Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1454229
5 2 M A R C H 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M W ith eight prospects having al- ready committed during the 2023 recruiting cycle, Penn State is basically one-third of the way toward finishing its next class. James Franklin and his staff always have been good about getting ahead of the competition with recruits, but only once previously in their tenure at Penn State have the coaches matched this year's pace. That was in the 2018 cycle — a cycle in which the Nittany Li- ons also held eight commitments head- ing into March. The class that ended up signing was regarded as Penn State's best ever under Franklin. With the important spring visit sea- son coming up, the Nittany Lions are continuing to address their anticipated needs. Tight end is the only position that BWI considers to be finished al- ready. Here's a position-by-position look at where things stand with PSU's next class: QUARTERBACK: Detroit native Dante Moore, a four-star prospect in the On3 Consensus, remains Penn State's top target at the position, but he's not going to be easy to land. Both Michigan and Notre Dame are likely ahead of the Nittany Lions, and a few others may be, too. If they miss out on Moore, keep an eye on Marcus Stokes from Florida. Penn State became the first Power Five school to offer him following a visit in Janu- ary. Now, a ton of schools have started scouting Stokes, including Florida, Notre Dame and Virginia. Penn State will take just one quarterback this year. RUNNING BACK: It's possible the Lions will sign two running backs, but it's more realistic to think they'll bring in just one. They appear to have some momentum with four-star prospect Treyaun Webb of Jacksonville, Fla. Webb visited in November and has hinted that Penn State is on pace to make his top five. Mark Fletcher of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Daylan Smothers of Charlotte, N.C., also have visited. Both are four- star players. WIDE RECEIVER: Penn State has extended offers to 45 receivers in the 2023 class, so there's no shortage of players to discuss. With that said, Rodney Galla- gher, a four-star prospect from Union- town, Pa., remains the staff's top player. I think he's favoring Penn State, too. Other notable players include Ejani Shakir of Pennsauken, N.J., Bryson Rodgers of Zephyrhills, Fla., and Kenny Johnson of Dallastown, Pa. Shakir and Rodgers both hold four-star ratings, while Johnson is a three-star. Penn State is on pace to sign three receivers in this class. OFFENSIVE LINE: Four linemen have committed already, three of whom are interior players. That means Penn State is focused on offensive tackles moving forward. Samson Okunlola of Brockton, Mass., and Evan Link of Fort Washington, Md., are two players to really focus on. Both are four-star players, both visited in January, and both have the Lions high among their top schools. Penn State should be able to land at least one of them, although the coaches would find room for both if possible. Lions Look To Maintain Momentum With 2023 Class 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 FOOTBALL RECRUITING Four-star defensive tackle Jason Moore out of DeMatha Catholic in Maryland is one of Penn State's top defensive targets in the class of 2023. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER C L A S S O F 2 0 2 3 C O M M I T M E N T S * NAME POS HT WT RATING* HOME SCHOOL Neeo Avery TE 6-4 225 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Glen Burnie, Md. Good Counsel Mathias Barnwell Ath. 6-5 255 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Fredericksburg, Va. Riverbend Alex Birchmeier OL 6-5 275 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Ashburn, Va. Broad Run Anthony Donkoh OL 6-4 310 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Aldie, Va. Lightridge Joshua Miller OL 6-4 320 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Colonial Heights, Va. Life Christian Academy Lamont Payne CB 6-0 180 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Bridgeville, Pa. Chartiers Valley Joey Schlaffer TE 6-5 205 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Reading, Pa. Exeter Township Jven Williams OL 6-4 290 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Reading, Pa. Wyomissing * Ratings reflect On3 Consensus as of Feb. 21