Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1462941
5 6 A P R I L 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 Penn State signed 25 scholarship prospects in its 2022 recruiting class, and they're not the only new players set to join the team this year. The Nittany Lions also have commitments from 14 preferred walk-ons. Here's a look at those incoming players: OFFENSE Matthew Detisch: An offensive lineman from Mars, Pa., Detisch stands 6-foot-6, 297 pounds and is expected to play tackle. He chose the Nittany Li- ons over VMI, Robert Morris and Bucknell, explaining that he "would rather play at a Big Ten school than some of the schools recruiting me." Kolin Dinkins: Dinkins, a 6-2, 180-pound running back from Wex- ford, Pa., is the younger brother of Penn State redshirt freshman tight end Khalil Dinkins. Because of that family connection, he's been on cam- pus many times, including last June for the Whiteout Camp. Dinkins has been clocked at 4.7 sec- onds in the 40-yard dash and 4.5 sec- onds in the shuttle. Jim Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald, a 6-7, 325-pound offensive lineman, attends Archbishop Spalding in Severn, Md., where he teamed up with another Nittany Lion, redshirt freshman safety Zakee Wheatley, earlier in his career. Fitzgerald had preferred walk-on op- portunities at Maryland, Virginia, Vir- ginia Tech and West Virginia. He also had a scholarship offer from Maine. Jashaun Green: A 6-1, 170-pound wideout, Green caught 40 passes for 654 yards and seven touchdowns for State College Area last season. He's been clocked at 4.8 seconds in the 40. "It was always my dream to be a Penn State Nittany Lion," said Green, who also received offers from Edinboro and Clarion. "From a Little Lion to a Nittany Lion." Kolt Pearce: Pearce, a 6-5, 210-pound tight end, played at the Gilman School in Baltimore. He visited Penn State one time, attending the game against Illinois in October. Pearce said he also talked to Clemson, Florida, Houston, Maryland, Navy, Pitt, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. Robert Rossi: The 6-3, 185-pound Rossi earned all-state honors as a wide receiver at Scranton Prep last season, totaling 81 receptions for 1,513 yards and 20 touchdowns. He emerged on the staff's radar in June when he camped at PSU. Rossi received interest from Delaware and Villanova but said he "always wanted to compete at a really high level like Penn State." Dominic Rulli: A 6-3, 280-pound offensive lineman at Taft High in Water- town, Conn., Rulli had planned to walk on at West Virginia but ended up switching to Penn State. He also camped at PSU in July, and that's when the staff began showing interest. Rulli said he's a longtime Penn State fan. He was receiving interest from Brown, Columbia, Kentucky and West Virginia. Samuel Siafa: Siafa played on the offensive line at Downingtown (Pa.) West alongside 2022 Penn State signee Drew Shelton. He's a cousin of Penn State sophomore defensive tackle Fatorma Mulbah. The 6-2, 270-pound Siafa was primarily a defensive lineman in high school, but he's expected to start out on the offensive side of the ball after choosing PSU over a walk-on opportunity at Oklahoma State. DEFENSE Trace Brown: Brown was an all-conference linebacker last season at Berks (Pa.) Catholic, totaling 77 tackles, seven tackles for loss and an interception. Listed at 5-11, 160 pounds, he's been clocked at 4.65 seconds in the 40 and 4.5 in the shuttle. Expected to play safety at the col- lege level, Brown is a cousin of Penn State redshirt freshman cornerback Kaleb Brown. The family connection played into his decision to choose the Lions over Kutztown, IUP, Millersville and West Chester. Xavier Copening: Copening spent this past season at Feltrim Academy in Florida. Prior to that, the 5-11, 180-pound athlete was a class of 2021 prospect at Avon Old Farms in Con- necticut. Copening mostly played quarterback but will likely be a defensive back at PSU. He claimed scholarship offers from Boston College and Connecticut earlier in his recruitment and more recently was being pursued by Navy and Morgan State. Jackson Pryts: Pryts is the younger brother of 2016 recruit Andrew Pryts, who was verbally committed to PSU but ended up signing with Stanford. They're both sons of Ed Pryts, who played for the Lions in the late 1970s and early '80s. Jackson, a 6-3, 200-pound linebacker, totaled 113 tackles and two inter- ceptions this past season at Hickory High in Hermitage, Pa., earning all-state honors. He was receiving interest from Cornell, Lehigh and Pitt. Andrew Sharga: An all-conference defensive end at Northampton (Pa.) Area, Sharga totaled 11 sacks last season. He's listed at 6-4, 220 pounds and has some impressive measurables, having run a 4.7-second 40 and a 4.4-second shuttle. SPECIAL TEAMS Will Patton: Patton is a 6-4, 230-pound long snapper from Shenango High in New Castle, Pa. Ohio State, Wisconsin, Rutgers and Army were also interested, but Patton is a lifelong Penn State fan and wanted to stay close to home. Balise Sokach-Minnick: Recruited as a long snapper, Sokach-Minnick played at Wyoming Area in Plymouth, Pa. He was his team's quarterback this past season, throwing for more than 1,200 yards while tossing 15 touch- down passes. Rubio Long Snapping ranks him fourth in the nation. Albany offered Sokach-Minnick a full scholarship. He also had preferred walk-on offers from Boston College, Oregon State, Pitt and Stanford. — Ryan Snyder Invited Walk-Ons Poised To Strengthen Penn State's Roster Wideout Robert Rossi had 81 catches for 1,513 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior at Scranton Prep last year. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER