Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Despite my hatred for Notre Dame and USC, the two schools have always been able to pull in kids from around the country simply due to their prestige and name. Now it appears as if Penn State is cracking its head into this category, albeit not quite as powerfully as ND and USC. Not only does Penn State have an already stellar class of 2010 recruiting class, but it appears that it could be one of the best ever with possible commitments from superb talents like Connecticut linebacker Khairi Fortt (rivals.com's 2nd ranked OLB) and South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore (rivals' 7th best overall prospect). These two have no bloodlines through Penn State, they didn't grow up in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, and they have offers from all over the country. These two just like what Penn State is about. Marcus has stated how he loves the way Penn State runs the football, and Fortt expressed how he felt a great relationship with not only the team and coaches, but the student body as well.
Headlining the 2010 class are two of the most highly rated quarterbacks in the class, an athletic running back (who has been a PSU fan his whole life), a sensational central PA linebacker, massive linemen, and a wide receiver I expect to become an All-Big Ten performer. This however is only half of the class already committed to Penn State, and several of these high schoolers are on the phone and at camps helping their future college recruit, namely Sials Redd the before-mentioned running back from CT. He has close ties with Khairi Fortt whom I believe will be a Nittany Lion next fall.
Not only are the players in this class superb athletes, but they are from regions outside of the typical PA/NJ/MD that PSU recruits so heavily. Interest from a stud RB in South Carolina? He has named a final 5 schools, Penn State, Oregon, South Carolina, North Carolina and Auburn. Is there a chance to steal one from SEC country? If so, this recursive cycle that is recruiting will continue. This Penn State program has gone leaps and bounds from where it was only 5 years ago thanks to coaches like Larry Johnson and Tom Bradley, players like Derrick Williams, and fans that make Penn State the party school/packed stadium captial of the college world.
