Showing posts with label Recruiting Board. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recruiting Board. Show all posts

Monday, October 5, 2009

Recruit No. 19 is a big one


Penn State's 2010 recruiting class continues to emerge as one of the top in the nation, as Stamford(CT)Stamford H.S. linebacker Khairi Fortt (☆☆☆☆Scout; ☆☆☆☆Rivals) followed through today on his anticipated commitment to play for the Nittany Lions.

With Fortt's commitment, Penn State has jumped to No. 2 nationally in Scout.com's team recruiting class rankings. The Rivals.com rankings have not been updated with Penn State's new addition, so expect a jump there by the end of the day. Penn State is currently No. 6 nationally.

Fortt was being heavily courted earlier this year by some pretty elite programs, including Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee and USC. But the past few weeks, it came down to Georgia and Penn State. Before news broke that Fortt would come to Happy Valley, an interesting storyline (H/T: BSD) was developing down south. You see, Georgia was ahead of Penn State in Fortt's mind for a while, and everything looked to be good for the Bulldogs. That is, until this happened...

"Fortt made his official visit to Georgia [on Sept. 12, and] said his mind changed when, on two different occasions, the players who were put in charge of showing him around abandoned him. On one instance, Fortt was left to wander the campus by himself early in the morning.

"Two guys left me," Fortt said. "I was left at a dorm party with people I didn't know. Once I was just walking alone in the streets. Georgia is a school in the south, in a top conference, the SEC, the weather is warm, I have a lot of family there and the academics are good. It was all how I connected with the players."
Dear Georgia,

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Penn State


Penn State's class is getting full now, with only a select few spots left for 2010. Who's next? This could be Penn State's highest-ranked recruiting class in decades, even higher than the famed bust of 2000.

For more on Penn State recruiting, check out the Recruiting Board.

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Friday, July 10, 2009

2010 recruiting smörgåsbord, pt. 2: Booyah!


And to think, we're not even halfway through July.

Today, St. Mary's quarterback Robert Bolden (☆☆☆☆ Scout; ☆☆☆☆ Rivals) gave his verbal commitment to play for Penn State in 2010; he had 19 scholarship offers from across the nation. Earlier this week, Levi Norwood (Jordan's brother/☆ Scout; NR Rivals) said he would join the Lions next season.

But that's not even the tip of the iceberg, folks. It could get better, much better before the end of the month.

Manheim Central (PA) receiver Dakota Royer (☆☆☆ Scout; ☆☆☆☆ Rivals), State College athlete Alex Kenney (☆☆☆ Scout; ☆☆☆☆ Rivals), North Hunterdon (NJ) tight end Kevin Haplea (☆☆☆☆ Scout; ☆☆☆ Rivals), and Stamford (CT) linebacker Khairi Fortt (☆☆☆☆ Scout; ☆☆☆☆ Rivals) are all expected to commit to Penn State before July is out.

Just in case you wanted a little icing on your recruiting cake, today Scout.com vaulted Penn State's 2010 Recruiting Class to No. 5 in the nation. Penn State's two five-star commits (according to Scout's ratings) is tied for the national high, with Texas (No. 1), Alabama (No. 2) and Ohio State (No. 16). Rivals has not yet released its 2010 Team Recruiting Rankings; if they did, I can't find it anywhere.

Like I said: Booyah!

For more on Penn State recruiting, check out our Recruiting Board.

More below the fold...

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Penn State Football Recruiting Board


Updated Oct. 20

(Print this chart)


(Print this chart)

More below the fold...

Recruiting Board & Final thoughts


◊ Was it a great haul? Maybe. Was it a very good one? Totally.

I've been telling people all day, that this is the kind of recruiting class that pays big dividends down the road. There are eight or nine guys that could step in and contribute right away in 2009, while others will benefit from a redshirt year, much in the way Stephfon Green did in 2007. Penn State addressed every need going into this season, particularly at WR and DB. There was a lot made of Jelani Jenkins passing over PSU for Florida, but he wasn't a need this year.

I think the biggest pickup, outside of landing Kevin Newsome a few weeks ago, was WR Justin Brown. From what I hear and have seen on highlight tapes, he's a fantastic receiver prospect. Penn State went big this year on WRs, with every one of them being at least 6'2" with good speed. It would have been nice to pick up another QB, though, even a two-star kid. Depth there is still troublesome.

But moving on.

In the defensive backfield, Derrick Thomas, Stephon Morris and Darrell Givens could see playing time right away, either on special teams or in mop-up duty. With so many losses on both sides of the passing game, Penn State did very well for itself today. And with that, I introduce to you, Penn State's freshman class of 2009:


Pos._Name_____________StarsVerbalHT/WT/40Hometown/School
QB Kevin Newsome4/412/16/086'3"/215/4.55Portsmouth(VA)/Churchland
RB Curtis Dukes4/37/2/086'2"/235/4.5Philadelphia/IndianRiver
WR Justin Brown4/42/04/096'3"/209/4.35Wilmington(DE)/Concord
WR Brandon Felder3/35/27/086'3"/165/4.5OxonHill(MD)/OxonHill
WR Shawney Kersey3/31/19/096'2"/180/4.5Woodbury(NJ)/Woodbury
WR Christian Kuntz2/27/4/086'4"/190/4.46CampHill/Trinity
OL Eric Shrive5/45/15/086'7"/290/5.1Scranton/WestScranton
OL Mark Arcidiacono4/24/30/086'5"/285/--Philadelphia/St.Joe's
OL Ty Howle3/33/23/086'2"/290/5.4Bunn(NC)/Bunn
OL Adam Gress3/37/2/086'7"/290/5.22WestMifflin/WestMifflin
OL Nate Cadogan3/37/11/086'6"/250/5.0Portsmouth(OH)/Portsmouth
OL Frank Figueroa2/25/15/086'4"/275/--Alexandria(VA)/Edison
OL John Urschel2/21/19/096'3"/275/5.1Buffalo(NY)/Canisius
DL Sean Stanley3/42/04/096'1"/247/4.81Gaithersburg(MD)/Gaithersburg
LB Glenn Carson4/39/29/086'3"/220/4.6Manahawkin(NJ)/Southern
LB Gerald Hodges4/412/12/086'3"/210/4.5Paulsboro(NJ)/Paulsboro
DE/TE Gary Gilliam3/211/13/086'7"/245/4.80Hershey/MiltonHershey
DE Jordan Hill2/201/5/086'3"/290/4.70Steelton/Highspire
CB Derrick Thomas3/45/12/086'0"/173/4.48Greenbelt(MD)/E.Roosevelt
CB Stephon Morris3/35/26/085'9"/175/4.4Greenbelt(MD)/E.Roosevelt
CB Curtis Drake3/26/11/086'0"/170/4.68Philadelphia/WestPhila.Cath.
DB Ste. ObengAgyapong3/35/9/085'11"/185/4.5Cheektowaga(NY)/JFK
DB Malcolm WIllis3/34/29/086'1"/185/4.65IndianHead(MD)/Lackey
DB Darrell Givens4/45/10/086'1"/178/4.5IndianHead(MD)/Lackey
DB/WR Devon Smith3/310/1/085'8"/145/4.34Waldorf(MD)/Westlake
DB Mike Wallace2/--1/22/095'10"/185/4.55Olney(MD)/OLOGC
K Anthony Fera3/310/22/086'2"/230/--Houston(TX)/PiusX

More below the fold...

Recruiting Board, NLOI Signing Day


◊ Key uncommitted: LB Jelani Jenkins, WR Justin Brown. Hopefully Penn State can land these two guys, and catapult the 2009 class into the top 7 or 6 nationally. If PSU doesn't get them, well, it's not the end of the world. This is still a fantastic class, provided we sign all of the commits so far. The latest recruiting board:


Name_______________StarsCommittedHT/WT/40Hometown/School
QB Kevin Newsome4/412/16/086'3"/215/4.55Portsmouth(VA)/Churchland
RB Curtis Dukes4/37/2/086'2"/235/4.5Philadelphia/IndianRiver
WR Brandon Felder3/35/27/086'3"/165/4.5OxonHill(MD)/OxonHill
WR Shawney Kersey3/31/19/096'2"/180/4.5Woodbury(NJ)/Woodbury
WR Christian Kuntz2/27/4/086'4"/190/4.46CampHill/Trinity
OL Eric Shrive5/45/15/086'7"/290/5.1Scranton/WestScranton
OL Mark Arcidiacono4/24/30/086'5"/285/--Philadelphia/St.Joe's
OL Ty Howle3/33/23/086'2"/290/5.4Bunn(NC)/Bunn
OL Adam Gress3/37/2/086'7"/290/5.22WestMifflin/WestMifflin
OL Nate Cadogan3/37/11/086'6"/250/5.0Portsmouth(OH)/Portsmouth
OL Frank Figueroa2/25/15/086'4"/275/--Alexandria(VA)/Edison
OL John Urschel2/21/19/096'3"/275/5.1Buffalo(NY)/Canisius
DL Sean Stanley3/4Soft6'1"/247/4.81Gaithersburg(MD)/Gaithersburg
LB Glenn Carson4/39/29/086'3"/220/4.6Manahawkin(NJ)/Southern
LB Gerald Hodges4/412/12/086'3"/210/4.5Paulsboro(NJ)/Paulsboro
DE/TE Gary Gilliam3/211/13/086'7"/245/4.80Hershey/MiltonHershey
DE Jordan Hill2/201/5/086'3"/290/4.70Steelton/Highspire
CB Derrick Thomas3/45/12/086'0"/173/4.48Greenbelt(MD)/E.Roosevelt
CB Stephon Morris3/35/26/085'9"/175/4.4Greenbelt(MD)/E.Roosevelt
CB/QB Curtis Drake3/26/11/086'0"/170/4.68Philadelphia/WestPhila.Cath.
DB S. ObengAgyapong3/35/9/085'11"/185/4.5Cheektowaga(NY)/JFK
DB Malcolm WIllis3/34/29/086'1"/185/4.65IndianHead(MD)/Lackey
DB Darrell Givens4/45/10/086'1"/178/4.5IndianHead(MD)/Lackey
DB/WR Devon Smith3/310/1/085'8"/145/4.34Waldorf(MD)/Westlake
DB Mike Wallace2/--1/22/095'10"/185/4.55Olney(MD)/OLOGC
K Anthony Fera3/310/22/086'2"/230/--Houston(TX)/PiusX

More below the fold...

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Recruiting Board, Jan. 22; PSU adds No. 26

Added since last update: Commit No. 26, DB Mike Wallace from Maryland. Wallace is a decent two-star prospect, but not very tall or fast (5'10", 185lbs, 4.55 40). But he's a good addition to the depth chart. He was being recruited by Stanford, New Hampshire, Army and Towson (offers). Larry Johnson, Sr. brought him on board.


Name_______________StarsCommittedHT/WT/40Hometown/School
QB Kevin Newsome4/412/16/086'3"/215/4.55Portsmouth(VA)/Churchland
RB Curtis Dukes4/37/2/086'2"/235/4.5Philadelphia/IndianRiver
WR Brandon Felder3/35/27/086'3"/165/4.5OxonHill(MD)/OxonHill
WR Shawney Kersey3/31/19/096'2"/180/4.5Woodbury(NJ)/Woodbury
WR Christian Kuntz2/27/4/086'4"/190/4.46CampHill/Trinity
OL Eric Shrive5/45/15/086'7"/290/5.1Scranton/WestScranton
OL Mark Arcidiacono4/24/30/086'5"/285/--Philadelphia/St.Joe's
OL Ty Howle3/33/23/086'2"/290/5.4Bunn(NC)/Bunn
OL Adam Gress3/37/2/086'7"/290/5.22WestMifflin/WestMifflin
OL Nate Cadogan3/37/11/086'6"/250/5.0Portsmouth(OH)/Portsmouth
OL Frank Figueroa2/25/15/086'4"/275/--Alexandria(VA)/Edison
OL John Urschel2/21/19/096'3"/275/5.1Buffalo(NY)/Canisius
DL Sean Stanley3/4Soft6'1"/247/4.81Gaithersburg(MD)/Gaithersburg
LB Glenn Carson4/39/29/086'3"/220/4.6Manahawkin(NJ)/Southern
LB Gerald Hodges4/412/12/086'3"/210/4.5Paulsboro(NJ)/Paulsboro
DE/TE Gary Gilliam3/211/13/086'7"/245/4.80Hershey/MiltonHershey
DE Jordan Hill2/201/5/086'3"/290/4.70Steelton/Highspire
CB Derrick Thomas3/45/12/086'0"/173/4.48Greenbelt(MD)/E.Roosevelt
CB Stephon Morris3/35/26/085'9"/175/4.4Greenbelt(MD)/E.Roosevelt
CB/QB Curtis Drake3/26/11/086'0"/170/4.68Philadelphia/WestPhila.Cath.
DB S. ObengAgyapong3/35/9/085'11"/185/4.5Cheektowaga(NY)/JFK
DB Malcolm WIllis3/34/29/086'1"/185/4.65IndianHead(MD)/Lackey
DB Darrell Givens4/45/10/086'1"/178/4.5IndianHead(MD)/Lackey
DB/WR Devon Smith3/310/1/085'8"/145/4.34Waldorf(MD)/Westlake
DB Mike Wallace2/--1/22/095'10"/185/4.55Olney(MD)/OLOGC
K Anthony Fera3/310/22/086'2"/230/--Houston(TX)/PiusX

More below the fold...

Monday, January 19, 2009

Recruiting Board, Jan. 19; Big haul for PSU

Added since last update: Commit No.'s 24 & 25, and the second commit for 2010. Shawney Kersey (6'2" 180lbs) is the third wide receiver PSU has picked up for this class, and continues PSU's trend of recruiting taller receivers. John Urschel(6'3" 275lbs) is the SEVENTH offensive lineman in the 2009 class.

For 2010, Penn State is already building momentum, landing quarterback Paul Jones (6'2" 212lbs) from McKees Rocks/Sto Rocks. Jones had offers from Iowa, Pitt, West Virginia and Stanford, among others. He joins linebacker Mike Hull (6'1" 200lbs) as the first two for next year's class.


Name_______________StarsCommittedHT/WT/40Hometown/School
QB Kevin Newsome4/412/16/086'3"/215/4.55Portsmouth(VA)/Churchland
RB Curtis Dukes4/37/2/086'2"/235/4.5Philadelphia/IndianRiver
WR Brandon Felder3/35/27/086'3"/165/4.5OxonHill(MD)/OxonHill
WR Shawney Kersey3/31/19/096'2"/180/4.5Woodbury(NJ)/Woodbury
WR Christian Kuntz2/27/4/086'4"/190/4.46CampHill/Trinity
OL Eric Shrive5/45/15/086'7"/290/5.1Scranton/WestScranton
OL Mark Arcidiacono4/24/30/086'5"/285/--Philadelphia/St.Joe's
OL Ty Howle3/33/23/086'2"/290/5.4Bunn(NC)/Bunn
OL Adam Gress3/37/2/086'7"/290/5.22WestMifflin/WestMifflin
OL Nate Cadogan3/37/11/086'6"/250/5.0Portsmouth(OH)/Portsmouth
OL Frank Figueroa2/25/15/086'4"/275/--Alexandria(VA)/Edison
OL John Urschel2/21/19/096'3"/275/5.1Buffalo(NY)/Canisius
DL Sean Stanley3/4Soft6'1"/247/4.81Gaithersburg(MD)/Gaithersburg
LB Glenn Carson4/39/29/086'3"/220/4.6Manahawkin(NJ)/Southern
LB Gerald Hodges4/412/12/086'3"/210/4.5Paulsboro(NJ)/Paulsboro
DE/TE Gary Gilliam3/211/13/086'7"/245/4.80Hershey/MiltonHershey
DE Jordan Hill2/201/5/086'3"/290/4.70Steelton/Highspire
CB Derrick Thomas3/45/12/086'0"/173/4.48Greenbelt(MD)/E.Roosevelt
CB Stephon Morris3/35/26/085'9"/175/4.4Greenbelt(MD)/E.Roosevelt
CB/QB Curtis Drake3/26/11/086'0"/170/4.68Philadelphia/WestPhila.Cath.
DB S. ObengAgyapong3/35/9/085'11"/185/4.5Cheektowaga(NY)/JFK
DB Malcolm WIllis3/34/29/086'1"/185/4.65IndianHead(MD)/Lackey
DB Darrell Givens4/45/10/086'1"/178/4.5IndianHead(MD)/Lackey
DB/WR Devon Smith3/310/1/085'8"/145/4.34Waldorf(MD)/Westlake
K Anthony Fera3/310/22/086'2"/230/--Houston(TX)/PiusX

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