Penn State football blog: What we learned about the Nittany Lions’ 2023 signees
Penn State football signed the No. 12 recruiting class in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite team rankings, with many all those signatures coming Wednesday on the first day of the early signing period. The Nittany Lions entered the day with 23 commitments in the group, and ended up signing 22 players.
Scroll below for information on all 22 signees.
1. ATH Mathias Barnwell, 4 stars
Height/weight: 6-6/250
School (Hometown): Riverbend (Fredricksburg, Va.)
Synopsis: Barnwell doubled as a tight end in defensive end at Riverbend and was productive at both positions. In 12 games in 2022, Barnwell had 21 catches for 349 receiving yards and four touchdowns. On defense, he had 38 total tackles (19 solo), a team-high 10.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two passes deflected and one forced fumble. He committed to Penn State on Sept. 25, 2021.
The 6-6 athlete from Virginia has the perfect frame to play tight end at the next level and the athleticism to boot. He additionally plays tight end at Riverbend, so his leaping ability should give his quarterbacks a big target to hit in red zone situations. Barnwell is the 23rd-ranked athlete, the No. 8 recruit in Virginia’s 2023 class and a 4-star recruit, per 247Sports’ Composite.
2. IOL Alex Birchmeier, 4 stars
Height/weight: 6-5/285
School (Hometown): Broad Run (Ashburn, Va.)
Synopsis: Birchmeier has played both guard and tackle during his time at Broad Run, being named as a First-Team All-State, All Washington Metro Football selection. He’s an incredibly talented wrestler, as a two-time heavyweight state champion. The Broad Run senior is rated as the 44th-best player in the country, the No. 1 interior offensive lineman and the No. 1 recruit in Virginia in the class of 2023, per the 247Sports Composite. He committed to Penn State on July 15, 2021.
Birchmeier will immediately be in competition with a deep offensive line recruiting class and the current starters in Landon Tengwall, Hunter Nourzad and Sal Wormley at left guard, center and right guard respectively.
3. LB Tony Rojas, 4 stars
Height/weight: 6-1.5/200
School (Hometown): Fairfax (Fairfax, Va.)
Synopsis: Rojas is the top-rated defensive player in Penn State’s class as the No. 90 player in the country and the No. 7 linebacker according to the 247Sports Composite player rankings. The high school senior is inexperienced as a linebacker but has proven to be a dynamic player.
He tallied 2,279 rushing yards and 35 rushing touchdowns on only 233 carries as he helped Fairfax go 13-1 and make an appearance in the state semifinals in Virginia. Rojas will have to adjust to playing linebacker in college, but he has the athleticism and motor to excel, especially under the tutelage of Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz.
Rojas may take time to see the field but should be an impact player once he’s ready.
4. DB Elliot Washington, 4 stars
Height/weight: 6-0/195
School (Hometown): Venice (Venice, Fla.)
Synopsis: Washington brings some versatility to Penn State’s secondary class with the ability to play safety or cornerback at the next level. He’s rated primarily as a safety and comes in as the No. 9 player at the position at the No. 140 player overall according to the 247Sports Composite player rankings.
The high school senior plays for Venice in Florida, where he helped his team make an appearance in the state title game this season.
Washington was previously committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide before de-committing from them and choosing the Nittany Lions over the Michigan State Spartans. He’s tallied three interceptions this season to go with his 49 tackles in his last year of high school football.
5. IOL Anthony Donkoh, 3 stars
Height/weight: 6-5/310
School (Hometown): Lightridge (Aldie, Va.)
Synopsis: Donkoh is the second offensive lineman from northern Virginia in Penn State’s 2023 recruiting class after Birchmeier. Standing in at 6-5, 310 pounds, he possesses the size necessary to flourish at the position. He’s ranked as the 32nd-best interior offensive lineman and the No. 10 player in Virginia, per 247Sports’ Composite. Donkoh committed on Jan. 28.
Just as Birchmeier will have a steep hill to climb to crack the starting lineup next season, Donkoh may be redshirted with the amount of depth returning to the interior offensive line. A year in the weight training program under strength and conditioning coach Chuck Losey and training with a number of possible future NFL Draft picks should build Donkoh’s profile as a player.
6. TE Joey Schlaffer, 4 stars
Height/weight: 6-6/215
School (Hometown): Exeter Township (Reading, Pa.)
Synopsis: Schlaffer is one of two four-star tight end recruits in this class for the Nittany Lions. He’s the No. 17 tight end in the country and the No. 7 player in Pennsylvania according to the 247Sports Composite player rankings. Schlaffer chose Penn State over 15 other scholarship offers and made the call for the Nittany Lions in the middle of his junior year of high school.
He followed that by helping Exeter Township to a 12-1 record as a senior to go with his own impressive stats. Schlaffer finished his final high school campaign with 39 catches for 888 yards and 11 touchdowns, pushing him over 2,500 receiving yards for his high school career.
7. CB Lamont Payne, 3 stars
Height/weight: 6-1/170
School (Hometown): Chartiers Valley (Bridgeville, Pa.)
Synopsis: Payne is yet another in-state addition for the Nittany Lions. He played both ways for Chartiers Valley but projects as a cornerback at the next level. The high school senior brings good size to the table at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, but could reasonably add more weight and get stronger without losing any of his athleticism.
He should benefit from a redshirt year with the Nittany Lions thanks to a strong top of the cornerback depth chart for Penn State. Payne has the upside to develop into a starter in college and should be able to contribute down the line in the secondary for the program.
8. DL Tyriq Blanding, 3 stars
Height/weight: 6-3/275
School (Hometown): Christ The King Regional (Middle Village, Ny.)
Synopsis: Blanding put together a strong senior year in nine games played. He had 42 total tackles (23 solo), six tackles for loss, two sacks, 13 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles. Blanding committed to Penn State on June 17.
The Christ The King defensive lineman is a 3-star recruit, ranked as the No. 81 defensive lineman in the country and the No. 1 recruit in New York for the class of 2023, per the 247Sports’ Composite. Penn State will have Hakeem Beamon, Coziah Izzard, Ellies, Zane Durant, Jordan van den Berg and Fatorma Mulbah all at defensive tackle next season.
9. QB Jaxon Smolik, 3 stars
Height/weight: 6-2/200
School (Hometown): Dowling Catholic (West Des Moines, Iowa)
Synopsis: Smolik was a relatively late addition to the class, given that quarterbacks generally commit early in the process. He became a target for the Nittany Lions after former commit Marcus Stokes re-opened his recruitment.
The high school senior from Iowa participated in a camp for Penn State and proved he was worthy of an offer. He is the No. 34 quarterback in the country and the No. 8 player in Iowa according to the 247Sports Composite player rankings.
Smolik led his team to a 10-2 record as a senior and will enter the program as one of only three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. He’ll have the benefit of sitting behind both Drew Allar and Beau Pribula for at least two seasons while he adjusts to the college game.
10. OT J’ven Williams, 5 stars
Height/weight: 6-4/285
School (Hometown): Wyomissing (Reading, Pa.)
Synopsis: Williams is the Nittany Lions’ highest rated commitment and the program’s only five-star recruit this cycle. He’s an elite level athlete, excelling on the football field and in track and field where he won the state title in the shot put and discus. Williams projects as an offensive tackle but could also move to offensive guard down the line.
No matter where he ends up, he should be a high level starter for Penn State down the road. He’s the No. 29 player in the country and the No. 4 offensive tackle according to the 247Sports Composite player rankings.
Williams helped lead Wyomissing to a 13-1 record this season and a state title game appearance.
11. TE Andrew Rappleyea, 4 stars
Height/weight: 6-5/225
School (Hometown): Milton Academy (Millbrook, Ma.)
Synopsis: Rappleyea was initially committed to Michigan on Jan. 16, before flipping his commitment to Penn State on April 3. He’s a physical blocker that can be used as a Swiss Army knife of sorts at the tight end position and possibly a future H-Back in the making. Rappleyea is a 4-star prospect, the 143rd-rated player in the 2023 class, the No. 7 tight end and the third-best player in Massachusetts, according to 247Sports’ Composite.
Penn State’s tight end room will have a great deal of depth with Rappleyea joining Theo Johnson, Brenton Strange, Tyler Warren, Khalil Dinkins, Jerry Cross and walk-on Kolt Pearce.
12. RB Cameron Wallace, 3 stars
Height/weight: 5-10/170
School (Hometown): Montgomery County (Mount Vernon, Ga.)
Synopsis: Wallace is a late addition to the class, joining Monday evening. He’s listed as an athlete on 247Sports but is expected to be a running back at Penn State. He excelled at the position in high school, including a senior year in which he eclipsed over 1,000 rushing yards. Wallace tallied 1,221 yards and 13 touchdowns on only 127 carries, according to MaxPreps.
He chose Penn State late in the cycle over the likes of Georgia Tech and Indiana, along with eight other listed scholarship offers. Wallace will not have to contribute early thanks to the presence of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen in the backfield, but could be a useful piece of the Nittany Lions’ offense down the road.
13. DL Mason Robinson, 3 stars
Height/weight: 6-4/230
School (Hometown): McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.)
Synopsis: Robinson is among a long line of Penn State defensive players to come from McDonogh School in Maryland. He played with both linebacker Curtis Jacobs and defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton while in high school and defensive lineman D’von Ellies also played his high school football there. Departing defensive lineman PJ Mustipher and current national recruiting coordinator Kenny Sanders also went to McDonogh.
Robinson capped off a strong senior year with nine sacks, 83 tackles (24 solo) and six tackles for loss. He’s a 3-star recruit, the 75th-ranked player at his position and the No. 11 player in Maryland, per 247Sports’ Composite. He primarily played defensive end in high school and will most likely slot behind Adisa Isaac, Chop Robinson, Dennis-Sutton, Amin Vanover and Jake Wilson respectively.
He was previously committed to Northwestern, before flipping to Penn State on Dec. 13.
14. S DaKaari Nelson, 4 stars
Height/weight: 6-3/203
School (Hometown): Selma (Selma, Al.)
Synopsis: Nelson committed to Penn State back on June 25 and visited Auburn when the Nittany Lions put up a 41-12 score against the Tigers on Sept. 17. He had 72 total tackles (54 solo), along with a team-high seven interceptions with seven pass deflections, one fumble recovery and a forced fumble on the season. He’s the No. 20 safety and the No. 18 recruit in Alabama for the class of 2023, per 247Sports’ Composite.
Penn State will have a roster full of depth with Keaton Ellis, Jaylen Reed, Kevin Winston Jr., Zakee Wheatley and Mehki Flowers.
15. EDGE Joseph Mupoyi, 3 stars
Height/weight: 6-5/230
School (Hometown): St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.)
Synopsis: Mupoyi is the No. 46 edge rusher, the No. 3 recruit in Connecticut and a 3-star recruit, per 24Sports’ Composite. Not only will he have a chance to learn from a deep edge rushing group at Penn State, but he’ll get to play with Tracy, who was his high school teammate. He committed on Dec. 12.
16. LB Kaveion Keys, 4 stars
Height/weight: 6-3/205
School (Hometown): Varina (Richmond, Va.)
Synopsis: Keys hasn’t been in Penn State’s class for long. He initially committed to North Carolina before backing off that decision earlier this month. He then made the call for the Nittany Lions, joining a very good linebacker class that should immediately bolster the team’s depth.
He’s the No. 21 linebacker in the country and the No. 4 player in Virginia according to the 247Sports Composite player rankings. He ultimately chose Penn State over the aforementioned Tar Heels and 14 other scholarship offers, including those from Auburn and Florida.
Keys will need to add weight to reach his highest potential as a Nittany Lion but should be able to get on the field early if he can do that and improve his strength in the process.
17. CB Zion Tracy, 4 stars
Height/weight: 5-11/180
School (Hometown): St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.)
Synopsis: Tracy will provide another 4-star cornerback recruit to a team that has proven to develop future draft picks. Joey Porter Jr. is departing for the NFL Draft, Kalen King, Johnny Dixon, Marquis Wilson and Cam Miller are returning to the fold. The incoming Tracy is a 4-star recruit and is ranked the No. 40 cornerback and the second-ranked player in New York’s 2023 recruiting class, per 247Sports’ Composite. He has elite speed with a 4.35 40-yard dash and can keep up with even the fastest receivers.
18. RB London Montgomery, 4 stars
Height/weight: 5-10/180
School (Hometown): Scranton Prep (Scranton, Pa.)
Synopsis: Montgomery will enter a talented running back room and add a new dimension to it. He’s a smaller back but has good speed and a shiftiness to his game that should make him a major threat as a pass catcher. That’s a piece of the room that is missing right now, despite the elite play of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
The newest addition to the group may not contribute right away, however, after he tore his ACL during his senior season. Assuming he makes a full recovery, Montgomery could contribute relatively early in his career. He’ll bring enough to the table that he should have a role for the Nittany Lions no matter how crowded the running back room gets.
19. WR Carmelo Taylor, 4 stars
Height/weight: 5-11/160
School (Hometown): Patrick Henry (Roanoke, Va.)
Synopsis: Taylor is one of the best athletes — if not the best athlete — Penn State is bringing in this class. He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands and could be one of the most exciting offensive players on the Nittany Lions’ roster in the not too distant future.
He’s the No. 6 player in Virginia and the No. 47 wide receiver in the country according to the 247Sports Composite player rankings. He chose the Nittany Lions over South Carolina and five other offers.
Taylor ran a 10.59 100 meter dash as his personal best and could provide an immediate boost in team speed to Penn State’s roster.
20. S King Mack, 4 stars
Height/weight: 5-11/180
School (Hometown): St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Synopsis: Mack is the highest rated defensive back in the Penn State class and has proven his ability to play on the back line of a high level defense. His high school program started its season 13-0 and that includes a victory over eventual Pennsylvania state champ St. Joseph’s Prep.
The high school senior from Florida is a key player for St. Thomas Aquinas’ defense and can both cover the deepest part of the field and play with aggression in the running game.
He also excels in track and field, where he’s a high-level sprinter, running the 100 meters in 10.64 seconds — a mark that earned him fourth in states in Florida and would’ve been first in Pennsylvania in 2022 by 0.1 seconds.
Mack is the No. 124 player in the country and the No. 8 safety according to the 247Sports Composite player rankings.
21. EDGE Jameial Lyons, 4 stars
Height/weight: 6-5/255
School (Hometown): Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Synopsis: Lyons played for a 9-3 Roman Catholic squad that went 4-1 in the Philadelphia Catholic Red Conference, finishing just behind eventual PIAA Class 6A champion St. Joe’s. Standing at 6-5, 255 pounds, Lyons is a punishing defensive lineman and will play end at the next level. He committed to Penn State on April 22 and is ranked as the No. 25 player at his position in the country, along with being ranked as the second-best player in Pennsylvania, per the 247Sports Composite.
22. LB Ta’Mere Robinson, 4 stars
Height/weight: 6-4/225
School (Hometown): Brashear (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Synopsis: Robinson is one of the highest rated players in Pennsylvania and chose to stay home and play for the Nittany Lions over Miami, Virginia Tech and other schools. The four-star linebacker is rated as the No. 14 player at his position and the No. 2 player in the state according to the On3 consensus rankings.
He could eventually move to being an edge rusher primarily, but realistically will begin his college career at linebacker, where he can help the Nittany Lions fill out their depth.
Robinson’s decision to join the program helps give Penn State the three highest rated players in the state of Pennsylvania after it brought two of the top three — RB Nick Singleton and OT Drew Shelton — last year.
This story was originally published December 21, 2022 at 7:08 AM.
