Penn State recruiting final thoughts: Saquon Barkley on Nicholas Singleton, an evolving QB room, sleeper signees, more (2024)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — James Franklin sat at a U-shaped desk inside of Penn State’s weight room while coaches kept adding players’ names to a signing day big board.

There was a hardhat at the front of the room where the signees were announced. The hat might speak to both the qualities the staff values in this class and the fact the weight room is in the midst of an expansion project. That, too, was a theme that played out in the past year-plus as this group was assembled.

“I love the character in this class as much as the athleticism,” Franklin said. “When you see all types of drama right now in college football and recruiting, we haven’t had a whole lot of that. So I’m very appreciative and thankful for that.”

Penn State started the day with 25 verbal commitments and ended with 23 of those players signed. Offensive lineman Andre Roye Jr., who visited USC last weekend, ended up signing with Maryland. His high school teammate, linebacker Jaishawn Barham, who had been a Penn State target, also signed with Maryland. Neither move was a surprise after Roye visited elsewhere and Barham previously verbally committed to South Carolina.

Lackawanna College safety Tyrece Mills is still verbally committed to Penn State but did not sign on Wednesday. Look for him to sign in February.

Here are takeaways from Penn State’s 2022 class, which ranked No. 6 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Ten in the 247Sports Composite as of Wednesday evening.

1. Welcome to the fraternity

In the past two days, running back Nicholas Singleton won the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award and signed with Penn State. Landing the Governor Mifflin standout was among the most important wins this cycle for Penn State. Singleton’s decision was set in the summer when Penn State beat out Notre Dame, and he joined the growing fraternity of Pennsylvania running backs to stay in-state.

Saquon Barkley presented Singleton with the player of the year award on Tuesday. He also gave the high-schooler his contact information. Barkley told The Athletic he wants to be a resource for Singleton, whose eye-popping numbers had teams like Alabama, Wisconsin and Notre Dame pushing for him.

“Anything I can do,” Barkley said. “If it’s advice, whatever you need, whatever I can do to help mold you and help give you the best chance to go out there and kill it and break all my records that I have. Go out there and win Big Ten player of the year, win a Heisman and win a national championship.”

Barkley’s success at Penn State continues to be an important recruiting tool. He was someone Singleton watched from the stands at Beaver Stadium and on TV. Having the young back look up to him is still a little surreal for the NFL superstar. Running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider said Singleton is “all ball” and that he spent this past weekend watching Penn State’s practice while the other commits went through a photoshoot.

“He stayed in my hip pocket the whole time and watched practice, like, ‘I’ve had enough of that. I want to learn ball,’” Seider said. “Super excited to coach him.”

Penn State also signed four-star running back Kaytron “Fatman” Allen of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Allen is originally from Norfolk, Va., but keeping anyone from IMG committed while “everyone and their momma” hits up the academy for recruits, as Seider put it, is no easy feat. Allen will participate in the Under Armour All-America Game next month before enrolling.

“I don’t know if there’s a better running back class signed in the country,” Franklin said.

2. The changing QB room

Drew Allar, a five-star prospect from Ohio, and Beau Pribula, a three-star prospect from Central York in Pennsylvania, will both arrive in January. They’ll step into the quarterback room with Sean Clifford, who returns for a sixth year, and his backup, Christian Veilleux. Ta’Quan Roberson entered the transfer portal.

One of the benefits of having Clifford for another season is that Allar and Pribula can watch how Clifford prepares. That part of his game was praised by both Franklin and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich.

“I think it’s going to be really valuable for these two quarterbacks,” Franklin said. “With Veilleux’s experience that he was able to gain last year, I think we’re in a healthy position at the quarterback spot.”

Fittingly, Trace McSorley did the recorded introduction of Pribula’s signing. It’s the quarterback he’s most compared to, as both were winners in high school with mobility as a key part of their skill set. Both quarterback recruits also spoke with Yurcich during Penn State’s signing day livestream.

“I love the fact that both of them are embracing the competition,” Franklin said.

Allar said he looks forward to learning from Clifford.

“I think all his experience can help everyone in the room,” Allar said.

3. How soon can JB Nelson play?

Penn State’s offensive line needs help. It’s unclear if left tackle Rasheed Walker will be back for another season. There could be movement inside too, with Juice Scruggs potentially moving to center if Mike Miranda does not return for an extra season.

Nelson, a 6-5, 300-pound prospect from Lackawanna College, is the most college-ready of Penn State’s three offensive line signees. Junior college prospects always are brought in to help fill more immediate needs, and the offensive line fits the bill.

“We’re excited about the opportunity for him to be able to come make an immediate impact,” cornerbacks coach and defensive recruiting coordinator Terry Smith said. “It’s always learning the system. … Obviously, we need a little bit more girth and guys to come off the football and move some guys in the run game as well. So we think he can do that we think he will do that. We’re excited.”

Smith recruited Nelson originally out of high school when he was at Mt. Lebanon in the Pittsburgh area before it became clear Nelson needed to go the juco route.

4. Who are the early enrollees?

Penn State continues to want to get as many players on campus in January as it can. It’s added players in May before too, which will be something to keep an eye on, as some high schools still don’t allow for early enrollment.

Those arriving in January: Allar, Pribula, Allen, Singleton, Nelson, TE Jerry Cross, WR Omari Evans, WR Kaden Saunders, CB Cam Miller and DL Zane Durant.

5. Deep class of receivers

Jahan Dotson made an appearance during the signing day production to welcome Saunders and encourage him to break all of his records. Saunders, Penn State’s first verbal commit, was the glue for the class, as receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield put it. Penn State signed four receivers and wants to add another in the second signing period or through the transfer portal, Franklin said.

“We are looking for guys that can do it all where it’s not just, ‘Hey, you’re an outside guy,’ if that makes sense,” Stubblefield said.

It goes back to the point Stubblefield made to receiver commit Anthony Ivey during an in-home visit: The Nittany Lions want receivers who, like Dotson, can move around to help create mismatches. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Saunders figures to be an important piece in the coming years, with Allar and Saunders giving Penn State two of the top six players in Ohio, according to the 247Sports Composite.

“I’m extremely excited to see Kaden here and part of our team especially, you know, two to three years down the road,” Stubblefield said.

Penn State also signed Evans, the 6-foot, 170-pound receiver who is one of the more interesting stories in the class. Evans was playing quarterback, and heading into his camp workout, Penn State was intrigued by his speed. Stubblefield was blown away when he saw it in person. A 4.34-second 40-yard dash stunned Stubblefield. He grabbed a stopwatch to double check.

“I ended up timing it as well and we all got a really fast time,” Stubblefield said. “We went to the workout and he caught the ball really well. He tracked the deep ball well. He was still kind of raw in some of his route running. … He showed us everything you’d want to see in terms of a personal workout. … He’s gonna have some developing to do, but in terms of what you just initially look for, he has it.”

All rankings via the 247Sports Composite

6. Sleeper picks

Offense: WR Tyler Johnson

Johnson, a three-star recruit from Ridgeway, Virginia, attended camp at Penn State, and his smoothness continued to wow Stubblefield. Whether it was how Johnson operated at camp or when he’s playing basketball, those skills impressed.

“(Initially) you’re concerned because he wasn’t on a lot of the recruiting radars,” Stubblefield said. “Then, you find out that he really didn’t go to any combines or any of the big things, so his name really wasn’t out there. Going to his hometown, it’s a small place. … We’re gonna trust our judgement on him. There’s a lot to like about him.”

Defense: LB Keon Wylie

Said Smith of the three-star prospect from Philadelphia’s Imhotep Institute: “I think Keon quietly may be the best player on the defensive side. This guy’s a humble servant. He just doesn’t say much. But when you look at the production of his film, I mean, this guy gets after it every snap. I mean, he plays relentless to the football. When he comes here, and we put a couple pounds on him and get him a little bit stronger. I think the upside of this guy is tremendous.”

7. Projecting the safeties

Penn State introduced athlete Mehki Flowers (6 feet, 185 pounds as a defensive back. Cristian Driver, (5-11, 185), who when he committed wanted to play receiver and defensive back, was also listed as a defensive back. Penn State initially offered Driver, the son of former NFL wide receiver Donald Driver, as a defensive back, Franklin said.

“Mehki and Driver, I think you can make the argument both ways and we’ve had conversations with both of them about that,” Franklin said. “There’s still flexibility there that exists. You never know what the future holds. … We want as many defensive backs with ball skills and length as we possibly can find, and I think these two guys fit those characteristics perfectly.”

Both could return kicks or punts, Franklin said, with Smith adding that Driver could also play cornerback. Kevin Winston Jr., at 6-2, 190, rounds out a trio of safeties who signed Wednesday.

“We feel like we got a great group within those three guys,” Smith said.

8. Deion Barnes’ stock continues to rise

Barnes, a graduate assistant and Philadelphia native, helped introduce a trio of Philadelphia signees — Wylie, Abdul Carter and Ken Talley — to the crowd at Penn State’s signing day even. This was another class featuring players who raved about Barnes, who isn’t a position coach. Defensive lineman Dani Dennis-Sutton of McDonogh School in Maryland praised Barnes too.

Penn State’s turnaround in Pennsylvania and in Philadelphia in particular was a huge part of this class’ success. The success in Philadelphia doesn’t happen without Barnes, who used to coach high school ball and train athletes in the city.

“What Deion did for us was give us the heartbeat of Philadelphia to understand, you know, what those guys are thinking, what they need, and to help us manage the area better,” said Smith, who was reassigned to recruit the city after the 2021 cycle.

Penn State worked to make amends with many schools in the city, while also understanding it needs to offer scholarships earlier to get in on some prospects. Coaches were upfront with the schools and recognized they have to do better in the city.

“We really just confessed that we had dropped the ball in Philadelphia,” Smith said. “We made a conscious effort to be better and we got better there.”

What happens to Penn State’s efforts in the city if Barnes gets a job opportunity elsewhere? Though he can’t recruit on the road because he’s not a coach, his connections and work here have made the former defensive end extremely valuable.

“I’m happy for Deion,” Smith said. “Whether it’s this offseason or next offseason, I’m sure he’s going to have a full-time job somewhere. He’s going to be a great coach relatively quickly.”

9. What needs remain?

Penn State is looking for another receiver, another offensive lineman, a defensive end, potentially a defensive tackle and also a linebacker or two.

“Obviously, you know, we’re losing some big-time linebackers,” Franklin said.

None of Penn State’s linebackers have announced their intentions publicly yet, but between Ellis Brooks, Brandon Smith and hybrid linebacker/defensive end Jesse Luketa, it sounds like the staff is preparing for there to be some departures.

A defensive tackle could be necessary “based on some things that could happen on our roster,” Franklin said. That likely is tied in part to PJ Mustipher and whether the injured starter returns.

As for what Stubblefield is looking for in a receiver?

“We’re going to look for somebody who can be dynamic and we want somebody who has shown production,” he said. “We want somebody who is ideally leaving on good terms. … I feel like I got a pretty good room.”

(Photo of Nicholas Singleton: Ben Hasty / MediaNews Group / Reading Eagle via Getty Images)