Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1492675
2 8 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 2 3 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / A nthony Donkoh is a throwback in a recruiting world increasingly driven by the allure of name, image and likeness money and gaudy football amenities. Donkoh cared about neither when he picked Penn State. In fact, not even the state of the depth chart or college-to- NFL production weighed most heavily on his mind. Instead, the On3 four-star prospect said it was academics and rela- tionships that led him to pick the Nittany Lions over Duke, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. "One thing I like is that they have the major I want to pursue," Donkoh said. "I want to pursue mechanical engineering, and Penn State is known as having one of the best engineering programs in the United States. That's probably the main reason why I wanted to go there. "But another big reason is the coaches. They're incredibly nice people. I never expected to be welcomed the way I was welcomed when I got there. They re- ally welcomed me with open arms and were just so chill. Also, the campus is just beautiful." Franklin likes low-maintenance re- cruits, and Donkoh was one of them. He did not take visits elsewhere or continue conversations with any other schools after committing. Instead, the 6-foot- 5, 320-pound offensive lineman from Aldie, Va., devoted his time to improving on the field. During Donkoh's first two varsity sea- sons at Lightridge High, the offense was almost entirely run-based. However, in 2022, the Lightning mixed in more pass- ing plays, which forced Donkoh to pass protect more than he ever had before. He turned out to be immovable against rushers and frequently barreled over de- fensive ends and linebackers when run blocking. "We've asked him to do a couple of different things in pass protection," Lightridge coach Bobby Eavenson said in October. "We've changed some things to put more on his shoulders, and he hasn't allowed a sack all year long. That's been great to see. Our quarterback isn't a scrambler, either. We ask him to stay back there and deliver throws in the pocket. I don't track pancake blocks and things like that, but we do track sacks allowed and he hasn't given up one all season." Donkoh earned first-team Virginia Class 4A all-state honors as a senior. He enrolled at Penn State in January and is hard at work making the strength and conditioning improvements that will be needed to play in the trenches in the Big Ten. A redshirt year is expected out of the gate, but don't expect this hard-working, always-improving lineman to take long before he starts turning heads. ■ Donkoh allowed only 1 sack during his three-year varsity career at Lightridge High in Virginia. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Anthony Donkoh Virginia lineman is committed to improvement in all facets G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G. P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M OL | 6-5 | 320 Lightridge High Aldie, Va. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Consensus HHH 486 42 12 On3 HHHH 216 16 7 ESPN HHH — 33 14 Rivals HHH — 21 21 247Sports HHHH — 17 9 Statistics • Allowed only 1 sack during his three-year varsity career • Made 63 career tackles, including 16 for loss, while adding 11 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries • Blocked 3 kicks in his career Notable • Was a three-time team captain • Won his team MVP award three times • Earned Class 4A all-state recognition as a senior Recruitment • Committed to Penn State on Jan. 28, 2022 • Recruited by running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider and offensive line coach Phil Trautwein • Picked Penn State over Duke, Virginia Tech and West Virginia • Officially visited on June 17, 2022 • Enrolled in January 2023 2023 Projection At 320 pounds, Donkoh is the largest signee in Penn State's class. He will need to reshape his body to play in the Big Ten but has a great strength foundation and frame to work with. He will redshirt in 2023, but it shouldn't take long for him to be game ready. They Said It Lightridge head coach Bobby Eavenson: "Anthony is a great kid, who checks every box. On the field, he's remarkably versatile and athletic for someone his size. He takes to coaching very well and is a very intelligent player and communicator." BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "His power and length on the interior can be considerable assets to Penn State's inside blocking schemes, giving them a player who has explosive potential. His dedication to learning his assignment makes him an easy projection as a plus-run blocker with elite pass protection potential." T H E D O N K O H F I L E