Penn State Sports Magazine
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A P R I L 2 0 2 3 5 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P hiladelphia cornerback Kenny Wose- ley Jr. had long been one of Penn State's top targets in the 2024 re- cruiting class. On March 3, the Nittany Lions received a commitment from the Imhotep Charter standout, who has re- ceived a three-star rating from On3. Woseley had earned his Penn State offer nearly two years ear- lier, in June 2021. A key player on teams that have reached the PIAA Class 5A championship game the past two sea- sons, he has made five visits to State College, including a trip in Janu- ary for a junior day. After that most re- cent visit, Woseley started leaning firmly toward the Lions. He issued a top four in late February that consisted of Penn State, Michigan, Nebraska and Rutgers, but by that point, it was going to be hard for any school to pry him away from PSU. "It just felt right, and it felt like the right time," Woseley said. "They have some guys from Philadelphia on the staff and on the team. There are a lot of guys there from my area. I've felt for a while now that Penn State is the right place for me." Woseley, who is listed at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, was primarily recruited by as- sistant coaches Terry Smith and Deion Barnes. The talented defensive back made a strong connection with Smith, who oversees Penn State's recruiting efforts in Philadelphia and also coaches the corner- back position. Woseley said Smith "cares about his players, on and off the field." "I can say that about the whole coach- ing staff, to be fair," he added. "They're always making sure you're good. But with Coach Terry, he was real consistent with me. He offered me before most schools. "Coach came to both of our state championship games. He came to the school numerous times to see me. He just showed how much he cares." Penn State head coach James Franklin also had a big impact. Woseley said a con- versation with Frank- lin during his most recent junior day visit stuck with him and his family. "I would say I talk to Franklin almost every time Penn State calls me or I call them. He always tries to connect with me," Woseley said. "Even when he's busy and can't, the next time we talk, he makes sure we get on the phone. It wasn't like that with all the other coaches. "Also, just being up there, I remember seeing how active he is with his players. He goes around the locker room and is always making sure guys are good. "He's straight up, too. He told us at the junior day, what you see now isn't who I am as a coach. He was saying if your kid comes to my school, just know I'm going to be hard on him. "But he's not doing it because he's the coach and he has the power. He's doing it because he has love for his guys and he wants to make sure we succeed. That was really special to me." Rated by On3 as the No. 65 cornerback nationally and No. 14 overall player in Pennsylvania, Woseley totaled 28 schol- arship offers the past two years but made it clear that his recruitment is completely wrapped up. "I'm locked in," he said. "I'm with Penn State, 100 percent." ■ Penn State continued to stack defensive recruits in March by adding three-star Phila- delphia cornerback Kenny Woseley Jr. to the 2024 roster. Cornerbacks coach Terry Smith identified him early and never let up in his pursuit. What made Woseley such a high pri- ority? Let's take a look: STRENGTHS Feet and hips: Woseley's quickness allows him to mirror and match players on under- neath routes and double moves. He reacts a bit too much to every move but still stays in phase with receivers. Coverage skills: Imhotep plays a healthy dose of Cover 3, but the team mixes in Cover 2, man coverage and other systems. Woseley is effective in all of them. Tenacity: The real highlights from Wose- ley's tape are his hits. For a player his size (5- 11, 165 pounds), he lays the lumber. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Speed: Deep speed, long speed — what- ever you want to call it, when Woseley is forced to run downfield, he consistently gives up open looks. This is by far the most con- cerning characteristic of his profile. Size: Woseley has good length for his size but isn't very big. That means he's working with borderline arm length for the position. It isn't likely to hold him back, but it won't be a weapon. PROJECTION Slot corner: Woseley reminds me of former PSU cornerback Grant Haley, a smaller player who parlayed his versatility and short-area quickness into an NFL career. The difference between Haley's time at Penn State and Woseley's is that Terry Smith has elevated the entry bar. The Lions have several cornerbacks on their current roster with elite traits. That contrast with Woseley's profile means he needs to continue raising his game. If Smith thinks he can do it, it's a good bet that he can. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N Philadelphia Pipeline Delivers Coveted Cornerback To PSU RYA N S N Y D E R | R YA N. S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M COMMITMENT PROFILE KENNY WOSELEY JR. Wo s e l e y i s t h e N o . 1 4 o v e ra l l p r o s p e c t i n Pennsylvania for the 2024 recruiting cycle, accord- ing to On3. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER