Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1454229
M A R C H 2 0 2 2 5 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M DEFENSIVE LINE: More than 50 defensive linemen have claimed a Penn State offer, and that list is evenly split between tackle and end prospects. At tackle, Jason Moore of De M a t h a C a t h o l i c i n Hy- attsville, Md., is arguably the staff 's top overall defensive target. Notre Dame and Michi- gan will also likely contend for the four- star prospect. The Lions are pursuing a handful of other four-star defensive tackles, including Derrick LeBlanc and John Walker, both of whom are from Kissimmee, Fla. At defensive end, Nyckoles Harbor remains a massive priority, but every school in the nation wants the five- star prospect. Four-star end Desmond Umeozulu of Upper Marlboro, Md., vis- ited in January and is emerging as a top player. It should also be noted that verbally committed four-star prospect Mathias Barnwell, who is currently listed as a tight end, may be leaning toward play- ing on the defensive line now. I can see Penn State signing three or four more. LINEBACKER: This is another pretty deep board for Penn State, but it's clear that a trio of four-star play- ers sit at the top: Ta'Mere Robinson of Pittsburgh, Phil Picciotti of Perkasie, Pa., and Tony Rojas of Fairfax, Va. Robinson and Rojas visited again in January, and we believe Penn State is the team to beat for both. Picciotti has a half-dozen visits set for March and April, with Michi- gan, Michigan State, Wiscon- sin, Oklahoma and Wisconsin also expected to host him. He's scheduled to return to Penn State on April 15. The Lions would find room to sign all three. DEFENSIVE BACK: Penn State has one cornerback already com- mitted in Lamont Payne, which means it will probably add three or four more defensive backs. At cornerback, there are a handful of Florida prospects to monitor, includ- ing Antonio Robinson, Damari Brown and Daemon Fagan, all of whom live in the Miami region and have four-star ratings. The safety board is a bit easier to de- cipher, with four-star prospect Cam- eron Seldon of Heathsville, Va., sitting at the top of the staff's target list. ■ Rk. School Commits 1. USC 3 2. Notre Dame 9 3. Georgia 9 4. Ohio State 5 5. Penn State 8 Rk. School Commits 6. Michigan 5 7. Oklahoma 4 8. Arkansas 9 9. Texas A&M 4 10. Kentucky 3 ON3 CONSENSUS 2023 TEAM RANKINGS As of Feb. 21 Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein scored another recruiting win in January, but Penn State is going to have to wait a little while to see that player don a blue- and-white uniform. That's because offen- sive lineman Cooper Cousins of McDowell High in Erie, Pa., is in the class of 2024. Cousins, a four-star prospect as rated by On3, picked up an offer from the Lions in October when he attended their game against Illinois. Because he's only a sopho- more, he had to take the initiative to build a relationship with Penn State's coaching staff over the past three months. He did so, and that was all it took for him to jump on board. "They've been into my school a bit to talk to my coach, but other than that, I had to call them up to talk to a few coaches," Cousins said. "I like the entire coaching staff. I felt like all the coaches had the same vision when it comes to developing players. They care about them and want to get them ready." With nearly 23 months to go until Cousins can sign, it's only natural to think that the Pennsylvania prospect grew up a Penn State fan. He said that's not exactly the case. "I used to run around outside in Ohio State shorts, a Penn State shirt and a Michigan hat," he said. "I was kind of all over growing up. I grew up more of a Big Ten fan than any particular team." In addition to the game he attended, Cousins camped at Penn State in June 2021. That gave him an opportunity to work with Trautwein on the field. "I love him," Cousins said. "He believes in a lot of repetition, and so do I, so we match really well there. I think his philosophies, technically, are also very sound. I think he's just a great coach. He matches well with what's important to me." Cousins added that he enjoyed getting to know a few of his future Penn State team- mates, most notably 2022 offensive line commits Alex Birchmeier and Josh Miller. "I've been up there a few times before, but being there [in January] was awe- some," he said. "I really liked being there with the other recruits. I got to talk to a lot of those guys. The recruits and the coach- ing staff were all very welcoming. I loved it. "Their staff kind of reminds me of my high school coaches a little bit. They care about their players and want to get them to the next level, while also caring about education, your character and your family. I think that's a big reason why it's a good fit for me." Listed at 6-foot-6, 300 pounds, Cousins held offers from Akron, Kentucky, Pitt and Toledo in addition to Penn State. It's unclear where the Nittany Lions plan to use him, although tackle makes the most sense as he contin- ues to grow. "I'll play anywhere that gets me on the field and helps the team," Cous- ins said. "That's all I really care about." — Ryan Snyder 2024 Lineman Cooper Cousins Commits to Penn State Cousins, a four-star prospect as rated by On3, received a scholarship offer from Penn State last October. PHOTO BY GREG PICKEL