Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1492675
3 4 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 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P enn State added St. Thomas More defensive end Joseph Mupoyi just a week before the early signing period in December. A four-star player according to On3, Mupoyi has one of the more fascinating stories in this year's class. A native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he origi- nally came to the United States to pursue a basketball scholarship. Landing at Archbishop Carroll in Washington, D.C., he played bas- ketball for one year before grab- bing the attention of head foot- ball coach Robert Harris Jr. and his staff. Mupoyi decided to give football a try in 2021, and it proved to be a smart decision. Playing alongside five-star defensive end Nykoles Harbor, Mupoyi turned heads all over the country, ultimately earn- ing multiple Power Five offers. Attending the Connecticut prep school St. Thomas More as a senior, Mupoyi was pursued by Auburn, Lou- isville, Ole Miss and Virginia Tech in the fall, but Penn State emerged as the team to beat. "I feel very comfortable with them, and my mom likes Penn State a lot, too, so of course, it's a good relationship," Mupoyi said. His interest in PSU became clear last July when he and his mother took an unofficial visit to see the school. With Mupoyi's family still residing in Wash- ington, Penn State's proximity played a major role in his decision, as did the academic opportunities he would re- ceive there. Mupoyi ended up taking four visits to Penn State, including trips for White Out wins over Auburn in 2021 and Min- nesota last season. "I just remember talking to their coaches. They were so nice," Mupoyi said. "The White Out was great. I'm not the type of person that gets too excited, but I loved it. Everyone was screaming and into it. They were showing me love, too. That was the first time I had [fans] calling my name, telling me that they want me to come there. I was like, 'Oh, OK.'" Listed at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Mu- poyi still has some developing to do be- fore he's ready to contribute at college football's highest level. However, his potential has defensive line coach John Scott Jr. and others within the program excited for what's to come. "He has a great get-off and is able to give linemen problems with his long arms," St. Thomas More head coach Ernest Anderson said. "His strength is incredible, too. He's just flat-out tough to block. For him, it's just all about getting more reps, more football under his belt. He has all the physical tools." ■ Mupoyi has been playing football for only two years, but he still earned scholarship offers from the likes of Michigan, Auburn and Miami, in addition to Penn State. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Joseph Mupoyi Although new to the game, Maryland lineman has vast potential RYA N S N Y D E R | R YA N. S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M DE | 6-5 | 240 St. Thomas More High (Conn.) Upper Marlboro, Md. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Consensus HHHH 373 38 2 On3 HHHH — 38 3 ESPN HHHH — 53 2 Rivals HHHH — 21 3 247Sports HHH — 58 5 Statistics • Totaled 54 tackles including 12 for loss and 14 sacks as a senior at St. Thomas More Notable • Helped lead Archbishop Carroll in Wash- ington, D.C., to a 13-1 record and a Class AA championship in the District of Columbia State Athletic Association • Speaks four languages • Was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Recruitment • Committed to Penn State on Dec. 12, 2022 • Recruited by defensive line coach John Scott Jr. • Picked Penn State over Auburn, Ole Miss and Virginia Tech • Officially visited on Dec. 9, 2022 2023 Projection Mupoyi has been playing football for only two years. Add in the fact that he won't enroll until the summer and it's hard to see him not redshirting in 2023. They Said It St. Thomas More head coach Ernest An- derson: "He has things that you just can't teach, and when you give somebody like Coach [John] Scott this big ball of clay and watch him develop this kid, it's going to be ex- citing for a lot of the fans at Penn State." BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "There's little likelihood that Mupoyi will end up anywhere other than defensive end. His big, physical frame makes him more in line with a strongside defensive end than a speed rusher off the blind side, but he's still got the physi- cal tools to play either position at Penn State." T H E M U P O Y I F I L E