Blue White Illustrated

P enn State took a step in the right di- rection in its push to become a na- tional player on the recruiting trail, as James Franklin and his assistants picked up a commitment in March from Texas prospect Trent Gordon. Following an uno8cial visit to Univer- sity Park on March 15, the four-star cornerback from Manvel made it clear that he was serious about the Nittany Lions. But with schools such as LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Tennessee all making a major push, it was still a surprise when Gordon o8cially chose Penn State on March 29. "When Penn State o7ered at 6rst, I did- n't know much about them. The o7ers were just all coming in still," he said. "As the weeks went on and they kept contact- ing me and I found out more about them, I realized this was actually a powerhouse school. That's when I started falling in love with them." An honor roll student with a 3.6 grade- point average, Gordon knew that of the schools he was considering, Penn State was one of the best academically. But it wasn't until a9er he toured the new Mor- gan Academic Center and met with members of its sta7 that he really under- stood the program's commitment to aca- demics. The combination of a strong academic program and top-level football proved to be exactly what Gordon was looking for. "I think their attitude toward me actu- ally got better a9er seeing me in person," he said. "I can't even describe it because it was such a great feeling just being there. Their whole vibe was so good – the fact that they really enjoyed me as a person and [not] just as a football player. They like me, they like my family and what I'm motivated by. That's what captivated me when it came to how they recruited me – it was about me as a student as well." Gordon, who is listed at 6-foot-0, 175 pounds, became the third prospect from outside the Northeast and mid-Atlantic region to verbally commit to Penn State's 2018 class, joining four-star quarterback Justin Fields of Kennesaw, Ga., and three-star safety Isaiah Humphries of Sachse, Texas. Penn State is also in a strong position with a few other players from outside of its traditional recruiting territory. In early April, Franklin and defensive coordinator Brent Pry extended an o7er to linebacker Jack Lamb of Temecula, Calif. A four-star prospect, Lamb actually grew up rooting for the Nittany Lions, as both of his par- ents graduated from Penn State. Once he Penn State working to expand its base National recruiting efforts produce results, as Texas DB is latest to commit | F O O T B A L L R E C R U I T I N G NAME POS HT WT RATING HOME SCHOOL Chris Bleich OL 6-5 308 ★★★ Plymouth, Pa. Wyoming Valley West Trent Gordon DB 6-0 175 ★★★★ Manvel, Texas Manvel Isaiah Humphries DB 5-11 185 ★★★ Sachse, Texas Sachse Justin Fields QB 6-3 220 ★★★★ Kennesaw, Ga. Harrison Patrick Freiermuth TE 6-5 250 ★★★★ North Andover, Mass. Brooks School Charlie Katshir LB 6-3 190 ★★★ Mechanicsburg, Pa. Cumberland Valley Zack Kuntz TE 6-7 218 ★★★★ Camp Hill, Pa. Camp Hill Jesse Luketa LB 6-3 225 ★★★★ Erie, Pa. Mercyhurst Prep Micah Parsons DE 6-3 235 ★★★★★ Harrisburg, Pa. Harrisburg Justin Shorter WR 6-4 210 ★★★★ Monmouth Junction, N.J. South Brunswick Ricky Slade RB 5-9 195 ★★★★ Woodbridge, Va. C.D. Hylton Nick Tarburton LB 6-4 240 ★★★★ Perkasie, Pa. Pennridge * As of April 9 V E R B A L C O M M I T M E N T S * GORDON

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