Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1400830
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 5 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M In defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State added a Rivals.com five- star prospect for only the 10th time in the modern era of recruiting rank- ings. Rivals' rating system debuted with the Class of 2002, so the Nittany Lions' history with five-star players only dates back a couple of decades. Of the nine they signed between 2004 and 2018, five went on to become NFL Draft picks, one of whom was selected in the first round. Here's a look back at Dennis-Sutton's elite predecessors: C L A S S O F 2 0 0 4 : D A N C O N N O R , A N T H O N Y M O R E L L I Penn State's first five-star commitment of the internet recruiting era, Connor lived up to his billing as a Nittany Lion. A linebacker from Walling- ford, Pa., he still has a prominent place in the Penn State record books. His 419 career tackles rank No. 1 all-time, and in 2007 he capped his career with 145 stops, the school's second-highest single-season total behind Greg Buttle's 165 tackles in 1974. Morelli also joined the Lions in 2004, and while his career wasn't as il- lustrious as Connor's, he did throw for 5,275 yards to rank ninth in school history. His most productive season was 2007, his senior year, when he threw for 2,651 yards. C L A S S O F 2 0 0 5 : J U S T I N K I N G , D E R R I C K W I L L I A M S A year after landing its first two five-star commitments, Penn State signed two more in 2005. Committing in November 2004, King was considered the No. 1 corner- back and No. 19 overall prospect nationally. A former standout at Gateway High in Monroeville, Pa., he made an immediate impact for the resurgent Nittany Lions in 2005, playing offense and defense during their 12-1, Or- ange Bowl-winning season. He shined at cornerback the next two seasons and left PSU following his junior year, going to the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 2008 draft. Just one month after King's commitment, Williams, the No. 1-ranked overall recruit in the Class of 2005, also landed with the Nittany Lions. And like King, he burst onto the scene as a true freshman, appearing all over the field offensively, primarily as a receiver, before breaking his arm at midseason. Williams went on to become one of the most productive offen- sive players in school history and still ranks seventh with 4,156 all-purpose yards. C L A S S O F 2 0 0 6 : A . J . W A L L A C E Wallace was the highest-rated prospect in a star-studded class that ranked sixth nationally. A U.S. Army All-American, he was the top corner- back in the class and the No. 19 overall prospect. Wallace made an impact on both special teams and defense. As a kickoff returner, he averaged 24.0 yards on 47 career attempts. As a defensive back, he played behind Lydell Sargeant for two years before earning the starting nod as a senior in 2009. Wallace finished his career with 95 tackles and three interceptions. C L A S S O F 2 0 1 3 : C H R I S T I A N H A C K E N B E R G Amid the fallout of the Sandusky scandal and the ensuing NCAA sanc- tions, Penn State landed its first five-star prospect in seven years when Hackenberg pledged — and maintained — his commitment to coach Bill O'Brien. A standout at Fork Union Military Academy, Hackenberg was the No. 24-ranked player in his class, the No. 2 pro-style quarterback and the No. 3 prospect in Virginia. Starting immediately, Hackenberg helped guide the Nittany Lions to a 7-5 record in 2013 and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. His 2,955 yards passing are the most by a Penn State freshman. Hackenberg struggled the next two seasons, as the effects of the sanc- tions hindered Penn State's offense. But he still ranks second in school his- tory with 8,457 passing yards. C L A S S O F 2 0 1 7 : L A M O N T W A D E The first five-star signee of the James Franklin era at Penn State, Wade was rated the nation's top cornerback and 11th overall prospect. He played on special teams and defense all four years at PSU, earning a start- ing safety spot his last two seasons. Wade finished his career with 153 tackles, four forced fumbles, three sacks and an interception. He signed with his hometown Pittsburgh Steel- ers as an undrafted free agent this past spring. C L A S S O F 2 0 1 8 : M I C A H P A R S O N S , J U S T I N S H O R T E R A year after Wade's commitment, Franklin signed two more five-stars in Shorter and Parsons. Neither player would continue at Penn State past their respective sophomore seasons, but they had very different reasons for leaving early. In two seasons with the Nittany Lions, Shorter failed to latch on as a re- ceiver. He caught 15 passes for 157 yards in 2018 and '19 before transfer- ring to Florida. Parsons, too, played only two seasons at Penn State, but both were impressive. He led the team in tackles as a true freshman, claiming All-Big Ten honors despite starting just one game. As a sophomore, he earned consensus All-America status, finishing with 109 tackles, including 14 tack- les for loss and five sacks. Parsons appeared poised for a spectacular junior year but opted out last August amid uncertainty about whether there would even be a season. He spent the fall and winter preparing for the NFL Draft and was chosen 12th overall by Dallas, becoming the first five-star Penn State signee to become a first-round pick. — Nate Bauer In his first season at Penn State, Christian Hackenberg threw for 2,955 yards and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL Dennis-Sutton Joins Nittany Lions' Five-Star Fraternity