Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1492675
3 6 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 earned one l a s t v i c to r y i n t h e 2023 recruiting cycle when it landed offensive tackle Chimdy Onoh of Dundalk (Md.) High on the tradi- tional February signing day. A four-star prospect in the On3 Consensus, Onoh was the lone player to join the Nittany Lions' class during the late signing period. The 6-foot-5, 275-pound prospect chose the Lions over a list of finalists that included Michigan State, Ole Miss and Rutgers. He visited Penn State in Janu- ary and came away with a great feeling about the school. "When I went there, it pretty much felt like home," Onoh said. "I just saw a lot of genuineness from all the coaches and the players, so I really felt like I would fit in there. From all the stuff the coaches were saying, I really believe they can make me into a great player. I'm excited to be with them." Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein was a regular at Dundalk during the January evaluation period, and James Franklin visited Onoh at his school on Jan. 23. The Nittany Lions' head coach "had a big impact, because he contacts me a lot compared to all the other head coaches," Onoh said. "That was a big factor. I could really tell how much the school valued me just from the head coach being that excited about you. He just shows his excitement all the time. He was always talking to me, calling me, making sure I'm good. "[Trautwein] also contacted me a lot. He was coming to my games and coming to my school and visited a lot. He was always making sure I'm comfortable, answering my questions and stuff like that." Onoh was previously committed to Old Dominion, which is coached by for- mer Penn State offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne. The Monarchs managed to keep him on board from Sept. 1 to Dec. 15. Penn State extended its offer on Dec. 18 after Onoh opened up his recruitment. Onoh said Rahne and his staff "spoke really well of Penn State." "I wouldn't say they were encourag- ing me to go to Penn State," he added, " but they spoke highly of everyone there." One of the top late risers in the 2023 class, Onoh was a tremendous physi- cal presence at the high school level, Dundalk coach Tom Abel said. "The best way I can describe him is as a worker," Abel noted. "He will arrive at Penn State eager to grow and learn. He's excited to be a part of such a great program and contribute in any way he can." ■ OL | 6-5 | 275 Dundalk (Md.) High Baltimore Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Consensus HHHH 296 43 7 On3 HHH — 69 12 ESPN HHHH 285 34 5 Rivals HHH — 97 15 247Sports HHHH 213 28 8 Statistics • Helped Dundalk High compile a 26-4 record during his three seasons as a letterwinner • Was credited with 46 pancake blocks and allowed just 1 sack as a senior • Had 28 pancake blocks as a junior Notable • Was a team captain during the 2022 season • Earned Baltimore County all-region honors his junior and senior years • Received second-team all-state honors as a senior Recruitment • Committed to Penn State on Feb. 1, 2023, and signed his letter of intent that same day • Recruited by offensive line coach Phil Traut- wein and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter • Picked Penn State over Old Dominion, Mich- igan State, Ole Miss and Rutgers • Officially visited Jan. 13, 2023 2023 Projection As with most offensive linemen, Onoh is all but certain to redshirt as a true freshman, giv- ing him an opportunity to pack some additional weight onto his 6-foot-5, 275-pound frame. They Said It BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "With his quick feet and a good frame, Onoh will get the chance to play tackle at Penn State. He's a project player who can become much quicker and more explosive in his lateral and backward movements with proper technique. That pro- jection bodes well for his profile as an edge protector. Alternatively, if he can work on his pad level and fundamentals, there's no reason he couldn't kick inside and play guard if that is the best fit for him long-term." T H E O N O H F I L E Onoh chose the Nittany Lions on Feb. 1 after having previously been commit- ted to Old Dominion. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Chimdy Onoh Nittany Lions' late addition aims to have a lasting impact S E A N F I T Z | S E A N. F I T Z @ O N 3 . C O M