COMMITMENT DATE SET FOR TOP 2021 TARGET
Penn State has been making a big, late push for running back Deshun Murrell. The Alabama native, who is a four-star prospect according to 247Sports, was previously committed to UCLA befor de-committing. Now, it appears his top schools are UCLA, Oklahoma State and Penn State.
Murrell has announced when he will make his college decision. This will come on December 18th.
I will be officially committing/signing on Dec. 18th @10AM in the BCHS gymnasium.
— Deshun Murrell (@deshun_03) December 3, 2020
Murrell has also hinted at trimming his list further before December 18th. If this were to happen, look for the Nittany Lions and Bruins to be his final two schools.
Cuts will begin this week, so I can determine where I will call home the next 4 years
— Deshun Murrell (@deshun_03) December 7, 2020
This is a recruitment that Nittany Lion fans should watch moving forward. Right now, the Nittany Lions appear to have as good a shot as anyone at landing a signature from Murrell on December 18th.
2021 COMMITS SET TO ENROLL EARLY
Penn State currently has two offensive linemen in their 2021 class. They are Landon Tengwall and Nate Bruce. Now, both Tengwall and Bruce are set to enroll early and arrive on campus in January.
After 3 memorable years of highschool /highschool football I’m blessed to be graduating early from Harrisburg highschool & enrolling early to Penn state university!! I will be signing dec 17th !! I can’t wait to begin my next chapter in Life, Academically & athletically!! #WEARE pic.twitter.com/aUVKc8xobe
— NateBruce (@nathanial_152) December 4, 2020
Players enrolling early is always a huge boost, and this is especially true for offensive linemen. The sooner offensive linemen can begin to work with a college poisition coach, get ingrained in a college strength/nutrition program, etc. the less their learning curve will be.
Bruce will be a player that needs two or three years until he is ready to compete for significant playing time on Phil Trautwein’s offensive line. Tengwall, however, has the potential to make an impact as a true freshman next fall.
Tengwall is the most polished a Penn State offensive lineman has been coming out of high school since Connor McGovern, who was starting at guard by the end of his true freshman campaign in 2016. It would not be a surprise to see Tengwall carve out a role, potentially at right guard, for the Nittany Lions next fall.
TOP GROUPS
As Penn State continues to search for another defensive end in their 2021 class, a pair of defensive ends have put the Nittany Lions in their top groups. These two prospects are Deonte Anderson and Keith Cooper.
Top 6... REPECT MY DECISION.. pic.twitter.com/WFMVdE4jil
— Deonte Anderson (@DeonteAnderso10) December 2, 2020
Top 6 ‼️ #HottyToddy #WeAre #8Clap #Hoosiers #ForksUp #EMAW Thank you for the edit @reggieboi37 .I’m grateful for all the great opportunities.(Recruitment will still be open) pic.twitter.com/y6KmFcXoYm
— KeithCooperJr1️⃣6️⃣ (@KeithCo2021) December 7, 2020
Anderson is a native of Fort Meade, Florida, while Cooper hails from Dickinson, Texas. The Nittany Lions offered both prospects last month and have quickly become contenders in both recruitments.
It remains to be seen if either Anderson or Cooper will sign next week, or wait until February to sign. Regardless, due to their need at defensive end, the Nittany Lions could push for both Anderson and Cooper until they do make a college decision.
Penn State has also made the top group of four-star 2022 wide receiver Peter Kikwata.
TOP 8 !! @AuburnFootball @PennStateFball @UKFootball @TerpsFootball @WVUfootball @BCFootball @FSUFootball @Pitt_FB pic.twitter.com/ot1jESHmNr
— Peter Kikwata (@PKikwata3) December 5, 2020
Kikwata attends Northwestern High School in Germantown, Maryland. The Nittany Lions were Kikwata’s first major offer back in the spring and his recruitment has since taken off. It remains to be seen where Kikwata is on the staff’s wide receiver board, especially with 2022 wide receiver recruiting already off to a roaring start.
NEW OFFERS
Last Wednesday, the Nittany Lions extended a scholarship offer to 2022 running back Quinshon Judkins. Judkins is a high school teammate of new 2021 wide receiver commit Harrison Wallace.
Truly Blessed To Receive An Offer From Penn State University@coachseider @coachpsb @ALLGASTRNG @ChadSimmons_ @RivalsJohnson @GasCrew7v7 @pikeroadFB #WeAre pic.twitter.com/kHxKKN2Ywo
— Quinshon Judkins (@qaj4_) December 2, 2020
Due to the recruiting prowess of JaJuan Seider it is always noteworthy any time the Nittany Lions extend new running back offers.
Another notable 2022 offer went out on Monday night. This offer was extended to cornerback Oliver Bridges.
After a great call with @CoachCBW, I am blessed to receive an offer from Penn State University! #WeAre pic.twitter.com/0c8IGLXa0l
— Oliver Bridges ⚡️ (@obridges_5) December 7, 2020
Bridges attends The Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland. This is the same school as 2021 quarterback commit Christian Veilleux, as well as former Nittany Lion linebacker Cam Brown. With Bridges being in the region and attending a school Penn State has recruiting successfully in the past this is a recruitment the Nittany Lions could be very involved with.