Blue White Illustrated

H aving 7nished o8 its 2020 recruiting class in December, Penn State's coach- ing sta8 was able to put all of its focus on the Class of 2021 and beyond throughout January. In addition to visiting schools all across the country for the 7nal three weeks of the month, James Franklin and his as- sistants were also able to host prospects on campus between Jan. 18 and Feb. 1. On Jan. 18, the sta8 hosted 11 scholar- ship prospects and more than 30 players total for a junior day. Safety Derrick Davis of Monroeville, Pa., was one of the top players in attendance. The sta8 also hosted a handful of four-star prospects from Michigan, including o8ensive line- man Rayshaun Benny of Oak Park, safety Jaylen Reed of Detroit and twin brothers Kalen and Kobe King. Kalen is a four-star cornerback, while Kobe is a three-star linebacker. The brothers play at Cass Tech in Detroit. "I already had interest in Penn State and I had a good relationship with the coaches, but when I went down there on the visit, it just made it better," Reed said. "My mom had interest in them, too, so it made us feel better and that will move them to the top of my recruitment right now. That was a good 7rst experience." Kalen King also had positive things to say. "Honestly, a:er that visit, Penn State is right up there," he said. "A:er that visit, and seeing everything, they might be number one for me right now. I'm not going to lie. We had a real good time." The following weekend, Penn State de- cided to put all of its focus on one very important prospect: Rivals100 o8ensive lineman Landon Tengwall, who plays at Good Counsel in Olney, Md. One of the sta8's top overall prospects in 2021, Tengwall and his family wanted to meet with new assistant coach Phil Trautwein. "The biggest thing about [the visit] was the time we spent [with Trautwein] in the 7lm room," Tengwall said. "I think we were in there for over two hours. My parents sat in the back, too, so they also got to learn a lot about his coaching style. We went over so much stu8. We went through all the di8erent techniques that he's teaching the guys now, so all of that was a great learning experience. I le: that room with a much better feel for the kind of coach he is." He also had great things to say about new o8ensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. "Spending time with Coach Ciarrocca was good," Tengwall said. "He's funny and a quiet guy, especially when you compare him to some of the other coaches on the sta8. You can tell he's one of those coaches that's about his business and has a real bright mind. He does all the recruit- ing and is great to talk with, but you can tell that he's an X's and O's kind of coach. "Personally, I think that's great for Penn State. Their sta8 has a ton of personality, which is what makes them popular, so having a coach like Coach Ciarrocca should only help them. I think he's going to be great there." Penn State's 7nal junior day took place on Feb. 1. As with the 7rst, the sta8 hosted about 30 players, although this time they hosted 15 scholarship prospects. Notable attendees included defensive end Aaron Armitage of Blairstown, N.J.; linebacker Jamari Bud- din of Belleville, Mich.; cornerback Tony Grimes of Virginia Beach, Va.; and quar- terback Chrisitan Veilleux, who grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, but now plays at the Bullis School in Potomac, Md. Grimes, who is on pace to become a 7ve-star prospect, said he was impressed with the coaching sta8's commitment to players' academic development. "They're trying to get me a good education, and they want me to leave Penn State a better man," he said. Grimes has been on cam- pus twice in the past three months and is expected to return this spring. Buddin, who sits within the Rivals250, is another player for fans to watch closely. "They're right up there for me," he said. "They show a lot of love to me, and I show it right back. They've always been very honest and have consistently said I'm a priority to them. ... I'll de7nitely be back up there at some point in the spring." With 7ve-star quarterback Caleb Williams leaning elsewhere, Veilleux has emerged as a very important prospect for the Lions. Penn State may be the team to beat for now, but he doesn't plan to make a decision until May or June. "I think I'm going to narrow things down before o9cial visits [in the spring]," Veilleux said. "I'm not sure where and when yet, and I'm not sure if I'll take all 7ve. We'll see how that goes. Hopefully, I can make a decision before the summer or early in the summer." ■ NAME POS HT WT RATING HOME SCHOOL Nate Bruce OL 6-3 325 ★★★ Harrisburg, Pa. Harrisburg Liam Clifford WR 6-1 190 ★★★ Cincinnati, Ohio St. Xavier Nick Elksnis TE 6-6 220 ★★★ Jacksonville, Fla. Jacksonville Episcopal * As of Feb. 9 C L A S S O F 2 0 2 1 P E N N S T A T E R E C R U I T S * | L O O K I N G A H E A D PSU staff gets head start on next recruiting class

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