Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1520787
4 8 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M June 14-16 The third weekend of the month is when the staff plans to bring in all 13 of its committed players, along with a handful of uncommitted prospects who the staff believes will bond well with those already on board. Franklin and his staff have taken this approach for years, and it has often worked to their advantage. All of the uncommitted players ex- pected to attend have earned four-star grades in the On3 Industry Ranking. Three of them — tight end Andrew Olesh, offensive lineman Michael Car- roll and wide receiver Taz Williams Jr. — either reside in Pennsylvania or have ties to the state. Olesh, who plays at Southern Lehigh in Center Valley, Pa., has family members who graduated from Penn State. Listed as the No. 177 overall prospect and No. 9 tight end in the On3 Industry Ranking, he's visited often during the past year. Many believe the Nittany Lions are the team to beat, but Alabama and Michigan, among others, are pushing hard for his commitment. Carroll is a Penn State legacy pros- pect. His father, Mike, played line- backer for the Nittany Lions in the mid-1990s. However, as with Olesh, both the Crimson Tide and Wolverines are serious contenders to land the four- star Doylestown, Pa., prospect. Olesh C L A S S O F 2 0 2 5 C O M M I T M E N T S * Name Pos Ht Wt Rating** Home School Owen Aliciene OT 6-7 270 HHHH Avon, Conn. Avon Old Farms Kiandrea Barker RB 5-11 185 HHH Beebe, Ark. Miami (Fla.) Central Dayshaun Burnett LB 6-3 215 HHH Pittsburgh Imani Christian Academy Tiqwai Hayes RB 5-10 190 HHH Aliquippa, Pa. Aliquippa Alvin Henderson RB 5-9 195 HHHH Elba, Ala. Elba Matt Henderson TE 6-5 208 HHHH Powhatan, Va. Powhatan Bekkem Kritza QB 6-5 185 HHH Boulder, Colo. Miami (Fla.) Central DJ McClary LB 6-1 210 HHHH Jersey City, N.J. Henry Snyder Brady O'Hara TE 6-6 255 HHH Pittsburgh North Catholic Lyrick Samuel WR 6-4 170 HHHH Brooklyn, N.Y. Erasmus Alex Tatsch LB 6-2 215 HHHH Latrobe, Pa. Greater Latrobe Xxavier Thomas CB 5-10 160 HHH Canonsburg, Pa. Central Catholic Michael Troutman IOL 6-3 275 HHH Wayne, N.J. DePaul Catholic C L A S S O F 2 0 2 6 C O M M I T M E N T * Name Pos Ht Wt Rating** Home School Messiah Mickens RB 5-10 195 HHHH Harrisburg, Pa. Harrisburg * As of May 10 | ** On3 player rating as of May 10 Four-star wide receiver Taz Williams lives in Red Oak, Texas, but he grew up in Pittsburgh and has trained with current Nittany Lion players Quinton Martin Jr. and Ta'Mere Robinson. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER