Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1495456
5 8 A P R I L 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 Penn State may be primarily focused on assembling its 2024 recruiting class, but James Franklin and his staff have already extended offers to more than 150 rising juniors. Those efforts were rewarded with a commitment on Jan. 30 when offensive tackle Jae'lyne Matthews of Toms River, N.J., announced that he had chosen the Nittany Lions. Matthews has received a four-star rating from On3 and is expected to be one of the nation's top offensive linemen in the 2025 class. Listed at 6-foot-5, 273 pounds, he is ranked No. 4 nationally at his position according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He's listed No. 47 overall and is the top-ranked player in New Jersey. Beyond Matthews, there's an abundance of top prospects throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. In Pennsylvania, a hand- ful of prospects have emerged, especially on defense. At the top of the list is athlete Anthony Sacca, son of former Penn State quarterback Tony Sacca. The 6-2, 215-pound Sacca has been a defensive standout at safety for St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia the past two seasons. He holds a four-star rat- ing and is expected to be one of the most coveted prospects in the region. Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and Tennessee are just a few of the schools Penn State will have to beat out. Sacca has made four visits to Penn State since January 2022, more than he's taken to any other school. Other notable Keystone State prospects include defensive end Zahir Mathis of Philadelphia, linebacker Dayshaun Bur- nett of Pittsburgh and running back Tiqwai Hayes of Aliquippa. Mathis has yet to visit many schools, but he did travel to State College last April. The 6-5, 230-pound edge rusher from Imho- tep Charter has the potential to be a five-star player, but it's too early to get a read on any favorites. Both Burnett and Hayes have been regular visitors to Penn State. Hayes, who checks in at 5-10, 190 pounds, has visited PSU eight times since the 2021 season. He's unranked still but holds offers from Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Pitt and West Virginia, among others. Penn State was the first school to extend an offer to Burnett, doing so in June 2022. Already standing 6-2, 200 pounds, he is expected to be a four- star prospect. He's earned nine offers, with Michigan State, Pitt, Rutgers and West Virginia among the schools in pursuit. Burnett has made five visits to Penn State, the most recent being last Oc- tober for the Ohio State game. The only other school he's visited more than once is West Virginia, which welcomed him in January and September of 2022. New Jersey and Maryland are also deep in talent, and Penn State has already extended 34 offers to players in those two states. In addition to Matthews, the Garden State is home to a handful of key targets. Notable players include cornerbacks Omari Gaines and Cameron Miller, linebacker Kamar Archie, running back John Forster and wide receiv- ers De'zie Jones and Lotzeir Brooks. Of those players, Penn State is off to the strongest of starts with Gaines and Forster. Gaines, who plays at Pope John XXIII in Sparta, visited State College four times last year and was expected to return again on March 25. Duke, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Rutgers, Syracuse and West Virginia are also in the mix, but Penn State is considered an early favorite by most industry experts. Forster, who plays at St. Joseph Regional in Montvale, visited for the fifth time on March 18. Listed at 5-10, 185 pounds, he earned an offer from Penn State in April 2022. PSU was the fifth school to offer, following Boston College, Maryland, Syracuse and Rutgers. He's seen his offer count climb to more than 12, the most recent being Tennessee. Top prospects from Maryland include quarterback Malik Washington, running backs Bud Coombs and Iverson Howard, defensive end Jeff Exinor, defensive tackle Trent Wilson and safety Faheem Delane. Washington, a 6-3, 200-pound prospect from Baltimore, has visited Penn State six times already. His most recent trip was in January. Rutgers and Virginia Tech are the only other schools that have hosted him. Coombs' sister Melody is a junior infielder for the Penn State softball team, so he has a family connection to the school. The 5-9, 170-pound running back from DeMatha has earned 11 offers so far, including Georgia Tech, Maryland, Ole Miss and Virginia Tech. Delane, who plays at Good Counsel in Olney, is the highest-ranked player in Maryland, coming in at No. 46 nationally in the On3 Industry Ranking. The Nittany Lions hosted him four times in 2022. Alabama, Maryland, Ohio State and Virginia Tech also got him on campus last year. Penn State Eyes Mid-Atlantic Prospects In 2025 Class RYA N S N Y D E R | R YA N. S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M Anthony Sacca is the son of former Penn State quarterback Tony Sacca and a defensive standout at St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER