Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1472993
A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 10 1 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P enn State's run on the recruiting trail took another major step forward in late June with the addition of Ala- bama safety DaKaari Nelson. A four-star prospect according to the On3 Consensus, Nelson earned an offer from the Nittany Lions in August 2021. He immediately developed a relationship with safeties coach Anthony Poindexter and members of the recruiting staff, and his interest grew in November when he and his family drove 28 hours roundtrip from Selma, Ala., to watch Penn State play Rutgers. Ranked No. 264 nationally and No. 22 at safety in the Consensus, Nelson an- nounced in March that Penn State was one of 11 schools that were standing out in his recruitment. Auburn, Arkansas, Clemson, Florida State, Tennessee, UCF, Texas A&M, Oregon, Oklahoma and Ole Miss were the other 10 schools that made the cut. Throughout 2022, Nelson took only a handful of visits. Clemson became a serious player following a junior day in January. He then went to Tennessee in early March, followed by a trip to Florida State in April. Nelson also took an unof- ficial visit to Auburn on June 6 before coming to Penn State for his official visit June 10-12. Auburn, Clemson and Tennessee were believed to be the main competitors, but Nelson had also hinted on a few occa- sions that he felt most comfortable with the staff at Penn State. Because of that, his official visit was centered around his family, who hadn't gotten to know James Franklin and his staff as well as he had. The coaches, Nelson said, "were check- ing up on my family a lot, making sure they were enjoying themselves, because they all came up with me. That was big." It also helped that Nelson was hosted by redshirt freshman wide receiver Har- rison Wallace III, who also grew up in Alabama and played seven-on-seven previously with Nelson. "Me and Harrison played on the same seven-on-seven team my fresh- man year of high school," Nelson said. "So, I already knew him well. He showed us around campus and [intro- duced] me to some of the other players on the team. I liked getting to know all of those guys." Nelson originally planned to take a few more visits during the season. Au- burn, Clemson and Tennessee were all interested in hosting him for official visits. In addition, Texas extended an offer in May, but it proved to be too late. Nelson said he considered committing to Penn State while on his official visit. "The day we left from up there, I was thinking about it," he said. Instead, though, he opted to go home so that he could give his decision more thought. The wait ended on June 25 when he announced that he intends to sign with the Lions. ■ COMMITMENT PROFILE DaKAARI NELSON Nelson liked that Penn State's staff was attentive to his family's needs during his official visit to campus in early June. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Safety DaKaari Nelson became the second Alabama prospect to join Penn State's class in June, an- nouncing for the Lions four days after edge rusher Tomarrion Parker did likewise. Here's a look at how Nelson's unique blend of size and skills fits into coordinator Manny Diaz's scheme: PLAYER STRENGTHS Man coverage: While his size (6-3, 194) is the first trait you notice about Nelson, his ability to play like a smaller defender is what makes him really special. He is an excellent press-man cornerback and routinely covers Selma High's most dangerous opponents on offense. Size and frame: It's comical watching Nelson engulf high school slot receivers on film. He's literally head and shoulders taller than some of his opponents, which he uses to his advantage. Versatility: Last season, Nelson played boundary receiver, slot receiver and wildcat quarterback on offense. On defense, he played slot corner, boundary corner, free safety and linebacker. While his routes weren't anything to write home about, he performed most of his duties to a high level. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Burst: When you turn on the tape, there's no denying that Nelson lacks elite burst. Also, when you watch him as a punt returner, he's not elusive. Tackling/pursuit: Nelson is not a devastating hitter for his size. He can be a bit too passive some- times and will allow more yards than the defense ought to be surrendering in a given situation. PROJECTION Striker: If you view Nelson as purely a safety, you'll be slightly disappointed in his lack of overt speed and explosiveness. Yet, if you view him as an underneath coverage defender with man coverage skills, he's a fascinating prospect. He has a rare blend of talents and the kind of versatile body type that could allow him to complete Diaz's system. Boundary safety: It looks as though he'll be playing safety this fall based on his play during Selma's spring game, so we'll get a look at his zone and deep free safety skills. Box linebacker: On the opposite end of the spectrum, what if Nelson continues to develop physi- cally? He's got the length and size to transition into the box. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N Penn State Outduels SEC, ACC Powers For Alabama Safety RYA N S N Y D E R | R YA N. S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M