RB Caziah Holmes Explains his Commitment to Penn State

Penn State has added a major piece to its Class of 2020.

Caziah Holmes, a four-star running back from Cocoa, Fla., actually committed to the Nittany Lion coaching staff last week, but waited until Friday evening to announce in front of family and friends. He said there were a few reasons why he chose the Lions.

"First off, Coach [Ja'Juan] Seider and Coach [James] Franklin are good people. I know what they stand for," Holmes said. "Everyone is always going to say, 'Oh, it felt like home and it felt like family.' I feel that there, but honestly, I really just believe that this is where I can go and make a real impact.

"I want to make a name for myself and my family. Wherever I go, I want to leave an impact and leave my own legacy. Seeing what Saquon [Barkley] did up there, that was incredible. Now, I want to do that but even better. I know it won't be easy. I'mma have to work for it, but Penn State just feels like the place that I can leave my mark.”

Holmes earned an offer from Penn State back in February and quickly developed a strong relationship Seider. That, plus talks with head coach James Franklin, convinced him to use one of his official visits to Penn State, which ultimately took place June 13-15. That's when the Nittany Lions became a serious contender.

"I just learned so much that weekend about their coaches and their players," said Holmes. "I really liked their players. Spending time with TJ [Jones] and John [Dunmore] and Micah [Parsons], all those guys. They also have the biggest alumni base in the entire country. I didn't know that before. They just have a lot to offer."

He added that Seider's approach also played a major role in his decision.

"We were in touch all the time. We text a lot and talked a lot, too. That really showed me who he is. All those talks showed me that he's a great guy and a great person. We never really even talked about football much. We're always just talking about life," said Holmes.

"One thing I always knew is that football isn't going to last forever. I'd love to play in the NFL one day. That's the goal, but I don't think like that. That 40-year plan is how I approach it and that's something we talked about a lot. That's what showed me what he's about."

Holmes has also shown the entire country that he's one of the fastest prospects in this year's class. Back in February, he ran a laser-timed 4.49-second 40-yard dash at The Opening and backed it up again at the finals in June. He also consistently runs the 100-meter in under 11 seconds. His fastest time is right around 10.6 seconds.

During his junior season, Holmes racked up 1,196 yards rushing and another 176 yards receiving. He scored 18 total touchdowns (15 rushing, 3 receiving). However, his most impressive stat of all is his 3.76 grade-point average.