Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1157192
P
enn State's next two recruiting classes
were both in motion this summer.
During a ;ve-week period beginning in
early July, the Nittany Lions added six
players to the Class of 2020, bringing
their total to 22 players. Among those ad-
ditions were a pair of four-star prospects:
running back Caziah Holmes and receiver
Parker Washington. As of mid-August,
the class was ranked
11th nationally by Ri-
vals.com.
Meanwhile, the Class
of 2021 lost one player
and gained a new one.
The new player is three-
star tight end Nick Elk-
snis, who announced for
the Lions on July 31. One
day later, the Jack-
sonville, Fla., native became the class's
only player, as four-star receiver Dont'e
Thornton Jr. announced that he was re-
opening his recruitment. Thornton said
he's still considering the Lions, but he's
no longer part of the class.
Penn State's 2020 commitment binge
began with an announcement from
three-star defensive back Joseph Johnson
on July 2. Johnson had previously been
part of North Carolina State's class, but
when he rescinded his verbal commit-
ment in early May, he became one of the
most heavily recruited prospects in the
Mid-Atlantic. He took a few o=cial visits
in the spring and narrowed his list down
to Texas A&M, Ohio State, North Car-
olina State and Penn State before picking
the Nittany Lions.
"Penn State felt like home and every-
thing was great," said the 6-foot-2, 170-
pound Johnson. "I have a great
relationship with the coaches. Being with
the coaches and the players, it felt like the
right place.
"I've seen a lot of consistency with the
coaches," he added. "The main thing they
were trying to stress to me was how good
their defense actually was last year, what
they did on the ;eld, and things like
that."
That same day, the Lions also received
a commitment from Washington. The 5-
11, 195-pound wideout announced his
decision while attending The Opening Fi-
nals in Frisco, Texas.
Washington had earned an o