Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1499919
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 3 51 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M E veryone knew Penn State wasn't finished at Mandarin High School after earning a commitment from On3 four-star cornerback Jon Mitchell on April 1. The Nittany Lions wanted Mitchell's fellow cornerback Antoine Belgrave-Shorter, too. After a short wait, they got their man. The two defensive backs from Jack- sonville, Fla., had visited Penn State in early April. Mitchell immediately com- mitted, but Belgrave-Shorter, a three- star prospect according to On3, made it clear that he needed more time to think about his decision. He eventually joined his teammate, announcing his commit- ment publicly on April 10 after a Zoom call with the coaching staff. B e l g rave - S h o r te r 's re c r u i t m e n t picked up substantially following his junior season. The 6-foot, 175-pound prospect visited Penn State on Oct. 22 for the White Out game against Min- nesota and two weeks later picked up his first Power Five offer, from Kentucky. PSU extended its offer to him on Jan. 16, and beat out Kentucky, Florida State, Miami, Ole Miss and South Carolina. Mandarin High assistant coach Ca- vonte Campbell said that Belgrave- Shorter is comparable physically to the 5-11, 175-pound Mitchell. "Both of those guys have the proto- typical size these days, with the long arms and the speed," Campbell said. "If I had to differentiate them a little bit, I think both guys are physical, but Antoine has a bit more of a college body already. "I'd say Antoine is a bit more physi- cal. He's a great tackler in space. When- ever I need him to get it done, Antoine gets it done. I think his tackling is very impressive for a cornerback. "With Jon, I'd give him maybe a slight advantage with his hips. But even then, they're both excellent there. "There's not much I can really say they need to improve on. They're both incredible tacklers. They both have great ball skills, but if I had to give them an edge anywhere, I'd say Antoine is a bit more physical, while Jon has a bit more of that long-range speed." Appearing in the On3 Industry Rank- ing as the No. 61 cornerback nationally and No. 83 prospect in Florida, Bel- grave-Shorter was recruited by Penn State assistant coach Terry Smith. Campbell and Smith were acquainted with each other prior to the 2024 re- cruiting cycle. In 2022, Penn State signed cornerback Cam Miller of Fer- dandina Beach, Fla., another of Camp- bell's pupils. That relationship came into play in the Lions' pursuit of Mitch- ell and Belgrave-Shorter. "I've been telling those guys that I trust Coach Terry and Coach [James] Franklin," Campbell said. "When I first met Coach Terry, he was very person- able, very up-front. He's just very easy to talk with. I really respect how he shoots you straight." ■ Florida Cornerback Joins Teammate In Nittany Lions' Class 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 ANTOINE BELGRAVE-SHORTER Penn State locked up another critical part of its 2024 class with three-star cornerback Antoine Belgrave-Shorter. The Florida native has received a three-star rating from the major recruiting sites, but the tape says he's a high-quality pros- pect who will fit nicely into PSU's defense. STRENGTHS Man coverage: Belgrave-Shorter has the hips to change direction and the feet to keep himself in phase with receivers downfield. His size (6- foot, 175 pounds) also allows him to play with strength in press situations at the line. He's thicker than teammate Jon Mitchell and is a quality complement. Ball skills: He can catch the ball when it's thrown to him. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll be an interception magnet at Penn State, but it's a good sign. Tackling/pursuit: Belgrave-Shorter is a high- effort defender who won't give up on a play. Instead, he routinely tries to chase down plays from the opposite side of the field. His size, de- sire and tenacity will be even more advantageous when he's learned about block destruction. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Speed: Belgrave-Shorter ran an 11.67-second 100-meter dash as a sophomore. While he's not slow, he'll have to work on his speed to stick at outside cornerback and use his considerable skills at that position. Zone coverage: More than anything, he just needs experience playing an area instead of playing a man and reading route combinations while looking at the quarterback. There's a lot of information to process, and if you're not used to it, it takes time. PROJECTION Outside cornerback: Belgrave-Shorter has the feet and hips to play cornerback at Penn State. His skills in man coverage rival that of Mitchell. He's a tad too aggressive pressing at the line of scrimmage, but he still dominates that space. Field safety: Belgrave-Shorter doesn't lack speed, but he is a step behind the top players at his position. Penn State is becoming a destination for those kinds of athletes, so if he ends up sliding inside to play field safety, it wouldn't be a shock. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N Belgrave-Shorter committed to Penn State nine days after Mandarin (Fla.) High teammate Jon Mitchell chose the Nittany Lions. PHOTO COURTESY BELGRAVE-SHORTER FAMILY