Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1472993
A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 9 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Keys admitted that he was down to Penn State and North Carolina. The 6-2, 190-pound four-star pros- pect visited UNC twice and Penn State just once, but this felt like a true 50/50 battle. Keys is planning to commit in August. With both Derrick LeBlanc of Kis- simmee, Fla., and Jason Moore of Hy- attsville, Md., expected to end up else- where, the two defensive line prospects to monitor are tackle Will Norman and end Jalen Thompson. Norman is originally from Camden, N.J., but now plays at IMG Academy in Florida. A four-star prospect in the On3 Consensus, he took an official visit in June to Florida. He's expected to take more during the fall and is in no rush to decide. Thompson, a four-star prospect from Cass Tech in Detroit, was scheduled to take an official visit to Penn State but ended up missing a flight. However, he's now expected to return to State College at the end of July for the Lasch Bash Bar- becue. Cincinnati, Ohio State, Michigan State and Pitt are also in the mix. Another defensive back is also a real possibility, with the leading candidate being Elliot Washington of Venice, Fla. Ranking No. 102 nationally in the On3 Consensus, Washington is committed to Alabama, but he took official visits to Penn State and Michigan State in June. His commitment to the Crimson Tide appeared shaky, which is why many ex- pected Washington, who stands 5-11, 187 pounds, to end up at one of the two Big Ten programs. Ja'Keem Jackson of Kissimmee, Fla., is also still being considered. Ranked No. 245 nationally, the 6-0, 180-pound cornerback took official visits to Au- burn (June 10-12), Penn State (June 17- 19) and Tennessee (June 24-26). Florida is also among his top four schools. It was believed that the Gators and Vol- unteers were at the top of his list as of early July. ■ C L A S S O F 2 0 2 3 C O M M I T M E N T S NAME POS HT WT RATING* HOME SCHOOL Mathias Barnwell Ath. 6-5 250 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Fredericksburg, Va. Riverbend Alex Birchmeier OL 6-5 275 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Ashburn, Va. Broad Run Tyriq Blanding DL 6-2 265 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Middle Village, N.Y. Christ The King Regional Anthony Donkoh OT 6-5 315 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Aldie, Va. Lightridge Yazeed Haynes WR 6-1 170 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Lansdale, Pa. North Penn Conrad Hussey S 6-0 185 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Fort Lauderdale, Fla. St. Thomas Aquinas Jameial Lyons Edge 6-5 245 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Philadelphia Roman Catholic King Mack S 5-10 175 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Fort Lauderdale, Fla. St. Thomas Aquinas DaKaari Nelson S 6-3 194 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Selma, Ala. Selma Tomarrion Parker Edge 6-4 245 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Phenix City, Ala. Central Lamont Payne CB 6-0 190 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Bridgeville, Pa. Chartiers Valley Andrew Rappleyea TE 6-4 215 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Millbrook, N.Y. Milton Academy Joey Schlaffer TE 6-5 215 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Reading, Pa. Exeter Township Ejani Shakir WR 6-0 175 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Atco, N.J. Winslow Township Jven Williams OL 6-4 290 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Reading, Pa. Wyomissing C L A S S O F 2 0 2 4 C O M M I T M E N T NAME POS HT WT RATING* HOME SCHOOL Cooper Cousins OL 6-5 300 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Erie, Pa. McDowell * On3 player ratings as of July 7 Lions Lose Two Members Of 2023 Class A pair of three-star prospects in Penn State's class of 2023 announced in recent weeks that they would be committing elsewhere. On June 13, offensive lineman Joshua Miller switched his com- mitment to Georgia, and three weeks later, on July 7, quarterback Marcus Stokes revealed that he planned to sign with Florida. Stokes' announcement caught many off guard. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., prospect had recently attended the Elite 11 finals in Los Angeles and had given no indication that he was wavering in his decision. "Florida is home and has always treated me and my family well," Stokes told On3's Hayes Fawcett. "If things are going great, why leave?" Miller, a 6-foot-4, 315-pound interior lineman, had committed to Penn State in December and was part of a strong offensive line haul. Then the Colonial Heights, Va., native earned an offer from Georgia coach Kirby Smart and his staff on May 7. That's when things started to shift. "Honestly, I feel like it's a better opportunity for me down there on and off the field," Miller said. "Georgia fits what I'm looking for in a school when it comes to the staff, area and education. In the little time I've been talking to the staff, I feel like I've known them for years and built a great bond with them. Georgia fits me as a person in whole." — Ryan Snyder