Gaston wants to be a difference maker
Sunday was a big day for the Colorado State recruiting department. The Rams secured three key commitments that helped push their 2016 class closer to becoming the Mountain West's top recruiting class.
Among the Sunday commitments was La Puente (Calif.) Bishop Amat three-star cornerback Chris Gaston. The lengthy, 6-foot-2, 180-pound defensive back ultimately picked the Rams over January offers from Arkansas State, Idaho, San Jose State, and Wyoming.
Drama surrounded Gaston's recruitment over the past month after the longtime UCLA commit reopened his recruitment. CSU offered right after he announced he was parting ways with the Bruins and Rams cornerbacks coach Terry Fair led the charge for CSU. It was the entirety of the CSU coaching staff, however, that helped sway Gaston to become a Ram.
Gaston's official visit to CSU on January 22 sealed the deal for the Rams.
“It was just the environment and how I felt there,” Gaston told GoldandGreenNews.com. “Because when I went on my official visit, I just felt at home. The coaching staff, I have a great relationship with Coach Bobo and Coach Fair, so I'm looking forward to playing there.”
Gaston was accompanied by his older brother, Gary, who is a junior college receiver.
“He (Gary) would love to play there. I brought him along just to see what the school's like. They considered him to play with me. He just has to have film and show what he could do at Chaffey College.”
Rams freshman standout running back Izzy Matthews served as Chris Gaston's player-host.
It's been speculated that Gaston could excel both as a rangy safety and as a lengthy cornerback at the next level. His exact position has yet to be determined, but the bottom line is that Fair and Bobo convinced him to join CSU's signing class to become a difference maker.
“They want me to be a playmaker. They just want me to be different, that's what Coach Fair told me. He said he needed a player that's different, you know? He believes I could do that. And then just being coached by a dude that's been in the League (NFL) for eight years, it's just a great opportunity for me,” Gaston explained, adding that the Ram staff envisions him playing both safety and cornerback.
Gaston's only official visit in January was to CSU.
“I liked all the schools, really. As soon as I went to the (CSU) official visit, I just felt at home,” he said. “We went to go to the field, tried on the jerseys, watched some film. I was talking to some of the players, some of the teammates I'll be with next year. They were just telling me how great this city is, how great the program is, and how I can make this team good.”
As a senior at Bishop Amat, Gaston tallied four interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), nine pass deflections, and 60 tackles.
He has no plans for an elaborate signing day ceremony on Wednesday. Instead, Gaston is simply grateful to have found a college that feels like home and a place he thinks he could flourish at.
“I just want to be a good corner. I want to show the college world that I could be one of the best. I just want CSU to recognize me as being a good player, too.”
Ryan Krous is the publisher of GoldandGreenNews.com. You can email him at ryan.krous@gmail.com or follow him on twitter @RyanKrous for all the latest and breaking Colorado State news.