Where Penn State football stands in recruiting for the week of July 1-July 8
Penn State’s 2023 recruiting class has stacked up as the 7th-ranked in the nation, according to On3.com.
The Nittany Lions sit at second in the Big Ten with the 2nd-ranked class, following Ohio State, after adding 4-star cornerback Elliot Washington on Friday. They will also look forward to the commitments of 4-star defensive lineman Jason Moore (July 10), 4-star wide receiver Anthony Brown (July 16) and 4-star wide receiver Carmelo Taylor (July 25).
Moore is a 6-5.5, 260-pound defensive lineman out of DeMatha Catholic in Maryland. His size has allowed for the Stags to put increased interior pressure on quarterbacks and he could offer the Nittany Lions run-stopping ability. Penn State incoming freshman safety KJ Winston also attended DeMatha. Moore’s brother is Justin Moore, a key starting guard on Villanova’s men’s basketball team.
Brown is listed at 5-8.5 and 160 pounds. The Springfield, Ohio, wideout played in 11 games, nabbing 57 catches for 822 yards and nine touchdowns. His team also finished as the Division 1 state runner-up in 2021. Primarily employed as a slot receiver, Brown exploited the middle of the field with his shiftiness.
Taylor is a 5-11, 150-pound wide receiver from Patrick Henry High School in Virginia. He doubles as a 5A state champion in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash with times of 10.56 and 21.35, respectively, offering up the ability to put pressure on defenses downfield.
Penn State also added three 4-star recruits in a 10-day span.
Here’s where the Nittany Lions stand during the week of July 1-July 8:
Commitments
Penn State’s most recent commitments are predominantly in the secondary. The Nittany Lions flipped Washington and added 4-star safety King Mack on June 30. The Class of 2023 St. Thomas Aquinas standout put together a 54-tackle season and added four interceptions. He’s the 20th-ranked safety in the nation, per On3.com. Penn State additionally added 4-star edge rusher Tomarrion Parker on June 21 and 4-star safety DaKaari Nelson on June 25.
The Nittany Lions have gone out of their way to rebuild their offensive line in the coming years. Four-star interior offensive linemen Alex Birchmeier and Jven Williams are at the forefront of what offensive line coach Phil Trautwein looks for to recapture his group’s physicality up front. Offensive tackle Anthony Donkoh, a 6-foot-5, 315-pound offensive tackle, should also add to the room.
- 4-star interior offensive lineman Alex Birchmeier (6-5, 275), Committed on July 15, 2021
- 4-star interior offensive lineman Jven Williams (6-4, 290), Committed on Feb. 5, 2022
- 4-star edge rusher Tomarrion Parker (6-4, 245), Committed on June 21, 2022
- 4-star cornerback Elliot Washington (5-11, 187), Committed on July 8, 2022
- 4-star tight end Andrew Rappleyea (6-4, 215), Committed on April 3, 2022
- 4-star safety King Mack (5-10, 175), Committed on June 30, 2022
- 4-star safety DaKaari Nelson (6-3, 194), Committed on June 25, 2022
- 4-star edge rusher Jameial Lyons (6-5, 245), Committed on April 22, 2022
- 4-star wide receiver Ejani Shakir (6-0, 175), Committed on May 11, 2022
- 4-star safety Conrad Hussey (6-0, 185), Committed on April 25, 2022
- 4-star athlete Matthias Barnwell (6-5.5, 250), Committed on Sept. 25, 2021
- 3-star tight end Joey Schlaffer (6-5, 215), Committed on Oct. 23, 2021
- 3-star cornerback Lamont Payne (6-0.5, 190), Committed on Sept. 18, 2021
- 3-star offensive tackle Anthony Donkoh (6-5, 315), Committed on Jan. 28, 2022
- 3-star wide receiver Yazeed Haynes (6-1, 170), Committed on June 12, 2022
- 3-star defensive lineman Tyriq Blanding (6-2, 265), Committed on June 17, 2022
Decommits
The Nittany Lions lost the commitment of Class of 2023 quarterback Marcus Stokes, who immediately committed to Florida on Thursday. Stokes, a 3-star quarterback from Nease High School in Florida, is a 3-star recruit, per On3.com.
“I would like to thank Penn State for supporting me, loving me, and showing the same to my family,” Stokes wrote. “This decision was not the easiest to make.”
Class of 2022 quarterbacks 5-star Drew Allar and 4-star Beau Pribula are already part of the program. With incumbent starter Sean Clifford and backup true sophomore Christian Veilleux returning, the Nittany Lions have a logjam at the quarterback position.
Three-star Class of 2023 offensive lineman Joshua Miller flipped to Georgia last month and 4-star athlete Neeo Avery decommitted in March. Four-star athlete Mathias Barnwell initially decommitted on Jan. 20, 2021, but recommitted on Sept. 25, 2021.
