Kasey Gaines, a former three-star recruit part of Bill O’Brien’s final recruiting class in 2013, is no longer with the Penn State football program as first reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Gaines, a redshirt sophomore, never played a down for Penn State, but his departure frees up a valuable scholarship that James Franklin can now add to his arsenal with the team set to return to the full allotment of 85 scholarships in August.

Franklin did not believe the team would hit the overall scholarship total, but Gaines’ departure adds some flexibility. Gaines, from Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga., was not heavily recruited out of high school, partially due to his rather diminutive stature, even for cornerback standards.

The 5-foot-10, 171-pound Gaines spurned offers from the likes of Harvard, Howard, Presbyterian, and Virginia Military Academy to join the Nittany Lions in 2013. He was part of Bill O’Brien’s heralded 2013 recruiting class that included Christian Hackenberg, Adam Breneman, DaeSean Hamilton, Brandon Bell, Garrett Sickels, and Andrew Nelson — all important contributors. Gaines is the third player of the 2013 class to leave, joining quarterback Tyler Ferguson (Louisville), offensive lineman Tanner Hartman (Liberty), and running back Richy Anderson (Temple).

The departure of Gaines, along with the incoming members of the 2015 recruiting class and Stanford graduate student transfer Kevin Reihner, could get Penn State close to the scholarship total once the regular season begins.

Though Gaines never saw the field, we wish him nothing but success in his future endeavors. Gaines plans to finish out the spring semester at University Park before likely transferring elsewhere.

Image: 247sports