Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/686202
have to show accuracy this summer on
short to midrange kicks.
BLAKE
GILLIKIN
P/K, 6-2, 182
Atlanta,
Ga.
The coaches saw all
they needed to see
from Gillikin in the 9-
nal of the Georgia Class AAA tournament
this past fall. In a 38-31 overtime victory
over Blessed Trinity, the Westminster spe-
cialist had punts of 58, 62 and 65 yards.
He also put six kicko;s into the end zone
for touchbacks. The only kicko; that didn't
sail past the goal line was a perfectly exe-
cuted onside kick in the fourth quarter
that his team recovered in order to help
send the game into OT. Additionally,
Gillikin connected on all three 9eld goal
attempts, including a 53-yarder. Franklin
called it "as impressive a performance as
we've ever been around."
Gillikin will be called upon for similar
e;orts during his career at Penn State,
most immediately at punter. Of the new-
comers listed, I believe he has the best
chance of grabbing a starting spot right
away. The Lions 9nished 11th in the Big
Ten last year with an average of only 39.3
yards per punt, and even that was an im-
provement over their league-worst 36.6-
yard average in 2014. One of the team's
biggest needs is for a punter who can pin
the opposing o;ense deep and ":ip the
9eld." Gillikin could also join Barbir in the
battle to handle kicko;s. Either way, it ap-
pears Charles Hu;'s special teams unit is
set to receive a couple necessary upgrades.
MICHAL
MENET
OL, 6-4, 290
Birdsboro, Pa.
I'm reluctant to put
an o;ensive lineman on
this list, given how
rarely true freshmen even see the 9eld,
much less make an impact, at this position
group. But Menet could be an exception.
In July 2014, practicing pass blocking
sets during summer camp, he might have
been the most fundamentally sound o;en-
sive lineman on campus. And he wasn't
even a junior in high school yet.
He's been on Penn State's radar as its top
OL recruit since then, and there's a growing
sentiment that he will have a legitimate
chance to see the 9eld this fall. And it's not
just his growing frame – he weighed almost
290 pounds as of early April – that makes
him a contender. He's also very versatile.
"You'd like to recruit guys that create
:exibility, guys with tackle body types,"
Franklin said. "You want guys who are 6-
foot-4 or taller, who could go in and play
guard. Typically, guards are a little bit
shorter with a little more girth to them,
but the reason, I'm saying all this is that
we want guys who create :exibility in
terms of athleticism, movement, power
and intelligence. I think Menet is one of
those guys."
Although Menet has the size to play
tackle, if he's to see the 9eld this fall, it
will most likely be within the interior of
the line.
MILES
SANDERS
RB, 5-11, 195
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sanders makes this
list just one year a=er
Barkley's inclusion,
and for similar reasons. Both were four-
star recruits and both were considered
the best player in Pennsylvania in their
respective classes. Given his credentials
and his unique skill set, it was tough to
deny Barkley a shot at playing time. Like-
wise, it could be di