It did not take head coach Sean Crocker of Panther Creek High in Cary, N.C., long to realize that Chase Hattley was a potential high major college football player.

In fact, it was rather instant.

"There’s not many athletes that are blessed with his size and speed and the hands, and just the intangible that he has,” Crocker noted. “We knew that he could be a Division I guy, and should be, from the first moment he walked on campus.”

Crocker’s vision turned out to be true.

On Tuesday, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound, three-star safety announced he was choosing NC State over offers from Oklahoma and South Carolina. Crocker noted that Hattley is a legit 6-foot-3, as well.

“Chase is just long, athletic, got great speed, covers a lot of ground,” Crocker said. “His ball skills are very good. Just his athletic ability at that size makes him a tough competitor.

"He can really get after it.”