In July 2021, Penn State did a heavy-hitting job that resulted in 13 commits (not all committed) in two classes. Although July 2022 may not match the numbers, this month has been an interesting one for Lions. In particular, Penn State had a week to remember.
Three players, including two of Pennsylvania’s top-ranked recruits, joined Penn State’s 2022 class last week. A recent, defensive stand It’s Robinsonhe did so on the one-year anniversary of Sister Alex Birchmeier’s dedication that led to the reopening of the class.
As Penn State continues its recruiting process, let’s recap the past few weeks and see where the program is headed.
Penn State’s month of July
Recruiting is a never-ending game of running and blocking. Consider what happened on July 15, 2021, when Virginia lineman Alex Birchmeier joined the class of Lions. Technically, Birchmeier was the second player to commit to Penn State’s 2023 team, after all Mathias ‘Mega’ Barnwell in 2020.
However, Barnwell withdrew from the program before entering the classroom in September 2021). So things can always change.
That said, Penn State celebrated Birchmeier’s day by committing to Robinson, a four-star recruit from Pittsburgh. Robinson ended a week in which the Lions received offers from three 4-star recruits, each with a unique quality.
London Montgomery is the top running back in Pennsylvania, and Tony Rojas and #1 on the Virginia line. Robinson offered the 19th class of 2023 and the fourth in July.
Will Penn State go the same way in July 2021? This is not unlikely, considering last year that the lions received the interest of July, 13 of all players in seven states in two groups. But the two years have something in common.
In 2021, Penn State benefited by restarting the school’s recruiting process, allowing coaches to do their magic. This latest commitment has followed a similar pattern, as seven players who visited in June committed.
Penn State is recruiting well in Pennsylvania
In its 2021 recruiting class, Penn State signed just one of 247Sports’ top 10 players in Pennsylvania, Lonnie White, Jr., who signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The last two classes have been very successful, as coach James Franklin and his staff have revamped their recruiting process in Pennsylvania.
Penn State signed six of the top 10 recruits for the 2022 class in Pennsylvania, including Nicholas Singleton. And Robinson became the fifth top-10 player on Pennsylvania’s 2023 roster to commit to the Lions.
“Everybody is convincing the state and emphasizing that,” said Andy Frank, Penn State’s athletic director for 2020. This is important, as Penn State needs to have as much in-state talent as possible.
Staying fit in Virginia
Former Penn State defensive end Brent Pry became head coach at Virginia Tech, vowing to “be competitive” to recruit a Commonwealth team against his former team. Meanwhile, Penn State has worked.
Rojas became the fourth top-20 player from Virginia to commit to Penn State. The Lions have more Virginia top-20 tackles than any other program. The commonwealth has always recruited people to Penn State, and Franklin continues that trend.
Scroll to Continue
Increasing its presence in the South
Five of Penn State’s 19 commits are from Florida or Alabama, representing many more people from the South. Not all of them have moved on over the years, but Penn State remains committed to acquiring talent from a highly competitive recruiting environment.
The addition of defensive coordinator Manny Diaz will improve the chances, said John Garcia, Jr., Sports Illustrated’s director of football recruiting.
“I think it’s a combination [running backs coach Ja’Juan] “Seider and Diaz in the south is something to be reckoned with,” Garcia said.
What’s next for the Penn State class of 2023?
The Lions are still looking for a quarterback after Marcus Stokes switched his commitment to Florida. That is very important since, as of now, the program will have only three quarterbacks for the 2023 training: Christian Veilleux, Drew Allar and Beau Pribula.
At the time of the Transfer Portal and NIL, Penn State would not consider having a quarterback year after year. Look for the Lions to be aggressive in trying to take the already committed quarterback.
Where is Penn State’s 2023 recruiting class?
Following Robinson’s commitment, the Lions jumped to No. 3 in the 247Sports rankings behind Notre Dame and Ohio State.
Opponents: No. 5
ESPN: No. 5 (before submission by Rojas and Robinson)
On 3: No. 8
read more
From tragedy, former Penn State linebacker Brandon Short is building a better tomorrow
The latest in Big Ten expansion
The Lions play defensive back from Alabama
AllPennState is the hub for Penn State news, ideas and opinions on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, following three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a major news catalog. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (the buttons on the home page) for more information on the SI.com website.
Recent Comments