Highest ceiling? Hidden gem? Debating the Penn State Nittany Lions’ 2022 recruiting class
The early signing period is almost upon us with Wednesday marking the first day high school football players in the 2022 recruiting class can sign with their respective universities.
That means Penn State head coach James Franklin is set to add a new group of Nittany Lions to his football program. With 25 players currently committed to the Lions, let’s take a look at the superlatives in the class, including the team’s biggest get and who will make the earliest impact on the team.
Best overall player
Jon Sauber: DE Dani Dennis-Sutton
There’s some valiant competition — as there are with all five of these — for this spot but Dennis-Sutton gets the call because of the combination of upside and floor he presents. He’s a safe bet to start down the line for Penn State because of what he’s displayed from an ability and production standpoint as a recruit. The four-star defensive end, who ranks in the top 100 in the 247Sports Composite players rankings, is a good athlete with a good frame and has the look of a player who can add even more strength while still improving his athleticism as a Nittany Lion. Dennis-Sutton is one of the best defensive ends of the country and should be a formidable pass rusher as soon as he steps on the field in college.
Kyle J. Andrews: QB Drew Allar
What more can be said about the 5-star quarterback from Medina, Ohio, that hasn’t already been stated? At 6’4 ½ and 228 pounds, his body is ready for the college game. He makes throws while rolling out of the pocket, he makes them while being stationary, and he can make plays with his feet from time to time. Allar went 305-for-509 passing (59%) for 4,444 yards with 48 touchdowns and seven interceptions his senior season, leading Medina to a 13-1 record and was named Ohio’s Mr. Football award-winner. He also picked up 382 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. Everything about Allar screams box office for the Nittany Lions.
Hidden gem
Jon Sauber: WR Omari Evans
Elite traits are part of the equation in determining how good of a prospect a high school player is and — despite being rated as a three-star recruit — Evans has an elite trait. He’s one of the fastest players in the country and should be one of the fastest Nittany Lions the moment he’s added to the roster. Blue White Illustrated’s Ryan Snyder reported that Evans ran a 4.3 40-yard dash for Penn State head coach James Franklin. That’s the type of game-breaking speed that can open up the field for an offense and force defenses to pay special attention to him when he’s on the field. The rest of his game may need more refinement, but there’s plenty of upside for any player with the type of speed Evans possesses.
Kyle J. Andrews: OT Maleek McNeil
Standing at 6’8, 330 pounds, McNeil has the perfect size for not only a collegiate left tackle, but possibly an NFL left tackle. He has swift feet, is powerful and once he gets going downhill on screens, he’s a menace to stop. One of the most important things about McNeil is his work ethic. The young tackle has consistently dropped weight since being looked at as a major recruit, going down from around 360-370 pounds to his current weight. That work ethic translates to the football field, with McNeil looking to impose his will on every defender he faces. His background in football, basketball and track and field should give him a solid baseline of athleticism. He may need to get a little bit stronger in the upper body, but things are trending in the right direction for the big tackle.
Highest ceiling
Jon Sauber: WR Kaden Saunders
Penn State will be in need of another high-end wide receiver after senior Jahan Dotson presumably leaves for the 2022 NFL Draft. Fortunately for the Lions, they have a receiver coming in who, in the future, may be able to do what Dotson does now. Saunders is a high-end talent who should be able to come in and produce right away thanks to his ability to get open and bring the ball in consistently with good hands. He has some of the same flaws Dotson does now — the lack of size and strength — but like the senior receiver, Saunders also has the athleticism and technique that should allow him to succeed at the highest level in the Big Ten.
Kyle J. Andrews: DE Dani Dennis-Sutton
Sutton has the size, the speed, the quickness and strength that Penn State loves to have in their defensive ends. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound strong side defensive end played high school basketball, following the mold of former Penn State defensive end Odafe Oweh. Dennis-Sutton is very keen on taking care of his body. For a senior in high school, he’s shown the understanding that recovery and nutrition are equally as important as exercise. With that being said, he does three full-body workouts a week and he does cardio or sprints five days a week. That mindset, along with the familiarity of playing with Curtis Jacobs and Dvon Ellies, two of his former McDonogh teammates, gives him a chance to be a high-end player.
Quickest impact
Jon Sauber: RB Nicholas Singleton
There aren’t many positions in college football that can have the type of immediate impact a running back can. That impact can only be multiplied when that running back happens to be one of the best in the country. Singleton enters the program at 6-foot, 210 pounds with a Big Ten ready body and the physicality to take on the role of primary ball carrier for Penn State. The Nittany Lion running game has struggled mightily this season but the high school senior, who is enrolling in January, should be able to come in and impact it in a positive way. He might be the most talented runner in the room as soon as he joins the team and his impact will likely be dictated by how quickly he can refine the finer points — catching passes and pass protection — of playing the position.
Kyle J. Andrews: OL Drew Shelton and JB Nelson
Penn State immediately needs help along its offensive line. It would come as no surprise to see either Drew Shelton or JB Nelson to start somewhere on the line next season. Each player brings a bit of needed intensity to add to the line’s room and both have the athleticism and strength to play inside or outside when needed. Freshman offensive lineman Landon Tengwall made an impact with a number of offensive linemen out due to illness against Rutgers. Shelton has the ability to get to defenders using his length and putting them onto the ground. Nelson, a junior college transfer from Lackawanna, could immediately be a candidate as a starter at guard.
Biggest get
Jon Sauber: QB Drew Allar
It should be no surprise that the biggest get is the quarterback who two recruiting services — On3 and 247Sports — rank as the No. 1 player at his position in the country. Allar is a bona fide five-star quarterbacks who has the traits to not just start at Penn State, but to thrive as a starter for multiple years. He has a big frame at 6-foot-5 and has enough athleticism to navigate the pocket quickly and be a runner when he has to, but the real show is his arm talent. Allar can sling the ball with legitimate velocity downfield and does it from all sorts of arm slots — the types of throws NFL stars like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers make. The high school senior might be a long way from reaching that level, but he has everything you want in a quarterback recruit and it shows in his offers from Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
Kyle J. Andrews: QB Drew Allar
No disagreement here. Everything that Jon said rings true about Allar, down to him being possibly a multiyear starter. The last time in recent memory that Penn State has attracted a quarterback of his caliber was in 2013 when Christian Hackenberg entered the program. The biggest difference is that Allar was recruited by James Franklin and will have some continuity. The best part for his development will be being able to learn behind Sean Clifford for another year while easing into the offense. If Clifford weren’t returning, it’d be safe to say that he would be competing for the starting job in 2022.
