Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
A U G U S T 2 0 2 3 10 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M I t didn't take long for wide re- ceiver Tyseer Denmark to find a new college destination after stepping away from an earlier commitment to Oregon. Denmark, a four-star prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking, an- nounced on June 18 that he was decommitting from the Ducks. He had been at Penn State that week- end for an official visit, and after returning home to Philadelphia, he decided that the Nittany Lions were a better fit. Denmark an- nounced his decision on June 21. A standout at Roman Catholic High, Denmark is the No. 6 pros- pect in Pennsylvania, the No. 51 wideout nationally and No. 296 overall player in the 2024 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Listed at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, he bears a physical resemblance to another recent standout wide receiver from east- ern Pennsylvania, Jahan Dotson. Denmark was in attendance at Beaver Stadium for one of Dotson's better games, a 2021 clash with Auburn in which he caught 10 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown in a 28-20 Nittany Lion victory. Denmark liked what he saw during that visit, especially the White Out atmo- sphere in the stadium. "Man, that was crazy," he said. "I grew up a big Jahan Dotson fan, and I remember watching him that night. He changed a lot about that game and played really well. The crowd was so into it. It was unreal to me. I really saw what that PA love is like that night." Denmark went on to enjoy an outstanding junior season at Ro- man Catholic last fall, totaling 665 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns in six games, averaging 111 receiv- ing yards per contest. One of Penn State's top targets in the 2024 class, he was being pursued by elite schools from all over the country. In addition to Penn State, his original top 12 consisted of Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Rutgers, South Carolina, Tennes- see, Texas, Texas A&M and USC. Denmark committed to Oregon last November, but Penn State remained in contact and got him on campus in June for an official visit. New wide receivers coach Marques Hagans played a key role in his recruitment, and Denmark ultimately be- came the first wideout to commit since Hagans joined the staff in January. "I think relationships have always been the main thing with him the entire time," Roman Catholic head coach Rick Prete told BWI. "It's not just about the logo. He's really been focused on the schools that are focused on him." ■ Philadelphia Wideout Chooses To Stay Closer To Home S E A N F I T Z | S E A N. F I T Z @ O N 3 . C O M COMMITMENT PROFILE TYSEER DENMARK Denmark had been committed to Oregon since November but changed his mind and announced for Penn State in June. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Penn State lured a four-star wideout away from Oregon when it landed a commitment from Tyseer Denmark. While the Philadelphia prospect has fallen slightly in the On3 Industry Ranking, he's still a top-300 player nationally, checking in at No. 296. Here's why PSU fought so hard to keep him in-state: STRENGTHS Separation skills/elusiveness: Denmark has an incredible ability to evade tacklers and create space on routes with agility and burst. It might be the most singularly impressive skill that any player in Penn State's 2024 class possesses. Once he has the ball in his hands, he looks like he's playing flag football because he's untouchable when he's squared up in an open space. Hands: Whether it's catching a slant over the middle or tracking the ball over his shoulder, Denmark has an impressive pair of hands that rarely fail him. He does a good job of catching the ball away from his body and can make receptions in traffic. Playmaking: Early last season against Father Judge High, Denmark scored 3 touchdowns on 3 touches. Father Judge may have been an inferior oppo- nent, but Denmark's playmaking shows up in every game. He was a steady part of the offense and routinely made plays to break open games. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Strength: Denmark can fight for extra yards when players get their hands on him, but he usually goes down. He doesn't have the body type to run through contact and generate broken tackles with force. Speed: It's important to understand that Denmark isn't slow. He's fast enough to be a dynamic option in the passing game, but if you compare him to some of Penn State's other recent receiving prospects, he does not have the game-changing speed that you've seen. PROJECTION Z receiver: Denmark shows enough skills to get the chance to play on the outside before he's pegged as a slot-only player. His ability to create separa- tion can be helpful in getting off the line of scrimmage. Slot receiver: The obvious best fit for Denmark long-term is to operate from the slot regularly. He mostly plays from this position in high school and has the elite short-area quickness to expose holes in zones and defeat man coverage to move the chains. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N