The ‘S’ Zone – Prepping for Penn State’s big visit weekend
OK, now it’s football season.
Welcome back to the ’S’ Zone, a collaboration of news and notes surrounding Penn State football. The Nittany Lions open with West Virginia on Saturday evening and with that comes the opportunity for another big recruiting weekend. This week, we’re going to look at where Penn State coaches will be before the game, revisit the 2024 class and take a look forward with who to watch among the over 100 visitors this weekend.
Happy football season, everyone.
The ’S’ Zone
Penn State coaches on the road
It’s September, so Penn State’s coaches are set to be back out and about on the road to scout on Friday nights this fall. The Nittany Lions have just one stop on the docket on Friday night. James Franklin and Terry Smith will hop in the chopper and head to Delaware to take in Imhotep Charter vs. Haverford School in Wilmington.
The game will feature two Penn State commits and a handful of Nittany Lions targets. Cornerback Kenny Woseley and new teammate Tyseer Denmark will represent the Nittany Lions in the matchup. Imhotep is coming off of an 87-0 dismantling of Life Christian Academy out of Virginia last weekend. Denmark caught two passes for 47 yards and a touchdown in the win, while Woseley had an interception.
It’s important to get out and see commits, of course, but it’s also an important trip to make an impression on some underclassmen. Imhotep has a number of them, led by Class of 2025 defensive end Zahir Mathis. Georgia running back commit Jabree Wallace-Coleman and cornerback Saimire Locks are both on the radar in the cycle as well. Penn State has also offered 2026 running back Sy’eer Coleman and offensive lineman Jesse Moody. Moody was a standout at Penn State’s first team camp this summer.
On the other side, Haverford School interior offensive lineman Joshua Williams is getting a long look from the Nittany Lions. He, too, was a camp standout this summer and he added an offer shortly thereafter. The 6-foot-3.5, 300-pound prospect will also be making the trip on Saturday to check out the Nittany Lions against West Virginia. He’s certainly one to watch if the junior film checks out.
Speaking of Saturday, an Imhotep coach told BWI that he expects Woseley, Denmark and Mathis in Happy Valley this weekend for the game.
The latest on 2024
Before we get to Saturday, though, a few notes on the Nittany Lions’ Class of 2024 efforts. Penn State is playing a few hands right now. On one, they’re sticking with some long-time targets — some familiar names, others committed elsewhere — for potential in-season visits. Nothing like that really jumps out this weekend, but it’s something to watch for the White Out and for later in the season. On the other, the staff is reshuffling the deck in anticipation of some senior film.
The priority positions haven’t changed — defensive end, wide receiver, outside linebacker and (always) offensive and defensive line.
Defensive end may be the most interesting, or feature the most moving parts. Penn State is still involved with Jaylen Harvey and the Nittany Lions are planning to host him at the White Out this month. He’s fresh off of a USC trip and the Trojans have made up a lot of ground. It seems like a dead heat here and some around him prefer the Trojans. There’s no real use making a prediction right now, as sources don’t believe this one is over one way or the other until National Signing Day. He originally planned to make a decision in September, but that seems like it won’t be the case as of this week. The Trojans are selling that he can be a linebacker for them and it’s something that Harvey is interested in hearing.
Penn State is still tracking Brian Robinson, but that’s one they have kept at arm’s length for the last few months. The Nittany Lions are still tracking Jamonta Waller in that linebacker/edge hybrid role and they feel that one isn’t over yet. Would he come up north if the Gators continue to look like they did on Thursday night? Not necessarily, but Penn State is still in the conversation. The wild card here could be camp standout Ugo Nwotite, whom the Nittany Lions are watching closely to see if his senior film is anything they can work with. There’s no rush there, as Nwotite is sitting on a few FCS offers and he won’t start his regular season until next weekend.
Wide receiver is a mixed bag. It looks like Penn State’s most likely options will come from the committed ranks. Ryan has mentioned Jaylan Hornsby a bunch and the Nittany Lions will likely pop up to see him play at some point this season. N.C. State commit Jonathan Paylor is also a guy who has kept the lines of communications open and Nick Marsh still gets back to Penn State at times. He had an excellent start to his senior season last weekend in a tough loss to Bryce Underwood and Belleville. The Nittany Lions will keep recruiting him despite his Michigan State pledge. Given the way that this one swung over the summer, that seems like the right call. Penn State also won’t stop recruiting Chance Robinson and Rico Scott.
Along the defensive line, it’s mostly familiar names with which Penn State is still keeping the lines of communication open. One of the more interesting ones is Maryland defensive lineman Ernest Willor. Willor is back from IMG Academy and is now at Concordia Prep, where he started the season with three sacks. Penn State’s approach hasn’t changed with Willor, but he told BWI this week that he intends to take an official visit to Happy Valley in December. He’ll be at Maryland this weekend. Everyone, including the Terps, have kept Willor on the back burner. Virginia Tech has been the other school linked the most with the four-star prospect. As Ryan has noted, Penn State is quietly in the mix for Florida defensive lineman LJ McCray, but it’s optimistic to think much will come from that. The Nittany Lions are still in some contact with Deyvid Palepale as well.
On the flip side, Penn State is watching for senior risers like Chimdy Onoh was last cycle. Meanwhile, they’re still in some sort of contact with Kevin Heywood and Grant Brix, as well as Minnesota commit Nate Roy. All seem like outside shots right now, for what it’s worth.
Other 2024 names to keep in mind include outside linebacker Elijah Newby, a USC commit, and former Michigan State cornerback commit Jamari Howard. Howard is planning to pop up for an official visit later this season, he told BWI. Newby has a PSU official visit available to him if he chose to take one.
Penn State set to host bevy of recruits this weekend
Link: Penn State vs. West Virginia visitor list
The list has come together, and honestly, it’s so long that I’m just going to link it here instead of posting the whole thing. It’s a very good group that could only be strengthened with the expected addition of Zahir Mathis from above. Mathis is the top prospect in the state in the next cycle. While Penn State leads on the On3 RPM, it’s way too early to make any kind of guesses on this one as it will be a national recruitment. Having Denmark on board and Jameial Lyons tearing it early doesn’t hurt, but still a long way to go.
So where does that leave the group in terms of potential commitments? It’s still very early and the list is almost exclusively 2025 and 2026 prospects. There are a few names that make sense to join the class over time, but the one I’m watching closest this weekend is Pittsburgh (Pa.) North Catholic tight end/athlete Brady O’Hara. The Industry four-star prospect has been to Penn State several times and it seems like the Nittany Lions are the overwhelming favorite. I was holding off on an RPM pick for O’Hara because I was curious where he fits on a very good tight end board, but it seems unlikely that the Nittany Lions would turn down a big in-state athlete who can move like O’Hara. He opened his season with a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown against Serra Catholic last weekend. As a tight end, he projects more as an in-line type, so the Nittany Lions wouldn’t be shutting the door on other receiving options at the position. He could also grow into another position. Penn State would take him right now and while I don’t have him as an expected commit this weekend, it seems like the opportunity is there.
As mentioned earlier, Penn State’s visitor list is full of guys who make sense for the Nittany Lions in the long run. Offensive linemen Michael Carroll and the aforementioned Josh Williams make sense, although Carroll’s Michigan offer may have slowed some things down. Linebackers Dayshaun Burnett and DJ McClary each are very high on the Nittany Lions as well. New York wide receiver Lyrick Samuel has been a regular on campus this summer, but it seems like he’s not as far into the process. Penn State is the leader, though, so anything could happen there.
Other notes while looking over the visitor list
– It’s very important to get offensive line commit Jaelyne Matthews back on campus. He only been up once since committing to the Nittany Lions over the winter and that was in May. Matthews continues to entertain several programs, including a few SEC giants, so his commitment is still considered on the softer side. Still, he remains on the commit list and he keeps open the lines of communication with the Nittany Lions.
– North Carolina safety JaDon Blair has been up a bunch. It seems like Penn State and Notre Dame have his eye early and he’s supposed to be back for the White Out later this month. Connecticut safety Ethan Long has the same top two, although the Irish seem to have the advantage there.
– Penn State will be watching New England offensive tackle Owen Aliciene closely after his camp performance in July. Aliciene really likes the Nittany Lions.
– New Jersey cornerback Jahmir Joseph won’t move the needle for some who look at his three-star rating by On3. Frankly, he’s one of the better prospects visiting this weekend and he’s worth keeping an eye on. He’ll be an On300 kid at some point. He’s one of Penn State’s early true top targets at corner in the next cycle.
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