By Bill Kurelic, NN Recruiting Analyst

bkurelic@nittanynetwork.com

March 5, 2009

The last few years, the Nittany Lions have not had as much success recruiting the state of Pennsylvania as desired. 

Star prospects such as Terrelle Pryor, Dorian Bell, Corey Brown, Jordan Hall and Andrew Sweat all had scholarship offers from Penn State, but signed with Ohio State.

Other Pennsylvania stars to sign with other schools the past two years include Tom Savage (Rutgers), E.J. Banks (Notre Dame), Je’Ron Stokes (Michigan), Lucas Nix, Shayne Hale and Jonathan Baldwin (Pitt) and Nick Moody (Florida State).

This recruiting season Penn State seems set to make a huge comeback.  Coming off a Big Ten championship and a birth in the Rose Bowl, Joe Paterno may be set to dominate the recruiting battles on his home turf.

Paterno has already landed commitments from two of the top five prospects in Pennsylvania: linebacker Mike Hull from Canonsburg Canon-McMillan and quarterback P.J. Jones from McKees Rocks Sto-Rox.

The Nittany Lions also seem to be in good shape with offensive lineman Luke Graham from Harrison City Penn-Trafford.  Graham says he wants to stay close to home, and though he has an offer from Pitt, don’t bet against Joe Pa in this one.

State College wide receiver Alex Kenney, who has offers from Penn State, Stanford, Virginia, Illinois and Boston College, maintains he does not have a leader.  But his father is a professor at Penn State and Alex has visited PSU many times.  It certainly would be anything but a shock to see Kenney playing for the Nittany Lions.

Offensive lineman Seth Betancourt from Philadelphia St. Joseph has a half-dozen scholarship offers including Penn State and Rutgers, who he says are his two favorites.  Betancourt attended the Penn State-Michigan game and was very impressed.

Defensive ends Dakota Royer from Manheim Central and Kyle Baublitz from York Central are considering Penn State offers.  While both are saying they do not have a favorite, it seems safe to say the Nittany Lions don’t trail anyone.  Baublitz attended two Penn State games this past season.

Wide receiver/defensive back Brandon Ifill from Pittsburgh Penn Hills says his four favorites are Penn State, Pitt, Michigan and Ohio State.  The first three have offered.  Ifill attended the Penn State-Michigan State game this past season and liked what he saw.

Defensive lineman Sharrif Floyd from Philadelphia George Washington has an offer from the Nittany Lions, but has never been to Penn State.  He says he would like to visit PSU sometime in the next few months.

It all points to renewed recruiting success in Pennsylvania for Joe Pa.  The Nittany Lions appear to be in good shape to land most of these prospects, and it is not out of the question they could land all of them.  Paterno could be set to strike it rich in his home state this recruiting season.