2010 Recruiting - Wide Receivers

Moving along with our look at the 2010 recruiting needs, today we'll look at the wide receivers. As always, here is how the 2009 roster will look.

* - Denotes grayshirting in 2009
+ - May play defensive back

Penn State had some trouble recruiting wide receivers in recent years missing out on coveted targets like Deon Walker and Vidal Hazleton. The top half of the seniority chart is pretty weak as McDonald and Cousins have accomplished next to nothing in their careers. Graham Zug is a former walk-on and Brett Brackett is a converted quarterback who got a shot at wide receiver after looking impressive while imitating Jeff Samardzija on the scout team in 2006.

I figured Penn State would go after and land some good wide receivers, but I was pretty shocked to see them bring in seven kids at the position. I was thinking they would get more like four. Some kids like Drake, Smith, Brown, and Kersey have an excellent chance to play right away. It's already known that Felder will take a grayshirt to recover from his reconstructive knee surgery. I suspect Kuntz is about 99% destined for a redshirt year as he too is recovering from a knee injury. Thomas will probably redshirt as well and get looks on offense and defense while the coaches assess their needs and figure out his best position.

A lot of our efforts in wide receiver recruiting are going to center around Chaz Powell, Derek Moye, and A.J. Price. If one or two of these guys step up this spring and look like they have superstar potential the coaches may decide we're in good shape and not heavily pursue any wide receivers. But if these guys go through spring practice and don't look like they are going to make the grade the coaches may go out after some kids to improve the depth.

When you run a spread offense, wide receiver is a position at which you can never afford to have a thin depth chart. What made the 2008 Spread HD so successful was the multitude of weapons at Daryll Clark's disposal. So I think Penn State will try to bring in one or two guys this year, but they are going to be very selective in who they offer. If they can get a top notch kid, they'll go after him. But you're not going to see a late offer to a two star project kid from the PIAA.

Top Targets

If you asked me who my favorite target is, it's Adrian Coxson from Baltimore Maryland. He's 6'2" and 182 lbs with 4.45 speed. If you haven't had a chance to see his junior highlight tape, do yourself a favor and go check it out (premium subscription required). He's got great size, blazing speed, good hands, and moves well after the catch. He'll be visiting Penn State in March and has expressed a lot of interest. Plus he's from Maryland and there's the whole Larry Johnson thing. Coxson currently has offers from Connecticut, Pitt, and Maryland but is sure to pick up more offers once his junior tape gets out there.

Alex Kenny from State College High is another kid Penn State is showing a lot of interest in. He currently has offers from Notre Dame, Illinois, Boston College, Pitt, Stanford, and Virginia. He's warming up to Penn State lately, but a few weeks ago he seemed dead set on going to play somewhere else. Interestingly, his dad works for Penn State, so if they sign him I bet they could get him on an employee scholarship and avoid counting him toward the 85 man roster.

Other targets on the radar are Justin Hunter, Kyle Prater, and Kenny Stills. You can tell Penn State is being very selective in who they offer because these kids hail from Virginia, Illinois, and California.

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