Blue White Illustrated

September 2017

Penn State Sports Magazine

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visits to University Park. The Rivals250 prospect, who checks in at 6-1, 208 pounds, earned two dozen scholarship o6ers before narrowing his list to 10 schools: Penn State, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina, North Car- olina State, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions also added a special- ist in kicker Jake Pinegar. A native of Ankeny, Iowa, Pinegar emerged as a seri- ous scholarship contender in June when he attended one of the sta6's satellite camps at Northern Illinois. Special teams coordinator Charles Hu6 was so im- pressed that he invited Pinegar to campus for the Whiteout Camp and Lasch Bash. A8er a second impressive performance, Penn State extended an o6er to Pinegar before he le8 campus following the bar- becue. By the time he got back to Iowa, Pinegar knew that this opportunity was too good to pass up. "I basically chose them because of everything I saw," said Pinegar, who at- tends Centennial High. "The sta6, the players, they're all family. They make you feel at home from day one. They gen- uinely care about you, and that's impor- tant to me. "They also have a very high level of ac- ademics, which is huge to me. I've always wanted to get away and write my own story, so this gives me a chance to do that with one of the best teams in the country. Honestly, my visit was amazing. Every- one was super friendly and it's all one big family there. Their facilities are also some of the best in the country. There isn't a better place to go." Two days later, July 18, the Nittany Lions added another four-star prospect to their defensive back5eld, as Imhotep Charter safety Isheem Young announced his com- mitment. The 5-10, 204-pound Philadel- phia native had narrowed his list to Penn State, Alabama, Clemson, Maryland, Ohio State and West Virginia, but it was always clear that the Nittany Lions were heavy favorites, as he took seven uno7cial visits to University Park dating back to February 2016. Of his top schools, Maryland, Ohio State and West Virginia were the only other programs to earn visits. "I picked Penn State because I love the academics there and the coaches," Young said. "I think it's a great 5t for me. I think I'll be able to play my freshman year." A member of the Rivals250, Young was the 5nal player to commit to Penn State in July, but the sta6 continued its hot streak when preseason practice began, adding three linemen in the 5rst two weeks of NAME POS HT WT RATING HOME SCHOOL Shaquon Anderson-Butts WR 6-0 197 ★★★ Harrisburg, Pa. Harrisburg Nana Asiedu OL 6-5 260 ★★★★ Stafford, Va. North Stafford Judge Culpepper DE 6-5 265 ★★★★ Tampa, Fla. Plant 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 Daniel George WR 6-1 208 ★★★★ Oxon Hill, Md. Oxon Hill Aeneas Hawkins DT 6-3 260 ★★★★ Cincinnati, Ohio Moeller Charlie Katshir LB 6-3 190 ★★★ Mechanicsburg, Pa. Cumberland Valley Zack Kuntz TE 6-7 218 ★★★★ Camp Hill, Pa. Camp Hill Will Levis QB 6-4 222 ★★★ Middletown, Conn. Xavier Jesse Luketa LB 6-3 225 ★★★★ Erie, Pa. Mercyhurst Prep Jordan Miner DB 6-1 180 ★★★★ Wesley Chapel, Fla. Wiregrass P.J. Mustipher DT 6-4 292 ★★★★ Owings Mills, Md. McDonogh School Jake Pinegar K 6-3 195 ★★ Ankeny, Iowa Centennial Juice Scruggs OL 6-3 270 ★★★★ Erie, Pa. Cathedral 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 Isheem Young DB 5-10 204 ★★★★ Philadelphia, Pa. Imhotep Charter * As of Aug. 13 V E R B A L C O M M I T M E N T S *

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