Hand receives hardship waiver, will be immediately eligible

Baylor transfer cornerback Harrison Hand has received a hardship waiver and will be immediately eligible for the 2019 season, OwlScoop.com has learned via a source.

Hand, who nearly committed to Temple out of Cherry Hill West as the No. 25 cornerback in the Class of 2017, originally took official visits to Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Baylor and West Virginia during his recruitment but Temple was the perceived favorite for his services at the time. That all changed when Matt Rhule left Philadelphia for Waco and the Baylor job in December 2016 and took Fran Brown with him. When Brown returned to Temple as co-defensive coordinator last year, Hand followed him home.

Hand started 13 games at cornerback for Baylor over the last two seasons, including nine as a true freshman in 2017. During that 2017 season, Hand recorded 42 tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception. His eight PBUs were the 10th most in the Big 12 and the second most by a freshman. Last year, injuries limited Hand to just 10 games but he returned in time to start Baylor's final three games, including its first bowl game under Rhule in the Texas Bowl.

Despite not having received his hardship waiver until the last few days, Hand was projected as a third-team All-AAC selection by Athlon Sports last month. Hand will join Brown's cornerbacks room, which includes likely starter Linwood Crump and returning contributors Ty Mason, Christian Braswell and Kimere Brown.