Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1454229
M A R C H 2 0 2 2 4 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M F irst impressions can often go a long way. That's not just true in recruiting, but in life. For wide receiver Kaden Saunders and his family, the first time they met with James Franklin was something they'll never forget. Back in March 2019, it was clear that Saunders was going to be a very good high school football player at Westerville (Ohio) South, but he was also just a fresh- man. While film from baseball, combined with his times in track and field, allowed schools to see skills in a variety of ways, it was still very early in the process. However, Franklin and his staff were already convinced that Saunders was go- ing to be special. That's why it was easy for them to go all-in right from the start. "When he initially met with us for the first time in his office, which at the time was just me and Kaden, he had a plan laid out for how Kaden could potentially play baseball and football in college, graduate with a degree in three and a half years, and then get an advanced degree in his fourth year," said Anthony Saunders, Kaden's fa- ther. "For a head coach to take that kind of interest in a kid, who was just a freshman in high school at the time — it said a lot to us. That ended up just being a precur- sor to the relationship we built with him. It's always been about more than football with Franklin." Penn State was actually the second school to extend an offer to Saunders; Michigan State had been the first, mak- ing that move just a few weeks earlier. In- diana, Michigan, Pitt and West Virginia soon followed the Nittany Lions, mak- ing it clear that Saunders was going to be highly coveted. But it was also becoming clear that Penn State had put itself in an excellent position. By the end of the 2019 season, the Ohio native had visited State College four times. That's more than 40 hours of driving just to check out one school. The Saunders family's proactive ap- proach early in the process proved to be a blessing because the following spring, the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down. Both Michigan and Notre Dame had gotten Saunders on campus twice by that point, but by summertime it was clear that on-campus visits weren't go- ing to be starting up again anytime soon. With the Nittany Lions firmly in the lead, he committed in July 2020, becoming the first player to join Penn State's 2022 re- cruiting class. Rated the nation's No. 224 overall pros- pect in the On3 Consensus and the No. 35 receiver, Saunders ended up earning more than two dozen scholarship offers overall. A late push from Nick Saban and his staff at Alabama admittedly gave him some- thing to think about last spring, but after being reminded how important his leader- ship was to the class, Saunders stood firm. "I just knew where I wanted to be. Penn State always felt like home to me," he said. "The staff cares about me genuinely. I feel like they'll always take care of me well when I get there. They've always made it clear that I'm a priority to them, so that made this easy for me. I knew where I wanted to be." ■ Saunders was the first player to join Penn State's 2022 recruiting class, announcing for the Nittany Lions in July 2020. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER PSU's Early Interest In Kaden Saunders Pays Dividends RYA N S N Y D E R | S N Y D E R 4 2 0 8 8 @ G M A I L . C O M KADEN SAUNDERS WR | 5-10 | 170 WESTERVILLE SOUTH HIGH COLUMBUS, OHIO RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE consensus ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 101 17 5 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 224 35 9 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 31 5 3 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 73 12 4 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 76 12 5 STATISTICS • Caught 38 passes for 392 yards as a senior. • Posted 958 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns during his junior season. • Rushed for 509 yards during his junior and senior years. NOTABLE • Chosen to play in the Under Armour All-America Game. • Was a two-time first-team All-Ohio honoree. • Twice was named a team captain at Westerville South. RECRUITMENT • Received a Penn State offer on March 16, 2019. • Committed to Nittany Lions on July 25, 2020. • Amassed 25 total offers, choosing Penn State over Alabama, Michigan, Florida State and others. • Recruited by cornerbacks coach Terry Smith, with help from receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield. • Enrolled at PSU in January 2022. PROJECTION Penn State has two experienced wideouts in juniors Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert- Smith, and it has added a potentially impactful trans- fer in Mitchell Tinsley. Still, the Lions don't have any experienced depth at this position group, which likely means that Saunders, who is already on cam- pus, will have a chance to see the field in 2022. THEY SAID IT Chad Simmons, On3 recruiting director: "Every time I see Penn State signee Kaden Saunders, he impresses. I think he will be a star in Happy Valley." BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "Saunders was a somewhat forgotten player this past season because of circumstances out of his control. He played wild- cat quarterback at times, and his high school team struggled to throw the ball downfield. Whatever you do, don't make the mistake of forgetting about Saunders. The Westerville, Ohio, native is an electric playmaker with an elite burst, speed, and ball skills."