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The culmination of the recruiting season is here, as National Signing Day 2017 is finally upon it. Here at Black Shoe Diaries, we’ll have coverage throughout the day of Penn State’s recruiting class, taking a player-by-player look at each member of the class, and taking a bigger picture look at the class as a whole. Thanks for stopping by, and if you aren’t already following, please follow @BSDTweet on Twitter for more recruiting news and notes.
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After being offered by Penn State at a satellite camp, Mac Hippenhammer committed the Nittany Lions in August just before the start of his senior season. Following his senior season, the Indiana wideout received an offer from in-state Notre Dame (which went 4-8 and didn’t play in a bowl game in 2016), and was tempted to take an official visit to South Bend. But despite flirting with the Fighting Irish, Hippenhammer never took the visit, and stayed true with his commitment to Penn State.
Welcome @machipp2, a Nittany Lion ready to take flight and join the #FirstClass life! #PSUsigningday ✈️⚪️ #WeAre pic.twitter.com/esGV94oh9D
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) February 1, 2017
Vitals
| Position | High School | Height/Weight | 247Composite Rank | Positional Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | High School | Height/Weight | 247Composite Rank | Positional Rank |
| Wide receiver | Fort Wayne, IN (R Nelson Snider) | 6-foot-1, 170 pounds | Three-star (0.8624) | No. 582 overall, No. 87 wide receiver, No. 5 player in IN |
Highlights
Scouting Report
From the moment Hippenhammer committed to Penn State, I said he was one of the more under appreciated members of the class. He isn’t the tallest player, and he doesn’t have elite speed, but the kid is still an above-average athlete who has a knack for making plays. Very good route runner, and shows great body control. Versatile wideout because he can play in the slot or outside. Top-notch elusiveness, especially on punt returns, a role he should vie for at Penn State.
He’s going to need to add about 20 pounds of muscle to his frame, but if he can keep his quickness with the added weight, then defenses will need to watch out. I think out of all of Penn State’s three-star recruits, he’s one of the only ones — in my opinion — who should be a four-star. There’s just not a lot of holes in his game.
Outlook
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Penn State is pretty well set at wide receiver, and since Hippenhammer isn’t physically ready to play, he should be getting a redshirt. I expect his name to pop up quite a few times though throughout the season for his work on the scout team. Regardless of size, players make plays, and Hippenhammer is certainly a player.