NSD: Patrick Jean picks FIU over Louisville

On National Signing Day, some highly touted recruits weigh their options up until the very last second. Most never seem certain on where they want to go until they are forced to make a decision. But who can blame them, after all, they are only 18 years old. Patrick Jean, a linebacker from Treasure Coast High School in Port St. Lucie, was committed to Louisville for nearly three months before National Signing Day. But on Feb. 1, Jean had a change of heart, rejecting Louisville to become a Panther.“I’m close enough to where my mom can come to the games. I would have no problems with my dad, brother and sister as well.”His head coach in high school, Irvin Jones, thinks that his family had the biggest influence on him changing his decision.“His parents had a big influence on him as far as staying close to home,” Jones said.Jean will bring a 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame to FIU, along with a strong work ethic, his coach says.

“He is a worker,” Jones said. “We walk out of school sometimes on the weekends and he is out there with his parachute and working out on his own. Their biggest problem is going to be trying to keep him out of the weight room.”

Jean was named Honorable Mention All-State as well as Scout.com Top-50 Player in the state of Florida. Other than Louisville, Jean had offers from University of South Florida, Cincinnati, Kansas, Florida Atlantic, Purdue and Western Michigan.

As for his teammate in high school, Travares Copeland, who decided to choose West Virginia over FIU, Jean thought that they were going to be together down in Miami.

“For a minute, I thought he was going. I guess he pulled a quickie and went to West Virginia.”

Copeland had his decision down to FIU, West Virginia and Rutgers as soon as last week, but eliminated Rutgers after head coach Greg Schiano decided to accept the head coaching job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Edens Sineace

Edens Sineace, a left tackle from Palm Beach Central High, could not be more excited about FIU, going as far as to have the logo shaved into the back of his head on National Signing Day. Sineace felt that FIU showed him the best path for his college career.

“I felt wanted at the others schools too, but FIU just showed me a great path,” Sineace said. “We can play in bowl games and have bowl eligibility, unlike the University of Miami. They won’t be able to play in a bowl game for a couple of years.”

That want to play in a bowl game actually lead to Miami not offering him at all.

“They were going to offer me until I told them was going to FIU.” Sineace said.

Sineace mentioned that he also had offers from Marshall, University of Kentucky, and BYU.

When brought up that FIU lost to Marshall in the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s bowl, Sineace didn’t think much of it.

“I think Marshall got lucky,” Sineace said. “We will get them next year.”

With all those schools offers from around the nation, he turned to his mom, who wanted him to stay close to home.

“My mom said ‘Edens I don’t want you to go far, I want you to stay close,’” Sineace said. “If anything happens, I don’t want you to have to buy a plane ticket to come back.’”

The Panthers offense is expecting big things from the 330-pounder, wanting him to come in and play immediately.

“They expect me to go into FIU and make some noise right away.” Sineace said.

When asked if he was going to come in and start right away, Sineace said, “Definitely. Their left tackle right now is graduating and they really don’t have another left tackle. They have seen me work and know what I can do.”