Blue White Illustrated

May 2022

Penn State Sports Magazine

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M A Y 2 0 2 2 5 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P enn State quarterback commit Mar- cus Stokes began his spring break with plans to check out some of his top college options. He ended it by picking the school that many thought was his favorite. Stokes, who plays for Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., began his trip by traveling to Mississippi for an April 4 visit. He then traveled north to see Indiana on April 5 before making his way east to Cincinnati the following day. By then, he was already giving Penn State serious consideration. He had been to PSU in January, and that visit made a big impression. "Oh man, I was think- ing about this through- o u t my e n t i re t r i p," Stokes said. "I enjoyed seeing those other schools, but I knew when I got up to Penn State, I had to really think about this. I knew this was the right fit for me." Stokes arrived at Penn State on April 7. Although his visit was mainly set to take place the following day, he grabbed dinner with offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich shortly after getting into State College. That's when he first let the staff know what he was thinking. "I wanted to go through the [offensive coordinator] first before telling Coach [James] Franklin. I didn't want to make a fool of myself," Stokes said. "I wanted to make sure this was for real. So, I went out to dinner with Coach Yurcich, and I just laid it all out for him. I told him then that I knew this was what I wanted to do, and he honored it. After that talk, we were all hyped in the restaurant. It was a great talk. "He told me then that they'll bring me up to Coach Franklin the next day. Coach Franklin was ecstatic. The whole room was ecstatic. It was a great feeling." Despite earning scholarship offers from Indiana, Pitt, Utah and Virginia Tech after Penn State extended its offer in January, Stokes didn't want to wait much longer. "The second I walked into the building, it just felt right. It felt like home," he said. "I thought it was just the right fit for me. I love the way they run their offense. Coach Yurcich is a great guy, Coach Franklin is a great guy, Coach [Danny] O'Brien is great, too. Ev- eryone I met up there, they're all great people and I felt that when I came the first time and I felt it again this time, too. That's why I chose to commit." Stokes said that he had a few conversations with Penn State's committed players leading up to his decision, but Fri- day was his first opportunity to really get to know one of them in offensive lineman Josh Miller, who was also on campus. "I hung out with Josh a lot. We're still getting to know each other, but I think we're going to build a great relationship," he said. "Before I committed, he actually came to dinner with us. He was saying, 'Hey, I'm trying to block for you. What's the move?' I just gave him that look, let- ting him know I was serious about this." Stokes is ranked No. 463 nationally and No. 24 at quarterback according to the On3 Consensus. On3's scouts rate him a bit higher than the industry average, ranking him No. 18 at quarterback. He's a three-star player in both polls. Stokes emerged on Penn State's radar in January when he performed well at the National Combine in San Antonio. After reviewing that film, Yurcich flew to Flor- ida the next week to watch him work out at his school. Stokes then visited PSU on Jan. 29, which is when he earned an offer. In 2021, Stokes put up some solid numbers, throwing for 2,672 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also rushed for 496 yards and six scores. ■ Penn State added to its stockpile of quarterbacks when Marcus Stokes joined the team's 2023 re- cruiting class. The tenacious passer chose the Lions over 13 other schools, ending his recruitment just as home-state teams like Miami, Florida and Florida State were joining in the pursuit. STRENGTHS Accuracy: If there's one thing that stands out above all else, it's that Stokes is an incredibly accurate passer in any situation. Whether he's delivering from a clean pocket, on the run or with pressure in his face, he can put the ball exactly where he wants it. Delivery mechanics/positional aptitude: Stokes has a lightning-quick motion with a compact move- ment and a quick flick at the end to generate good velocity. Mobility: Whether he's escaping from a collapsing pocket or breaking off a long run for a touch- down, Stokes moves well on the field. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Size/arm strength: Stokes is listed at 6-foot-1.5, 190 pounds. There's nothing wrong with that, but he probably never will be the classically sized passer with a tall profile and thick stature. Consistent footwork: There are times when he throws low-velocity balls into traffic, and there's no guarantee that it will work for him against bigger, faster, more-skilled defenders. PROJECTION Starter: The bottom line at this position is to find players who can start and win football games. You don't know which player's intangible spark will be the right one for your team. Penn State now has a room full of those players and another one on the way with Marcus Stokes. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N Nittany Lions 'Ecstatic' To Land Florida Quarterback 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 COMMITMENT PROFILE MARCUS STOKES Stokes is rated as a three-star talent and the No. 24 quarterback nationally in the On3 Consensus. He passed for 2,672 yards and 22 touchdowns last season at Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. PHOTO BY JEREMY JOHNSON/ON3

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