Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1464375
5 6 M A Y 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 Three-star linebacker Phil Picciotti of Perkasie, Pa., was also expected to make his way to State College on April 16. At the end of March, Picciotti an- nounced that Penn State was one of 12 schools still in the running for his com- mitment. He also took unofficial visits to Michigan and Michigan State (March 18-19), Oklahoma (April 2) and Ne- braska (April 9). In addition, Wisconsin was expected to host him April 23. The other schools that made up his top list were Auburn, Illinois, North- western, South Carolina, USC and Vir- ginia Tech. Penn State was at one point consid- ered the favorite with Picciotti, but that was before Brent Pry left for Virginia Tech. Picciotti hasn't returned to State College since Manny Diaz was named defensive coordinator. A complete list for the Blue-White Game was still being worked on as of early April, but Penn State was expect- ing five-star offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor to be one of the players in at- tendance that afternoon. A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Proctor announced a top seven earlier this year. In addition to Penn State, the schools that made the list were Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Notre Dame and Oregon. Proctor has never visited Penn State and is likely to decide this summer, so this may be the staff 's lone opportu- nity to earn one of his five official vis- its. Many consider his in-state school, Iowa, to be the favorite. ■ Neeo Avery is no longer committed to Penn State. An On3 Consensus four-star defensive end in the class of 2023, Avery backed away from his pledge to the Lions on April 27. He had been committed to the school since New Year's Eve. "Me and my family, we really thought about it, sat down, and felt that I committed a little too early," Avery told BWI. "We still wanted to get out and see other schools." Penn State prefers that prospects do not visit other schools while com- mitted. Avery is not the first senior-to-be to decommit from PSU so that he could evaluate all of his options. Virginia four-star athlete Mathias Barnwell did the same before ultimately recommitting to the Lions last fall. Avery, a 6-4, 225-pound prospect from Glen Burnie, Md., has more than 20 offers and wants to check out numerous schools now that he is no longer a committed prospect. "I know for sure that I'll go visit some SEC schools," Avery said. Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and South Carolina are the schools from that conference that have already extended offers to the na- tion's No. 164 overall player, who is also the No. 17 edge rusher according to the On3 Consensus rankings. The Bulldogs and Wildcats were his other two finalists when he picked Penn State. Avery has not yet mapped out which programs he wants to see, but numerous trips are expected. Penn State originally took Avery as a tight end, but he is now being recruited strictly as a defensive lineman by the Lions and everyone else. "I broke my hand in the middle of [last] season," Av- ery said. "I played a little bit of tight end. It was more just [to help out as a blocker]. I kind of thought to myself, I'm not being used to my full potential. So, I just switched over [to defense]. Things took off from there." What is he looking for in the school he commits to next? "Consistency," Avery said. "Really like a family envi- ronment. Those are basically the main two. I just need to be comfortable in my environment." Sometimes when a recruit decommits from a school, he eliminates it from the list of suitors. That is not the case in this recruitment, however. Avery said he communicates most with Penn State tight ends coach Ty Howle and defensive line coach John Scott Jr. That will continue to be the case, and he said PSU is "most definitely" a school he will still consider. As for a decision, Avery said he wants to use all of his official visits between the summer and fall in addition to taking unofficial visits. "I'll definitely be playing it out and taking my time," he said. — Greg Pickel Avery opted in early April to reopen his recruitment and switch his position to defensive end/edge rusher. He had committed to Penn State in late December as a four-star tight end. PHOTO BY GREG PICKEL Neeo Avery Reconsidering His Options Following Decommitment