Blue White Illustrated

Penn State earned a verbal commit- ment from Daiquan Kelly of Union City, N.J., Sunday, as he became the 20th re- cruit in Penn State's Class of 2015. At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Kelly has been a two-year starter at wide receiver and at both safety positions for Union City head football coach Wilbur Valdez. Although Kelly is being recruited by Penn State as a linebacker, he is a player who is capable of playing four different positions at the college level – wide re- ceiver, linebacker or either safety spot. Kelly had previously been committed to Syracuse, but he flipped to Penn State upon receiving an offer. By the time Kelly made his decision to attend PSU, he had assembled 16 other verbal scholarship offers. That list in- cluded Boston College, Cincinnati, Illi- nois, Michigan State, Nebraska, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia and Wisconsin. Coach Valdez told BWI's Ryan Snyder that he believes Kelly will fit perfectly into Bob Shoop's defensive philosophy at Penn State. "He's 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds right now and he can really run," Valdez said. "He's very versitile. He can play a lot of different positions. He can be that middle -of-the-field cover-three defender [who is] rangy and can cover his middle third. Or he can be that outside linebacker in a 4-2-5 scheme that comes off the edge or pass drops into the flat. "There are a lot of different things he can bring to the team. He has a combina- tion of size, speed and athleticism that is very rare in kids today. Usually they are either one or the other. He can be a true defensive back with the right coaching and all that, or a true linebacker who can cover the receivers and backs also in the flat." Valdez added that he believes Kelly's potential is only beginning to be tapped. "The sky is the limit for him," Valdez said. "I don't think he's even close to peaking. I think he's going to be a 6-4, 220- or 230-pound linebacker that can do a lot of things. He's going to be a good one." Kelly is a perfect fit for the star position in Shoop's 4-2-5 defense. When I watched Kelly's highlight video from his junior season, I was particularly impressed with his tackling technique and the way he came up in run support from his free safety position. In many ways his highlight video reminded me of present Penn State freshman linebacker Koa Farmer. On offense Kelly surprised me with how he caught the ball with his hands and how he is an athlete fully capable of play- ing multiple positions. Considered an athlete by Rivals.com, Kelly is ranked the 32nd-best at his posi- tion in the Class of 2015 and the 16th- best player in New Jersey's Class of 2015. Personally, I believe Kelly ends up play- ing most of his Penn State career as a 6- 4, 230-pound Will linebacker and fills the star hybrid position in Shoop's 4-2-5 defensive scheme. It's rare you have a player that size with legit 4.55-second 40-yard speed. Kelly is Penn State's third linebacker re- cruit in its Class of 2015, along with Manny Bowen from Barnegat, N.J., and Jake Cooper from Archbishop Wood in Warminster, Pa. PENN STATE RADIO NETWORK WAEB............. 790-AM....... Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton WVAM............ 1430-AM....................................... Altoona WRKY............. 104.9-FM............... Altoona/Hollidaysburg WILK.............. 103.1-FM.........................................Avoca WAYC............. 1600-AM.......................................Bedford WAYC............. 100.9-FM......................................Bedford WBYB............. 103.9-FM.....................................Bradford WCPA............. 900-AM...................................... Clearfield WQYX............. 93.1-FM..................................... Clearfield WZDB.............95.9-FM........................ DuBois/Sykesville WHGL............ 102.9-FM................................ Elmira, N.Y. WPSE............. 1450-AM.............................................Erie WFRA............. 1450-AM...................................... Franklin WGET............. 1320-AM.................................. Gettysburg WJEJ.............. 1240-AM.Hagerstown, Md./Chambersburg Sports Radio..1400-AM...................................Harrisburg Sports Radio..95.3-FM.................................... Harrisburg WKZN............ 1300-AM..................................... Hazleton WLAK............. 103.5-FM................................ Huntingdon WNTJ............. 1490-AM...................................Johnstown WBYB............. 103.9-FM.......................................... Kane WLPA............. 1490-AM....................................Lancaster WNPV.............1440-AM.....................................Lansdale WLBR............. 1270-AM..................................... Lebanon WMRF............ 95.7-FM.................................... Lewistown WMGW...........1490-AM....................................Meadville WJST.............. 1280-AM.....................New Castle/Sharon WVNJ............. 1160-AM.......................... New York Metro WNTP............. 990-AM..................................Philadelphia KQV............... 1410-AM................................... Pittsburgh WAVT..............101.9-FM.................................... Pottsville WPPA............. 1360-AM.....................................Pottsville WRAW............ 1340-AM...................................... Reading WBZU.............910-AM....................................... Scranton WBYB............. 103.9-FM................................. Smethport WQWK............1450-AM.............................. State College WBUS.............93.7-FM................................State College WZDD............ 101.3-FM....................Stratonville/Clarion WKOK............ 1070-AM...................................... Sunbury WLLI.............. 990-AM...................................... Somerset WTIV.............. 1230-AM..................................... Titusville WHGL.............100.3-FM............................... Troy/Canton WTRN.............1340-AM......................................... Tyrone WTRN.............100.7-FM........................................ Tyrone WNBT............. 104.5-FM...................................Wellsboro WNBQ............ 92.3-FM....................Wellsboro/Mansfield WILK.............. 980-AM................................. Wilkes-Barre WKSB.............102.7-FM.............................. Williamsport WSBA............. 910-AM.............................................. York WJST.............. 1280-AM........................Youngstown, Ohio S E P T E M B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 4 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 9 'Sky is the limit' for PSU's newest verbal commitment R E C R U I T I N G P H I L   G R O S Z     | B L U E W H I T E I L L U S T R A T E D EARNING A SPOT Kelly, who com- mitted Sept. 14, is being recruited as a linebacker. Tim Owen

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