Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1492675
M A R C H 2 0 2 3 2 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P L A Y E R B I O S / / / / / / / D uring James Franklin's coaching tenure, Penn State has prioritized Pennsylvania recruits, followed closely by players from the surrounding region. Within that recruiting radius, New York is an important resource — more important than some may realize. "I think sometimes New York is under- recruited," Franklin said. "People view it as a basketball state, but there have been a bunch of really good football players com- ing out of that state." In defensive tackle Tyriq Blanding, Franklin believes he has found just such a player. A three-star prospect in the On3 Con- sensus, Blanding joined Penn State's class last June, choosing the Nittany Lions over Michigan, Oregon, Syracuse and West Virginia. Blanding, who attends Christ the King Regional High in Middle Village, N.Y., cited his relationships with defensive line coach John Scott Jr. and analyst Deion Barnes in explaining his choice. He also enjoyed his official visit to campus the week before he committed. "I just really like the environment there," Blanding said. "When I got to re- ally see Penn State, it left a good impres- sion on me. "I thought it was just a bunch of farm- land, but it's not like that. Downtown is great. The campus is great. It's the right place for me." Considered a high-motor defensive tackle prospect, Blanding knows he will need continued refinement at Penn State. He spent his high school career playing against lesser competition, but all of the traits that emerged point toward success at the Power Five level. A two-time captain, Blanding twice was named Christ the King's team MVP. And, maybe more important, his game tape offered an impressive display of physicality that Franklin and the Penn State coaching staff couldn't ignore. "I watched him play linebacker. He is twitchy, quick," Franklin said. "You watch him play defensive end, he's twitchy and quick. Watch him play at defensive tackle and he's making plays and he's explosive. "When I watch his tape, I'm like, 'I don't understand why more people aren't talking about this guy.' I think his tape is really, really good. He's an awesome kid. I love the family, love everything about him." Set to enroll after the spring semester, the 6-foot-1, 265-pound defensive tackle will begin working to realize the potential that Penn State sees in him. "He's a skinny 260 pounds right now," Franklin said. "I think he's going to end up being a big, powerful, athletic kid. We're excited about having him on our roster." ■ Blanding was sold on Penn State after paying his first visit to campus last June. Although he was pursued by Michigan, Oregon and Washington, he didn't take any other official visits. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Ty Blanding Staff sees New York defensive lineman as a hidden gem N AT E B A U E R | N A T E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M DL | 6-1 | 265 Christ the King Regional High Bronx, N.Y. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Consensus HHH 856 93 2 On3 HHH — 59 4 ESPN HHH — 36 1 Rivals HHH — — 3 247Sports HHH — 66 2 Statistics • Finished with 46 tackles as a senior, includ- ing 6 for loss and 6 sacks, along with 3 forced fumbles and 17 quarterback hurries • Totaled 50 stops, 10 tackles for loss and 5 sacks as a junior Notable • Was a two-year team captain and two-time team MVP • Named Class AAA Defensive Player of the Year as a senior by the Catholic High School Football League Recruitment • Committed to the Nittany Lions on June 17, 2022 • Recruited by defensive line coach John Scott and special teams coordinator Stacy Collins • Chose Penn State over Michigan, Syracuse, Oregon and Washington • Took an official visit on June 10, 2022 2023 Projection Although he's the only interior defensive line- man in the class, Blanding will benefit from a redshirt year. They Said It Jason Brown, Christ the King head coach: "Ty was a four-year starter on varsity, playing at defensive tackle since he was a freshman. He's a tenacious player with a fast get-off. He excelled everywhere on the field and is a great all-around player. He's a very humble guy and a great human who shows by ex- ample." BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "Blan- ding fits the Penn State coaching staff's template at the three-technique defen- sive tackle position. It remains to be seen whether he's able to follow the same path as former Nittany Lion standout Kevin Givens, who just completed his fourth season with the San Francisco 49ers. But Blanding is the correct type of player to bet on. He's got a good frame, movement skills and natural strength." T H E B L A N D I N G F I L E