Meet The 2018 Class: Four-Star OT Nana Asiedu

After originally being a Clemson lean, Penn State went to work on Nana Asiedu, getting the the big-time offensive tackle to visit for a Junior Day on February 25th. From that point on, the Nittany Lions took the lead in Asiedu’s recruitment, securing his verbal commitment during Blue & White weekend.

Highlights

Scouting Report

If a college football coach was tasked with having to build an offensive tackle prospect from scratch, there’s a good chance Nana Asiedu would be the end result. Standing 6-foot-5 with long arms, Asiedu has the makings of a potential bookend at the next level. He’s still a little light at 275 pounds, but none of that is bad weight, meaning he’ll be able to start packing on mass as soon as he enrolls. Give strength and conditioning coach Dwight Galt six months with Asiedu, and he’ll be at 310 pounds in no time.

Once thought to be a defensive end or tight end prospect, Asiedu is still new to the position, but is developing rather quickly. He’ll need to improve on his hand placement — as too often Asiedu’s hands are too far outside — but when he’s able to utilize his long arms and strong punch, Asiedu flashes in the run game. He does a good job of finishing his blocks, displaying a mean streak that’s coveted for offensive linemen. Where Asiedu looks his best though is when he gets to the second level. He’s incredibly nimble and coordinated for somebody his size, so it’s no surprise he has the potential to be an asset in space.

Asiedu’s highlight film doesn’t offer much in the way of him pass blocking, but he looks solid in one-on-ones from an Under Armour camp here. He does a nice job of moving his feet and keeping his base under him, but was susceptible to getting beat inside a time or two.

Outlook

Asiedu should benefit greatly from sitting and learning for a couple of seasons, but should push for a starting role as a redshirt sophomore in 2020. He’s a raw prospect for sure, but I wouldn’t label him a “project” — i.e., this isn’t a Sterling Jenkins situation. Asiedu already looks pretty comfortable playing along the offensive line, now it’ll just be about adding weight and re-fining technique, nothing unusual for an incoming freshman. Goes without saying, but he’s the best pure offensive tackle prospect Penn State has landed in a long time.