Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/541265
CLASS OF 2016 COMMITMENTS* NAME POS HT WT RANKING HOME SCHOOL Christian Colon DT 6-3 309 ★★★ Charlotte, N.C. Independence Danny Dalton TE 6-5 230 ★★★ Marshfield, Mass. Marshfield Michael Dwumfour DE 6-2 282 ★★ Wayne, N.J. De Paul Catholic Will Fries OL 6-6 265 ★★★★ Cranford, N.J. Cranford Alex Gellerstedt OL 6-7 275 ★★★ Dublin, Ohio Coffman Blake Gillikin P 6-2 185 ★★★ Atlanta, Ga. Westminster Lavert Hill DB 5-11 173 ★★★★ Detroit, Mich. Martin Luther King Ellison Jordan DT 6-0 270 ★★★★ Baltimore, Md. Gilman School Daniel Joseph DT 6-3 240 ★★★ Lake Forest, Ill. Lake Forest Academy Connor McGovern OL 6-5 290 ★★★★ Lehman, Pa. Lake Lehman Senior Zechariah McPhearson CB 6-0 185 ★★★ Upper Marlboro, Md. Riverdale Baptist Michal Menet OL 6-5 268 ★★★★ Reading, Pa. Exeter Township Senior Quinn Nordin PK 6-2 200 ★★★ Rockford, Mich. Rockford Miles Sanders RB 5-11 200 ★★★★ Pittsburgh, Pa. Woodland Hills Shane Simmons DE 6-3 225 ★★★★ Hyattsville, Md. DeMatha Jake Zembiec QB 6-2 205 ★★★★ Rochester, N.Y. Aquinas Institute * As of July 12 | Lions enjoy summer windfall Class grows to 16 members with seven recent verbal commitments P enn State just wrapped up its best recruiting month yet for the Class of 2016, having added seven prospects – yes, you read that correctly – since June 9. Fresh o4 the commitment of four-star o4ensive lineman Michal Menet on May 29, the sta4 had to wait only 11 days to add one of the other o4ensive linemen it coveted most in this year's class: four- star tackle Will Fries of Cranford, N.J. In the weeks leading up to his commit- ment, Fries said that Clemson, Michigan, Northwestern and Rutgers were all under serious consideration. But Penn State was thought to be his leader since December, and that speculation turned out to be ac- curate. "When I looked at everything, the whole package, it all just made sense," Fries said. "They have everything I'm really looking for. It's a great school. I have a really good relationship with my position coach, Coach [Herb] Hand, and I think that this program is well on its way to being a dominant program in the next couple years. It's also close to home, which is very bene3cial for me and my family." In most months, the commitment of a high-pro3le prospect such as Fries would steal the headlines. But with so much ac- tivity in recent weeks, there's been plenty of buzz over other developments, including the addition of three defensive tackles and one defensive end. It all started on June 21, when Michael Dwumfour of Wayne, N.J., picked up an o4er from the coaching sta4 a5er an excellent showing at camp. Leading up to that performance, the 6-foot-2, 282-pound defensive tackle had made it clear that Penn State was one of his favorite schools. His commitment two days later, on June 23, proved that he meant what he said. Dwumfour's announcement set o4 a chain reaction, as defensive tackle Christian Colon of Charlotte, N.C., decided to forgo his original plan, which was to reveal his decision during senior night in November. He ended up committing on June 25. Once four-star defensive tackle Ellison Jordan of Baltimore realized what was happening, he made sure he wasn't going to lose his spot, committing the very next day. "I wouldn't say I was pressured, but with all the stu4 happening, we had to improvise," Jordan said. "With my family and other things, we had to make a decision a little bit earlier. I wouldn't really say it was [just] the numbers, but I really liked F O O T B A L L R E C R U I T I N G