Joe Paterno is set to sign an outstanding 2010 recruiting class. When all is said and done on National Signing Day, Paterno will have landed the No. 1 recruiting class in the Big Ten and one of the country’s Top 10 overall classes. In fact this Nittany Lion class is currently ranked No. 7 in the country in the ESPN Scouts Inc. rankings.
Paterno saw two of his commitments change their minds as Under Armour All-American defensive lineman Dominique Easley switched from Penn State to Florida and wide receiver Adrian Coxson decommitted and will sign with either Florida or Georgia.
The other major disappointment down the stretch drive was when running back Marcus Lattimore eliminated Penn State.
However, despite missing out on those three outstanding prospects, Paterno has a great group of recruits set to sign on Wednesday. He would like to add one more to that group as defensive lineman Mike Thornton from Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson will announce his decision on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. Thornton is deciding between Penn State, Georgia and Kentucky.
But with or without Thornton, Paterno has a class of recruits that should play a big part in the winning ways continuing in Happy Valley.
Paterno has two outstanding quarterback prospects in the class in Robert Bolden and P.J. Jones. Both have the potential to be outstanding performers for the Nittany Lions. Jones is already enrolled at Penn State and hopes to be the guy for Paterno next season.
In Zach Zwinak and Silas Redd the Nittany Lions have a big back and a speed back with excellent potential. Redd could be a game-breaker and Zwinak could be a bruising running back or fullback, or switch sides of the ball and be a very good linebacker.
Paterno will sign two wide receivers on Wednesday led by Alex Kenney, a hometown hero. Another very good target headed to Penn State is Kevin Haplea, one of the top tight end prospects on the East Coast.
One of Paterno’s priorities this recruiting season was to stock up on talented offensive linemen and that is exactly what Joe Pa has done. The veteran coach got the guys in-state he wanted in landing Under Armour All-American Miles Dieffenbach as well as fellow Pennsylvania standouts Tom Ricketts and Luke Graham. Paterno also landed a huge and talented lineman from Virginia, Khamrone Kolb.
On the defensive side of the ball, three very good defensive ends are headed to Penn State, Under Armour All-American Dakota Royer, C.J. Olaniyan and Kyle Baublitz. Royer could play either defensive end or linebacker for the Nittany Lions, but whichever spot he plays I expect him to be a very good one.
Paterno will sign two run-stopping forces in the middle of the line in Under Armour All-American Evan Hailes and DaQuan Jones.
To play behind that excellent group of linemen, Paterno has landed three linebackers led by Khairi Fortt, one of the country’s top overall prospects. As good as Fortt is, Mike Hull is not far behind.
The only place this class comes up a bit short is in the secondary. With just one defensive back prospect, cornerback Shyquawn Pullium, set to sign with the Nittany Lions on Wednesday, defensive backs will be a priority for the Penn State 2011 recruiting class.
Certainly Paterno and his staff did not land everyone they had hoped to land. But no one ever does. Nittany Lions Nation has to be happy with how things have gone on the recruiting front as Paterno and his assistants will sign one of the best collections of prospects to head to Happy Valley in recent years.
Paterno and Co. put it together
