Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/847744
Recent success has expanded PSU's sphere of influence I t's an exciting time for Penn State foot- ball fans, especially those who enjoy the twists and turns of recruiting. The Nittany Lions have consistently been among the top programs in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic region. During the coaching tenures of Joe Pa- terno and his successor, Bill O'Brien, Penn State never had any problems pulling in players from Pennsylvania and nearby states. Even a7er the Sandusky scandal, the Lions continued to land fu- ture NFL players such as tight end Jesse James of McKeesport, Pa., and defensive tackle Austin Johnson of Richland, N.J. But in the a7ermath of a Big Ten championship and one of the most memorable Rose Bowls of all time, Penn State has taken its recruiting to a new level, which is evident for all to see, as its Class of 2018 sits in the top 5ve nation- ally according to every recruiting serv- ice. Of course, a lot will change between now and February, when the last mem- bers of the upcoming class sign their letters of intent. But barring a complete collapse this season, this class is on pace to go down as one of the best, maybe the best, in the past two decades. The most noteworthy aspect of the Lions' recent e6orts is the fact that they are truly becoming national players on the recruiting trail. Since James Franklin has taken over the program, we've seen the sta6 make some real inroads in states like Georgia and Alabama. Defensive backs Grant Haley of Atlanta and Christian Campbell of Phenix City, Ala., and defen- sive end Torrence Brown of Tuscaloosa, Ala., all committed in Franklin's 5rst few weeks on the job. He and his sta6 went back to the Atlanta suburbs last year to sign one of the nation's top specialists, punter Blake Gillikin, and they pulled cor- nerback D.J. Brown from the same metro area this past February. Now, they're beginning to get the at- tention of players in two other states that are always recognized as being among the nation's best: Texas and Florida. In the Lone Star State, the Lions have already earned verbal commit- ments from defensive backs Isaiah Humphries and Trent Gordon in the current recruiting cycle. They've also been in the top 10 for multiple prospects. Just a few years ago, you never saw that. In Florida, four-star cornerback Jor- dan Miner has been speaking highly of Penn State for months. He visited cam- pus in June and had PSU on the short list of schools he was considering heading into early July. (Miner was set to an- nounce his decision on July 6, shortly a7er BWI went to press.) Another four- star prospect, defensive tackle Judge Culpepper, visited in April and was planning to return July 12-13. The Lions have a real chance with Culpepper, and also with one of California's fastest-ris- ing players, linebacker Jack Lamb. Those inside the Lasch Building have also taken notice of this recent surge. During the Penn State Coaches Caravan in May, Franklin was asked about how last year's success helped reshape the perceptions that potential recruits have of PSU. He said that the biggest impact has been to open doors in parts of the country where Penn State might not NAME POS HT WT RATING HOME SCHOOL Nana Asiedu OL 6-5 260 ★★★★ Stafford, Va. North Stafford Trent Gordon DB 6-0 175 ★★★★ Manvel, Texas Manvel Dorian Hardy DE 6-4 235 ★★★★ Paramus, N.J. Paramus Catholic Isaiah Humphries DB 5-11 185 ★★★ Sachse, Texas Sachse Bryce Effner OL 6-5 282 ★★★ Aurora, Ill. Metea Valley 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 Justin Shorter WR 6-4 210 ★★★★ Monmouth Junction, N.J. South Brunswick Antwan Reed OL 6-5 334 ★★★★ Muskegon, Mich. Muskegon Ricky Slade RB 5-9 195 ★★★★ Woodbridge, Va. C.D. Hylton Nick Tarburton LB 6-4 240 ★★★★ Perkasie, Pa. Pennridge * As of July 2 V E R B A L C O M M I T M E N T S *