For the second time in a week, Saint Francis (PA) football earned a commitment from a Plum High School product.
Darian Nelson — a 6-foot-1, 190-pound prospect — announced his commitment to St. Francis on Saturday via X.
“When deciding my commitment I considered the interest that every other coach gave me,” Nelson told Pittsburgh Sports Now. “Saint Francis not only gave me a full scholarship but they also would text me every other day about school, football, or even life. Overall the connection with the coaches played a big role in my commitment.”
Nelson’s announcement came a week after his teammate, defensive end Darian Slaughter, committed to the Red Flash. Nelson says he was the first one to commit but waited to make it public and helped reel in Slaughter.
“Believe it or not, I was first to verbally commit to SFU. I didn’t post as soon as he did but after I committed on the phone I immediately started “recruiting” him to make the same decision,” Nelson said.
The senior duo from Plum High School have been friends for a long time and will continue their playing careers together now.
“It feels very reassuring knowing I will be able to play with my best friend since age 9. Not only do we have the same name but we also share a lot of similarities personality-wise and also our play style,” Nelson said.
Nelson was recruited by defensive coordinator Jacob Craig to play safety.
“More specifically their weak side safety which is similar to what I played at Plum,” he said.
Throughout the fall, Nelson made two gameday visits to Loretto, Pa., which is situated roughly 70 miles from Plum.
“I have visited on gameday twice so far and wasn’t disappointed. They have a nice pregame routine and I like the stadium,” he said.
“Their school is very big on building relationships and you get that vibe as soon as you talk to the coaches and visit campus. I also notice that I know a couple people on their roster that come from a similar place like me,” Nelson added.
During his senior campaign, Nelson was relied on by Plum as a do-it-all athlete. Offensively, hauled in 35 receptions for 422 yards and four touchdowns, along with 253 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He even added six passes for 152 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Nelson recorded 44 total tackles, five tackles for loss, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a sack.
“I play very downhill and fast. Never been scared to make a tackle but also have the ability to cover speedy guys and make plays in open space. The word “Athlete” really describes me well. When you take a look at my high school career you see me playing Safety, quarterback, running back, wide receiver, slot receiver, little bit of edge, and mike linebacker.”
Check out Darian Nelson’s Hudl page here.
For more on all of the WPIAL football commitments and offers, check out the Pittsburgh Sports Now WPIAL Football Recruiting Board below:
WPIAL Football Recruiting Board – Western PA Football Recruiting
