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RICHY ANDERSON* RB/WR | 5-11, 180 | Frederick, Md. | Thomas Johnson HS RYAN'S TAKE It's still not 100 percent clear at which position Anderson will end up. His 5-11, 180-pound frame works at both running back and as a slot receiver. Personally, I think he'd be better in the slot. Anderson has a lot of expectations to live up to, so motivation shouldn't be a problem. He has the ability to push Bill Belton early in his career, but needs a year or two in the weight room before he'd be expected to play consistently in the Big Ten. ALL SMILES Is Curtis Cothran the most underrated prospect from the Class of 2013? BRANDON BELL LB | 6-1, 222 | Mays Landing, N.J. | Oakcrest HS RYAN'S TAKE Bell is an instinctive linebacker. He's quick to react to the run or drop back for the pass. He also has solid lateral speed given that he's already about 220 pounds. His high school coaches are also quick to point out that he's big on watching film and emphasizes preparation. He needs to add strength, especially after an injury to his shoulder this past year, but he should be a solid contributor in a few years. ADAM BRENEMAN* TE | 6-4, 230 | Camp Hill, Pa. | Cedar Cliff HS RYAN'S TAKE What's not to like? For me, the biggest thing is how he's already a proven leader. That should be important as Penn State copes with the impact of the sanctions. Physically, his size, hands and smarts made him the top tight end recruit in the nation before his anterior cruciate ligament injury. As long as the knee is healthy, he should enjoy a lot of success in O'Brien's offense. CURTIS COTHRAN DE | 6-5, 235 | Newtown, Pa. | Council Rock HS North RYAN'S TAKE Sources at his high school and at Penn State have raved about Cothran's potential. Having shown consistent and substantial improvement throughout his junior and senior seasons, he appears to be very coachable. Cothran resembles Deion Barnes but isn't as polished as Barnes was coming out of high school. He will need to work on leverage, but four years from now, we could be looking back on Cothran as the most underrated prospect in this class. There's a reason he received an offer so early in the process. PARKER COTHREN DT | 6-5, 265 | Hazel Green, Ala. | Hazel Green HS RYAN'S TAKE Character is the first thing I picked up on after speaking with F E B R U A R Y Maggie Thomas Cothren and his family. He should represent Penn State well. Cothren spent most of his career as a defensive end, so he might have to work on playing inside. He played basketball, which cut into the amount of time he spent in the weight room. Consequently, he probably has a lot of room to grow. His high school coach noted that Parker could go from 265 pounds to 290 within a year or two. He just needs to get comfortable at defensive tackle, but that shouldn't be a problem with Larry Johnson showing him the ropes. gest that Ferguson will be able to do that, especially if he steps up and becomes a much-needed leader on the offensive side of the ball. TYLER FERGUSON* CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG QB | 6-3, 199 | Bakersfield, Calif. | College of the Sequoias RYAN'S TAKE He's got the arm. But can he pick up the playbook quickly enough to truly push Bench this spring and into the summer? So far, all indications sug- QB | 6-3, 215 | Palmyra, Va. | Fork Union Military Academy RYAN'S TAKE The upside is just tremendous. With his size and arm strength, Hackenberg should be able to make all the throws comfortably in the pocket. If 7 , 2 0 1 3 2 KASEY GAINES DB | 5-10, 160 | Loganville, Ga. | Grayson HS RYAN'S TAKE Gaines was a team captain for one of the top high school programs in the nation. He's a proven leader and a proven winner. He's not the fastest or strongest defensive back, but he's smart. I expect him to progress over his career in John Butler's aggressive schemes. B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M

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