Bandy is projected to fill the void as Miami’s nickel cornerback.
The cornerback says he doesn’t care where the Hurricanes put him on the field he ‘just wants to help the team’. Bandy should be a very valuable commodity for the Hurricanes moving forward, and Coach Merritt believes he will fit Manny Diaz’s aggressive defense to a key.
“I think he is going to continue to do what he does,” Merritt said. “He’s going to not back down from anybody, he is going to disrupt, he is going to play football and do what he does.”
Bandy is ready to take the next step, but as signing day comes to a close, the top 300 recruit is ready to be a part of something he says is bigger than him.
“Just to be a part of something that is bigger than yourself that a lot of people care about it is definitely a great feeling,” Bandy said. “Just to put the city back on the map, and be a talented guy to stay home, I’m extremely excited and I’m truly blessed.”
