2022 DEFENSIVE END TOP GROUPS

Last Wednesday three-star defensive end Micah Wing released his list of top 5 schools. This list included the Nittany Lions.

Wing is a Delaware native who was just recently offered by the Nittany Lions on March 2. Where Wing is on Penn State’s defensive end board and him being a take or not may hinge on him getting on campus for the staff to evaluate him in person. That said, with Penn State’s need at defensive end in the 2022 cycle, Wing being in the region and Penn State being by far the best program in his top 5, Wing is a name to monitor as Penn State searches for defensive ends this cycle.

Monday night three-star defensive end Anto Saka joined the top group party releasing a top 12 that included Penn State.

The Maryland native’s recruitment has started to take off in recent months with offers from Penn State, Michigan and USC, among others. Saka has an official visit to Penn State scheduled for June and is shaping up as one of the top defensive end targets on the Nittany Lions board. Saka’s name is one that will continue to pop up in Penn State recruiting talk until his recruitment ends.

NEW OFFERS

Over the weekend the Nittany Lions offered 2022 New Jersey athlete Kyle Louis.

This made the Nittany Lions the second Power 5 offer that Louis has earned, joining Maryland. Louis could play safety, cornerback or wide receiver at the collegiate level. It will be interesting to see where Louis falls on the Nittany Lion recruiting board. Any time a player is offered at this point of a recruiting cycle, there is always some legitimate interest from the school that offered. The next step for Louis will be making visits this summer, assuming the NCAA allows these visits to take place.

James Franklin and his staff are continuing to build their 2023 recruiting board. One of the latest members to this board is four-star offensive tackle Olaus Alinen.

The Nittany Lions offered the Finland native who is currently playing high school football in Windsor, Connecticut, native last Wednesday. Since then, West Virginia and Ole Miss have offered as well. Alinen has now accumulated 12 Power 5 offers. Alinen appears to be on his way to becoming one of the top offensive linemen in the region for 2023 and could become a name Penn State fans will hear a lot.

Penn State also extended a new in-state 2023 offer by offering cornerback Lamont Payne.

Payne attends Chartiers Valley High School and also holds an offer from West Virginia. With Payne shaping up to be one of the top players in the state for 2023, getting involved in his recruitment with an early offer can only help the Nittany Lions in the long run.