UMass defensive coordinator Jared Keyte went to Dexter Southfield in Brookline on Tuesday, stayed through practice and left having offered 2028 safety Daniel Hanafin.
Keyte watched Hanafin work and then delivered the offer during a conversation on the phone afterward.
“He stayed throughout practice and afterwards I got to talk to him for a little while,” Hanafin told Minuteman Command.
“He said he loved how I looked on film and throughout the practice he said he loved my physicality and my size and said my feet were looking great. And that’s when he offered me an opportunity to play football at UMass.”
The offer is the second for the 6-foot-2, 203-pound Hanafin, who also holds one from UConn. Additionally, he is talking with Syracuse, Vanderbilt, UCF and a few Ivy League schools.
“I was pumped,” Hanafin said. “It’s obviously a huge accomplishment for me. I know that I’ve been working hard on and off the field, but it was ultimately a great feeling and I was very excited about it.”
Hanafin already knew Keyte from his visit to Amherst for the Stonehill game earlier this season, when he was on the field for warmups before UMass’ 36-14 win.
“He’s great,” Hanafin said of Keyte. “I love his intensity, his enthusiasm. He clearly loves football and knows what he’s talking about. When I went out to Amherst for my game day visit, he was very intense and I loved it.”
The atmosphere that day stuck with him as well.
“It was great,” he said. “I loved the energy, especially in the staff and the players. Everybody seemed to have a fire lit under them. They were going throughout the game with an insane amount of intensity and you could tell they just wanted to win.”
Hanafin has three older brothers and he’s the fourth to go through the recruiting process. His brother Shane played quarterback at Boston College while Ronan plays safety at Clemson and Charlie plays receiver at West Virginia.
Daniel has been along for the ride for each of his brothers’ recruitments.
“It’s obviously a huge help,” he said of seeing what they went through. “Being able to be by their side, watching them throughout the process, with Shane, Ronan and Charlie all playing college football, being able to go on visits with them and seeing different places, atmospheres and getting a feel for what it’s like. It’s been a huge help.”
Keyte made clear Tuesday that the UMass offer is just the start, not the finish.
“Coach Keyte said he was still going to be heavily recruiting me and I love to hear that,” Hanafin said. “I’m definitely going to be trying to get back out there soon and obviously staying in contact with them.”
Hanafin has time before he needs to decide, but knows what will drive the choice when it comes.
“A huge factor is obviously the coaches and the intensity they have with me. And obviously it all comes down to prayer for me, especially through my faith, knowing that God has a plan for me and I’ll know whenever that opportunity arises that that’ll be the right fit for me.”
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