Blue White Illustrated

P enn State fans have no shortage of questions when it comes to recruit- ing. Where are all the elite defensive tackles? Why does the staff always seem to take so many defensive backs? Why haven't they pursued more players in Pennsylvania this year? Those are just a few of the inquiries I see regularly on our message boards, but there's one question that has been com- ing up more than any other in recent months: When are the Nittany Lions going to receive their first Class of 2020 commitment? It's fair to wonder. Since James Franklin took over the program, the Lions have averaged two commitments per year from prospects who had 13 months or more remaining before they could sign a letter of intent. For this year's class, the Class of 2019, corner- back Keaton Ellis committed to the staff just after the start of the 2017 season, while quarterback Taquan Roberson joined about a month later, verbally committing just a few days after last year's victory over Michigan. The Class of 2018 was similar, as both wide re- ceiver Justin Shorter and tight end Pat Freiermuth verbally committed a few weeks before the start of the 2016 sea- son. Fans get even more restless when they look at what some of the staff's top competitors have done so far. As of the start of November, Ohio State already had seven verbal commitments in the Class of 2020, while Michigan sat at five. Even Wisconsin and Iowa have gotten off to fast starts. But it's also important to remember that in the world of recruiting, it's not how you start, but rather how you fin- ish. From everything I've gathered to this point, the Nittany Lions sit an ex- cellent position with many of the re- gion's top upcoming prospects in next year's class. Listed below are several players to keep a close eye on in the months ahead. Jaden Dottin WR, 6-3, 185 Suffield, Conn. Suffield Academy Dottin emerged in June when he at- tended one of the staff's elite prospect camps. He had an impressive showing that afternoon, outperforming several defensive backs who hold quite a few scholarship offers themselves. His per- formance, coupled with the staff's eval- uations of his film, prompted Franklin to extend an offer that day, and it proved to be a wise decision, as the Lions instantly became the team to beat. Dottin was on commitment watch when he returned in July for the Lasch Bash barbecue. He held off that day but has consistently made it clear that Penn State is in an excellent position. As of early No- vember, Michigan was the only other elite program that had extended an offer. If he adds a few more scholarship offers from Top 25 programs, it could slow his recruitment down. But for the time being, we'll be watching Dottin for a commitment every time he Though slow to take shape, 2020 class has big potential DOWNFIELD THREAT Fleming, a wide receiver from nearby Catawissa, Pa., is one of Penn State's top tar- gets in the Class of 2020. Photo by Tim Owen

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