Taking a closer look at each of Penn State football’s 23 signees in the early signing period

Penn State football signed a class that currently ranks No. 7 in the country, according to the On3 consensus team rankings, and many of those players put pen to paper Wednesday.

Here’s everything you need to know about the future Nittany Lions that sent in their National Letters of Intent on the first day of the early signing period.

1. QB Drew Allar, 5 stars

Height/weight: 6-5/230

School (Hometown): Medina (Medina, Ohio)

Synopsis: Allar is the crown jewel of the 2022 recruiting class, and frankly may go down as the most important commit in Franklin’s tenure as the program’s head coach. He’s an elite quarterback, who committed in March.

The five-star quarterback led Medina to the regional finals this season after throwing for 2,937 yards and 31 touchdowns on 200-of-306 passing while only throwing four interceptions. He’s a strong-armed quarterback who can get the ball wherever he needs to, while having the ability to use different arm angles to squeeze passes into tight windows.

It seemed like there might be a chance for Allar to start in 2022, but with the announcement that starting quarterback Sean Clifford will return for a sixth season it seems like a lock that the five-star quarterback will use his first year on campus to redshirt.

2. P Alex Bacchetta, 3 Stars

Height/weight: 6-3/200

School (Hometown): Westminster School (Atlanta, Ga.)

Synopsis: With the departure of All-American senior punter Jordan Stout, Penn State is adding another punter to its depth chart in Bacchetta.

The high school senior punter performed well in the Kohl’s Underclassman Challenge in January, showing off his booming leg strength on both kicks and punts. He’s also ranked the No. 2 punter in the nation and has been shown to be able to pin punts inside of the 10-yard line with ease at camps.

Bacchetta is ranked as a 3-star recruit and made his commitment on May 1, per On3.com.

3. WR Anthony Ivey, 4 stars

Height/weight: 5-11/175

School (Hometown): Manheim Township (Lancaster, Pa.)

Synopsis: Penn State’s in-state success continued when it landed Ivey over a year ago in October 2020. The four-star wide receiver is one of several receivers in the class and brings a refined presence to the position.

Ivey caught 49 passes for 654 yards and eight touchdowns this season for Manheim Township, and helped it reach the playoffs. The high school senior is a good athlete who can make plays when he has the ball in the open field. He has the talent to play relatively early in his career and has the makings of a good route runner in college, which could give him a chance to play in 2022.

However, with the talent in the room, it’s feasible that he could redshirt and use the season to adjust to college cornerbacks.

4. DT Zane Durant, 4 stars

Height/weight: 6-1/255

School (Hometown): Lake Nona (Orlando, Fla.)

Synopsis: Durant joined the Penn State class on the Fourth of July this year and is one of two defensive tackles in the team’s 2022 recruiting class.

His play on defense for Lake Nona in Florida and helped the team to a 7-3 record and set multiple season and career records. Durant finished 2021 with 15 sacks and 28 tackles for loss, both records, adding to his career totals of 24.5 sacks and 57 tackles for loss, which are also school records.

The high school senior doesn’t have the size to play defensive tackle at the moment but could add strength to his frame to become a high-level defensive tackle in the conference. He’s a likely redshirt candidate for the 2022 season.

5. RB Nicholas Singleton, 5 stars

Height/weight: 6-0/210

School (Hometown): Governor Mifflin (Reading, Pa.)

Synopsis: Singleton committed to Penn State in July and is one of two running backs expected to be in the 2022 recruiting class. He’s the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania and shined at Governor Mifflin High School as a runner.

He amassed 2,049 yards on the ground as a senior, torching opposing defenses game after game and leading his team to the state quarterfinals. Singleton gained those yards along with 41 rushing touchdowns on only 165 carries in the season. He’s built for the college game with his size and strength and has the type of big-play ability the Penn State running game missed in 2021.

Singleton is one of the recruits most likely to make an impact as a freshman, to the point that it would be a surprise if he redshirted in 2022.

6. QB Beau Pribula, 4 stars

Height/weight: 6-2/205

School (Hometown): Central York (York, Pa.)

Synopsis: Pribula is one of two quarterbacks in the class and made his decision in August 2020. He joined the class prior to Penn State hiring Mike Yurcich as the team’s offensive coordinator.

The quarterback led Central York to an 11-1 record and did it by creating offense with his arm and his legs. He completed 141 of his 197 passing attempts this season for 2,575 yards, 33 touchdowns and six interceptions while running for 417 yards and eight touchdowns on 76 carries.

The Pennsylvania native has drawn comparisons to former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley and is headed for a redshirt in 2022, now that redshirt senior starting quarterback Sean Clifford has announced he will return for a sixth season.

7. S Kevin Winston Jr., 4 Stars

Height/weight: 6-1/191

School (Hometown): DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.)

Synopsis: Penn State is not lacking in potential safeties in this year’s recruiting class. However, Winston may be the biggest standout of the bunch.

Winston had an interception where he swept across the field, diving to make the play. He also took a fumble recovery for a score, along with an interception for a touchdown. The young safety is as impressive as one could get when it comes to ball skills in high school. He wasn’t too shabby on the offensive end as a receiver, either.

Winston is rated as a 4-star recruit, the 328th-best player nationally, the 31st-ranked safety in the country and the 4th-best player in the state of Maryland, per On3.com.

8. OT Maleek McNeil, 3 Stars

Height/weight: 6-8/330

School (Hometown): Walter Panas (Cortlandt Manor, Ny.)

Synopsis: McNeil stands at 6-foot-8, 330 pounds and is a mauler at left tackle. He brings a much-needed attitude to Penn State’s offensive line and has the ability to play well with run-pass options and screens as an offensive lineman that goes downhill swiftly.

His athleticism is nothing short of impressive for his size. He played football, basketball and was a thrower in track and field, setting his school’s shot put record (50’11). McNeil also brings the work ethic of keeping in shape and maintaining his strength. He weighed 350 earlier in the year and dropped down to 330 by working with New Jersey trainer Sameeh McDonald.

McNeil is rated a 3-star recruit, is rated as the 866th-best player in the country, the 64th-ranked offensive tackle and is the 7th-best recruit in the state of New York, per On3.com.

9. TE Jerry Cross, 4 stars

Height/weight: 6-5/255

School (Hometown): King (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Synopsis: Cross was one of Penn State’s first commitments in the 2022 class, joining the program in July 2020. The senior tight end is the only player at his position slated to join the Nittany Lions as a freshman in 2022.

He played for Milwaukee King in high school and showed off the attributes that give him elite upside as a tight end at the next level. Cross has plenty of size and uses it well on the field to physically dominate defensive backs.

The tight end has the frame to become an elite tight end, but he could redshirt in 2022 as he continues to add strength and gets time in Penn State’s strength and conditioning program.

10. OT Drew Shelton, 4 Stars

Height/weight: 6-4.5/275

School (Hometown): Downingtown West (Downingtown, Pa.)

Synopsis: Shelton went back home to play for Downingtown West after playing at high school powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida. As a left tackle, he’s a technician — similar to freshman offensive lineman Landon Tengwall. He has great footwork, his hand placement to counter defensive linemen’s rushes is nearly perfect and he uses his lower body in unison with his upper body.

Shelton is one of the more intriguing prospects in Penn State’s 2022 class, as it’s possible that he could see early playing time. The offensive tackle could add more strength to his base with the Nittany Lions’ weight program and will be nearly game-ready at guard next season.

He is rated as the 128th-best player in the country, the 7th-ranked offensive tackle in the nation and the 3rd-rated player in the state of Pennsylvania, per On3.com.

11. CB Cam Miller, 4 Stars

Height/weight: 6-0/180

School (Hometown): Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fl.)

Synopsis: Miller is a physical cornerback who loves getting involved in tackling. He had 56 tackles last season (40 solo), caused a fumble and recovered one, along with deflecting six passes. As time goes on, Miller should be able to add more weight to his frame to play a more physical game against receivers.

Miller is rated a 4-star recruit, 211th overall player in the country, the 26th best cornerback in the country and the 26th ranked player in the state of Florida, per On3.com.

12. WR Tyler Johnson, 3 stars

Height/weight: 6-0/175

School (Hometown): Magna Vista (Ridgeway, Va.)

Synopsis: Johnson joined Penn State’s recruiting class in June after he worked out for the staff and took an official visit to Happy Valley. The high school senior from Virginia is a consensus three-star but is rated a four-star player by On3 sports’ own rankings.

He chose the Nittany Lions over 14 other scholarship offers, including those from the likes of Maryland, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, according to Blue White Illustrated, and should be able to make an impact in the long run at Penn State.

Like many of the wide receivers in this class, it’s unknown if he’ll redshirt or play in 2022 because the team lacked depth on the outside, potentially creating openings for recruits like Johnson as freshmen.

13. WR Omari Evans, 3 stars

Height/weight: 6-0/170

School (Hometown): Shoemaker (Killeen, Texas)

Synopsis: Penn State might not have a faster player in the class than Evans. The three-star wide receiver, who can also play cornerback, ran a 4.3 40-yard dash, according to Blue White Illustrated.

The high school senior made the decision to join Penn State’s recruiting class in October on the same day the program took down Indiana, 24-0. Evans has elite speed but is raw as a wide receiver, having played quarterback for his high school team this season.

He chose the program over 26 other scholarship offers, including those from Baylor, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State and Rutgers.

It’s easy to envision a scenario where he redshirts in 2022 as he adds bulk to his frame and prepares to make an impact with his speed in the 2023 season as a redshirt freshman.

14. EDGE Ken Talley, 4 Stars

Height/weight: 6-3/230

School (Hometown): Northeast (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Synopsis: Talley is every bit as explosive as any edge rusher. He can play both defensive end or linebacker and works hard every play. He has a mean streak, but plays heady football as a rush defender.

The young edge rusher gets low and strikes with intensity and should be a good foil to the number of defensive ends and outside linebackers that the Nittany Lions will bring in this offseason.

Talley is rated as the 355th-best player in the nation, the 29th-ranked edge rusher in the country and the 11th-best player in the state of Pennsylvania, per On3.com.

15. LB Keon Wylie, 3 Stars

Height/weight: 6-2/210

School (Hometown): Imhotep Institute (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Synopsis: Wylie attacks everything he sees — quarterbacks, running backs, pulling guards, offensive tackles, tight ends, you name it. He has a high motor and often makes plays against offensive linemen who don’t have great footwork. The linebacker uses his low center of gravity to his advantage at each chance he gets.

Wylie is rated as a 3-star recruit, the 508th-ranked player in the country, the 51st-best linebacker in the country and is ranked as the 14th-best player in the state of Pennsylvania, per On3.com.

16. DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, 4 Stars

Height/weight: 6-5/250

School (Hometown): McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.)

Synopsis: Dennis-Sutton is arguably the most talented player in Penn State’s 2022 class and has possibly the highest upside. Just as Allar is very talented as a thrower and has the ability to just flick his wrist to get the ball downfield, Dennis-Sutton’s ability to rip, swim and spin past offensive linemen in his pass rush reps puts him at an elite level among Nittany Lion recruits.

Dennis-Sutton received an offer from Penn State in May 2019. McDonogh has been a big pipeline to the program, with Penn State National Recruiting Director Kenny Sanders being an alumnus and a host of other players attending both schools. PJ Mustipher, Dvon Ellies and Curtis Jacobs all went to McDonogh and currently play for Penn State.

Dennis-Sutton has sculpted his body to become one of the best defensive ends in the 2022 class. He used the offseason to put ample time into his recovery and nutrition to go along with his exercise. The young defensive end looks up to former Nittany Lion Odafe Oweh, who is practicing just miles away at the Baltimore Ravens training facility. Now, Dennis-Sutton looks forward to following in his steps as one of the great Penn State defensive ends.

Dennis-Sutton is ranked as a 4-star prospect, is the 44th-best player in the nation, the 7th-best player of his position and the No. 1 player in the state of Maryland, per On3.com.

17. LB Abdul Carter, 4 stars

Height/weight: 6-4/235

School (Hometown): La Salle College (Glenside, Pa.)

Synopsis: Carter committed to Penn State in late July and will learn under new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Manny Diaz. The senior linebacker originally committed to defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Brent Pry but remained committed after Pry left the program to take the head coach position at Virginia Tech.

The high school senior helped La Salle College make the high school playoffs as a senior and has the athleticism and length to be a disruptor at the second level of the defense. He’s a good enough athlete to help out in pass coverage, but will need to be more refined at the next level where he’ll need to combine his athleticism with technique.

Carter is a good enough athlete to play right away but it’s reasonable to expect him to redshirt as he continues to learn the position.

18. OT JB Nelson, 4 stars

Height/weight: 6-6/310

School (Hometown): Lackawanna College (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Synopsis: Nelson is one of two junior college players in Penn State’s class, both of whom are from Lackawanna College in Scranton.

The offensive tackle has three years of eligibility remaining and still has his redshirt year available, meaning he has four years to play three seasons with the Nittany Lions. He has the size to play on the outside at 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, but his best position may be at guard where his strength and size would be beneficial.

Nelson’s experience will give him an opportunity to play early but that’s far from a guarantee. He could compete for playing time in 2022, but he could also spend a year in the weight room adjusting to the Division I level along the offensive line.

19. DL Kaleb Artis, 3 Stars

Height/weight: 6-4/290

School (Hometown): St. Francis Preparatory School (Fresh Meadows, Ny.)

Synopsis: Artis is big, powerful and dominating defensive lineman from St. Francis Prep. The defensive tackle can be seen tossing players around in his Hudl highlights like rag dolls and has strong hand placement as a defensive lineman. His height should allow him to become a factor in the passing game by altering throwing lanes and swatting down passes.

Artis is rated as the 541st player in the country, the 61st-best defensive tackle in the nation and the 3rd-ranked player in the state of New York, per On3.com.

20. RB Kaytron Allen, 4 stars

Height/weight: 5-11/222

School (Hometown): IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Synopsis: Allen committed to Penn State in July and is one of two running backs set to join the team as a freshman for the 2022 season. The four-star running back joined IMG Academy as a sophomore and ran the ball well from that point on for the program.

He carried the ball 135 times as a sophomore and totaled 1,097 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground that season. Allen’s an ideal complement to Singleton in the class as a bulldozing back who uses his power and sturdiness to earn tough yardage to make up for his lack of long speed.

Allen has the build to play as a freshman and with the struggles of the running game in 2021 it stands to reason that there’s a chance he doesn’t redshirt in 2022.

21. S Cristian Driver, 4 Stars

Height/weight: 5-11/185

School (Hometown): Liberty Christian (Argyle, Texas)

Synopsis: Son of former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver, Cristian Driver possesses some of the same ball skills that his father did on the opposite side of the ball. The younger Driver played both wide receiver and safety early on in his high school career. He was a first-team all-district selection in 2020 and competed in the 4x100 relay, the 100-meter dash, the long and high jumps in track and field.

Driver should slot behind Ji’Ayir Brown (if he returns) and Keaton Ellis next season. He is ranked as a 4-star prospect, the 281st-best player nationally, the 26th-best safety in the country and the 45th-best player in Texas, per On3.com.

22. ATH Mehki Flowers, 4 Stars

Height/weight: 6-1/190

School (Hometown): Central Dauphin East (Harrisburg, Pa.)

Synopsis: Flowers can play either wide receiver or safety at the next level. Chances are he’s slated to play the latter, possessing a nose for the ball and the ability to make receivers pay for going down the deep middle third of the field. His skills could allow him to follow in the footsteps of Penn State star safeties Jaquan Brisker and Ji’Ayir Brown.

With Enzo Jennings and Tyler Rudolph having already hit the transfer portal for the Nittany Lions, Brisker and Sutherland set to graduate and Brown still deciding on his future, Flowers could see the field next season in that position.

Flowers is rated as the 177th-best player in the country, the 7th-rated athlete in the nation and the 5th-ranked player in the state of Pennsylvania, per On3.com.

23. WR Kaden Saunders, 4 stars

Height/weight: 5-10/161

School (Hometown): Westerville South (Westerville, Ohio)

Synopsis: The Nittany Lions added Saunders’ commitment early in the process and he has remained attached to them since. The four-star wide receiver made the call for Penn State in July 2020, the earliest commitment among the program’s signees in the 2022 class.

Saunders excelled as a do-it-all weapon for Westerville South as a senior, accumulating 324 rushing yards and 362 receiving yards to go with 11 total touchdowns, which includes a passing touchdown. He helped his team reach the regional quarterfinals this postseason thanks to his versatility.

The senior receiver is undersized but has high level speed and quickness as a route runner. He could take his freshman season to add more weight to his frame, but Saunders also has the ability to play in his first year on campus if his number is called by offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich.

This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 7:14 AM.

Jon Sauber

Centre Daily Times

(814) 231-6461

Jon Sauber covers Penn State football and men’s basketball for the Centre Daily Times. He earned his B.A. in digital and print journalism from Penn State and his M.A. in sports journalism from IUPUI. His previous stops include jobs at The Indianapolis Star, the NCAA, and Rivals.