Three positions Penn State needs to ace this summer in recruiting
We’re halfway through the 2024 recruiting class for Penn State football, with 13 players committed to what will likely be a 25 or 26-man class. But the class is not balanced perfectly with its current construction. Specific position coaches, like offensive line coach Phil Trautwein and defensive backs coach Terry Smith, dominate the current roster with committed players. In fact, other positions have no committed players.
So today, we’ll outline the positions that Penn State needs to find quality players to finish the class strong. We’ll focus specifically on positions that have no recruits at the moment.
Defensive end
Over the years, Penn State’s defense has been built on pressure from the edge. Therefore, from a team-building standpoint, defensive end is one of the three most important positions when constructing a roster. Right now, the team is swimming with quality defensive ends. There are four, maybe five players that could start for the majority of Big Ten teams on the roster.
But that’s the point.
Last cycle, Penn State played the upside with defensive ends Joseph Mupoyi and Jameial Lyons. They also took a quality, high-floor prospect in Mason Robinson. Yet none of those players have the elite-level profile of Dani Dennis-Sutton or Chop Robinson. As a result, Penn State must keep a steady flow of high-level talent at the defensive end. Landing players like Benedict Umeh, Jaylen Harvey, or Nigel Smith is imperative to stabilize the position’s future.
Why defensive tackle doesn’t make the cut
Some fans paint the picture that the 2023 Nittany Lions are a one-technique away from a national championship run. While an elite player at any position can transform a defense, the defensive end is more important. Getting an elite interior player would represent the next level of recruiting. I believe they need to maintain their current level first.
The next game-breaking wide receiver at Penn State is…?
Penn State head coach James Franklin made his feelings on this position known during the opening press conference of spring football.
“If you look at college football and the NFL, the area where you can change games the fastest is at wide receiver. There’s just more space out there. So if you get somebody out there that can run past everybody or catch a short ball and go 80, that changes the game. It also changes the defense.”
By having a legitimate threat on the outside, teams can’t stuff the box with an extra safety, making it easier to run the football. Franklin was talking about his current group of receivers during the spring, but it’s clearly a philosophical approach that extends to roster construction.
As of yet, Penn State hasn’t found that player among the five receivers in the Class of 2022. Omari Evans and Kaden Saunders have shown promise, but not to the point you’d say that the team has found “the guy” for the future.
Last year, they recruited one player, Carmelo Taylor, in the Class of 2023. That means the team needs to find that player in this upcoming class. It’s either that or risk the transfer portal for another offseason, trying to attract a player through the hazardous waters of NIL and college football free agency. The good news is that the team can still be successful with many options, including tight end. But they need a game-breaking wide receiver in this class to be where they want.
Penn State’s quarterback of the future
As always, the quarterback has to take the top spot on any list discussing positional value. The team is currently in a great situation, with five-star passer Drew Allar presumably ascending to the starting role this fall. But how he’ll perform this fall is still a mystery. Whether he’s an elite quarterback, this fall is both the point and beside the point. Nevertheless, Allar’s play could lure another top-notch quarterback to the roster.
But either way, securing the future is crucial to the program’s long-term success. There have been only two long-term starters at quarterback over James Franklin’s tenure at Penn State. After inheriting Christian Hackenberg, Trace McSorley took over the program, followed by Sean Clifford.
That’s it.
If all goes to plan, the tenure of Penn State’s quarterbacks should begin to shorten as they rise in fame and NFL Draft stock. When that happens, you need the next player(s) in place to reach that standard. Right now, the window is open for offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich to find the next strong-armed decision-maker to elevate his offense in future years. While the five-star options are mostly off the table for this cycle, there are some late-bloomers in every class that have the skills and measurable who crop up late. Whether its Ohio’s Ethan Grunkemeyer, Florida’s Trever Jackson, or a yet undiscovered passer, options remain.
The goal is to make Allar a rule, not an outlier in the recruiting story.
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