Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
1 0 0 A U G U S T 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 Penn State assistant coach Deion Barnes picked up his first defensive tackle commitment for the class of 2025 on July 9 with the addition of Miami Central's Randy Adirika. A three-star prospect according to On3's scouts, Adirika totaled nearly 20 scholarship offers before ultimately tak- ing official visits to Penn State, Miami and USC in June. Many observers expected him to stay home and play for the Hurricanes, but his relationship with Penn State's staff, par- ticularly Barnes and running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider, along with his excitement about how he fits into their defensive scheme, led Adirika to choose the Nit- tany Lions instead. "The environment, their style of foot- ball, the way they develop players and the winning culture are the main reasons I committed to Penn State," Adirika told On3. "I was there only twice so far, but the atmosphere is amazing, and the people are what stand out." The 6-foot-3, 280-pound Miami na- tive said the choice was a difficult given how aggressively he was being pursued by the Hurricanes and Tro- jans, but his faith in the Nittany Lion coaches proved persuasive. "The staff is amazing," Adirika said. "Everyone is very down-to-earth, and they're genuine people. Coach Deion Barnes did a very good job recruiting me, and I trust and believe he can help me get to the next level." As a junior at Miami Central, Adirika totaled 16 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 11 games, and he had a forced a fumble. In the On3 Industry Ranking, which combines On3's evaluation with the grades from three other major recruiting websites, Adirika has received an 88.35 rating, which makes him a high three-star prospect. He's listed as the nation's No. 471 overall prospect and No. 45 defensive tackle in the On3 Industry Ranking, as well as the No. 62 player in Florida. — Ryan Snyder COMMITMENT PROFILE RANDY ADIRIKA South Florida Defensive Lineman Is Headed North Randy Adirika is an attacking, active defensive lineman. He put together some very good film as a junior playing at Miami Central, and he's going up against top competition. What really sticks out to me is his ability to get upfield and his ef- fort level. When you watch his film, you see a guy who goes full speed at all times. If you're projecting Adirika long-term, you'll probably like him as a three-technique. He's around 6-2 and a half, 280, so he's not really elite in terms of his length or frame, but he makes up for it with his effort level, his quick- ness and his ability to finish behind the line of scrimmage. We really liked his junior film, and we're looking forward to seeing more from him. He's a good get from South Florida for Penn State and a guy who can certainly create some disruption in the interior. — Charles Power, On3 director of scouting and rankings P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N Coach James Franklin and his staff were able to lock up a familiar name on July 4 when three-star linebacker LaVar Arrington II of Charter Oak High in Co- vina, Calif., announced his commitment to Penn State. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Arrington is, of course, the son of one of the great- est linebackers in Nittany Lion football history. LaVar Arrington was an All- American who won the Butkus and Bed- narik awards during his tenure at PSU in the late 1990s and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022. The younger Arrington said during his recruitment that he was grateful for his father's guidance but added that he didn't feel as though he was being steered toward the Nittany Lions. "Having him helps me with making a decision," Arrington said. "He not only went through what I went through, but he's smart and has a football mind, too, so it's not like he's pressuring me to go to Penn State or anything like that. This is strictly my decision." A r r i n g to n p i c ke d up his first offer, from Oregon State, in April 2023. In the year that followed, he earned 17 total scholarship offers, with Penn State joining the chase last Novem- ber. More than a dozen of his offers came from Power Four pro- grams, including Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon and Washington. Arrington had 65 tackles and 12 sacks in 13 games as a junior at Charter Oak in 2023, adding 9 quarterback hurries, an interception and a blocked punt. Wear- ing his father's familiar No. 11 jersey for the Chargers, he was deployed primarily as a standup defensive end. For the most part, he kept his recruit- ment quiet; on On3's Visit Center, he's listed as having taken only three visits. In reality, he's made many additional trips over the years. Arrington and his family often made private visits to the school, preferring those to bigger events like ju- nior days. He did, however, return for the Blue-White Game in April. Arrington is listed by On3's scouts as the No. 42 linebacker nationally and No. 36 prospect in California. — Ryan Snyder COMMITMENT PROFILE LAVAR ARRINGTON II Legacy Prospect Brings Versatility To Lions' Defense Athletically, I'm comfortable with LaVar Ar- rington II playing linebacker. I don't always feel that way about tweener guys who have those type of characteristics; they might lean more toward defensive end. Arrington might eventu- ally lean that way, too, but you want a guy who has flexibility. If you have the ability to play two different positions, it gives you options. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N