Blue White Illustrated

Focus shifts to 2015 during camps oughly 2,000 prospects made the trip to University Park in June to take part in Penn State's annual summer camp series. But with the Nittany Lions' Class of 2014 nearly complete, the staff spent most of its time scouting potential 2015 signees. One player who has already received a Penn State offer is Minkah Fitzpatrick, a 6-foot, 183-pound cornerback from Jersey City, N.J. Arguably the most talented player to participate in any of the four camps, the rising junior has received offers from 12 schools. In addition to the Nittany Lions, he is being pursued by Miami, Ohio State, South Carolina, Stanford, Virginia and Wisconsin. One week after his stop in State College on June 1, Fitzpatrick traveled to Chicago to participate in the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge. He left as one of the top performers in any age group, so look for him to potentially receive five stars when Rivals.com releases its preliminary 2015 rankings in a few months. Another top defensive player who camped at Penn State recently was John Reid, a 5-10, 175-pound cornerback from St. Joseph's High in Philadelphia. Like Fitzpatrick, Reid has already gathered more than his share of elite offers. He's also made it clear that he's very interested in the Nittany Lions. "I'm not even sure how many times I've been to Penn State," Reid said. "I've seen a couple games, I've been to camp now and [made] at least one or two [unofficial] visits. Penn State will always be right up there with any other top schools." Reid had received his Penn State offer even before making the trip to camp, but Darius Fullwood, a 6-4, 240-pound defensive end from Good R RISING STAR Fitzpatrick, a junior cornerback from Jersey City, N.J., is expected to receive five stars when Rivals issues its preliminary 2015 rankings. Tim Owen Counsel High in Olney, Md., was one of the lucky few to leave with an offer. While it's too early to tell where Penn State stands, Fullwood has indicated that Larry Johnson will play a key role in his recruitment during the next year and a half. "I can't even put into words what Coach Johnson means to me," Fullwood said. "He's like a second father to me, a mentor." Because it has room for only one offensive lineman in the Class of 2014, Penn State will most likely take two, possibly three, in 2015. The team's need for a few big men was already well known, but the coaching staff underscored the point when it extended verbal offers to three junior offensive linemen following strong camp performances. Grant Newsome, a 6-7, 280-pound tackle from Lawrenceville, N.J., and Richie Petitbon, a 6-4, 290-pound guard from Washington, D.C., both saw their stock rise, but the most intriguing performer was Tristen Hoge, a 6-5, 275-pound tackle from Pocatello, Idaho. Hoge is a nephew of former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Merril Hoge. His strong relationship with offensive line coach Mac McWhorter inspired him to travel across the country to visit Penn State, and apparently that visit was a big success. Said Hoge, "I absolutely love it at Penn State. The town, the people there – everything fits what I'm looking for." – R.S.

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