Corona del Mar’s TaeVeon Le decommits from Harvard, then commits to Stanford

Corona del Mar High senior TaeVeon Le is heading to Stanford to play football after his decommitment from Harvard, said An, TaeVeon’s mother, on Sunday afternoon.

Le, who committed to Harvard in September, said he would be a preferred walk-on player with the Cardinal. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Le said he plans to play tight end in college.

At CdM, Le lined up at wide receiver. During his three-year career with the Sea Kings, Le finished with 145 catches for 2,751 yards and 43 touchdowns. The touchdown receptions are an Orange County career record.

“Decommitting from Harvard was not an easy decision, but in the end, he made the best decision for him,” An said of her son. “Academically, Stanford can offer him a coterminal degree, [where] he can obtain his master’s degree while completing his bachelor’s. He’s also closer to home. Tae was born in the Bay Area, so he has [a] support system up north in Oakland and San Jose. Me and his sister, Tiana, are just a quick 45-minute plane ride [away].

“Football-wise, the Cardinal program is outstanding. Overall, it just made sense.”

Le said he informed Harvard of his decommitment on Sunday morning, before letting Stanford know that he wanted to be a Cardinal.

Le said he was able to change his mind after receiving an email from Stanford on Friday night.

“After we got the confirmation that I was in academically, [me and my mom] sat down and talked for a bit,” said Le, who has a weighted 4.2 grade-point average. “Then we decided that Stanford was a better fit for me academically because of [its coterminal degree] program. It was one of the major factors included in the decision.”

Also factoring into Le’s decision was the level Stanford and Harvard compete in football.

Stanford, from the Pac-12 Conference, is part of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, the highest level in college football, whereas Harvard, an Ivy League school, is part of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision.

“It’s big-time football also mixed with high academics,” said Le, adding that the unofficial trip he took to watch Stanford beat rival Cal 17-14 in the 120th Big Game at Stanford Stadium on Nov. 18 sold him on becoming a Cardinal. “They were pretty high on me. They wanted me at Stanford. I was at the top of their list.”

david.carrillo@latimes.com

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