OFFICIAL VISITORS FLOCK TO HAPPEY VALLEY

This past weekend was one of the busiest official visit weekends you will ever see in Happy Valley. It is also one that could prove to be very fruitful for the Nittany Lions when the 2022 class signs. Arguably the most important official visitor on campus this weekend was defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton.

Dennis-Sutton is Penn State’s top 2022 defensive target and one of the best defensive defensive ends in the cycle. Defensive end is a major position of need for the Nittany Lions this cycle, as well as being one of the most important positions in today’s college football. Dennis-Sutton attends the McDonogh School in Owing Mills, Maryland, which has become a bit of a pipeline for the Nittany Lions in recent cycles. The Nittany Lions are in a dogfight with Alabama and Georgia for Dennis-Sutton’s commitment but the Nittany Lions appear to be the team to beat.

Penn State’s top offensive target, running back Nick Singleton, was also on campus for an official visit over the weekend.

Entering the weekend the Nittany Lions were the team to beat for the top-100 in-stat back. Coming out of the visit, this lead appears to have only grown. While Singleton still has official visits to Notre Dame and Alabama scheduled for this month, it is hard to envision him not ending up a Nittany Lion.

Singleton was not the only four-star running back the Nittany Lions hosted over the weekend. Four-star Virginia native Ramon Brown was also in Happy Valley for an official visit.

James Franklin and his staff intend to take two running backs this cycle. It would not be a surprise if Singleton and Brown end up as those two backs. Right now, the Nittany Lions are likely the team to beat for each of the backs.

Penn State also hosted arguably their top four defensive back targets over the weekend. These four players are cornerbacks Keenan Nelson Jr., Jaeden Gould and Jayden Bellamy, as well as safety KJ Winston.

Entering the weekend the Nittany Lions appeared to lead for Nelson Jr., Gould and Winston. There is no reason to believe the Nittany Lions did not just add to these leads over the weekend. With Nelson Jr. seemingly close to a decision, and Gould set to announce his college decision on Sunday, they could be two to watch closely.

As for Bellamy, the Nittany Lions are once again in a recruiting battle with Notre Dame. A high school teammate of Gould’s, Penn State appears to have made a move with Bellamy over the weekend. This defensive back class could prove to be a special one.

Circling back to the defensive line, Penn State hosted a pair of four-star defensive tackles over the weekend with Michigan product Alex VanSumeren and Indiana native Joe Strickland both on campus.

VanSumeren is a former Michigan commit who is close to the two of the defensive tackle board for the Nittany Lions. As for Strickland, he is a player whose place on the Penn State board may hinge on how things shake out with a few other prospects.

As Penn State continues to search for linebackers this cycle they hosted a pair of linebackers for official visits over the weekend. These two linebackers were Florida native Wesley Bissainthe and Georgia native Joshua Joseph.

Despite both Bissainthe and Joseph being souther prospects the Nittany Lions are hanging around in each of these recruitments, especially the recruitment of Bissainthe. Once a player makes it to campus for an official visit the Nittany Lions can never be counted out due to how well James Franklin’s staff hits OVs out of the water, this is the case for Bissainthe and Joseph.

NEW 2023 OFFERS

In addition to their big official visitor weekend, Penn State also hosted a camp on Sunday afternoon. Coming out of this camp 2023 New Jersey athlete Moussa Kane picked up an offer.

Kane attends Balir Academy in Balirstown, New Jersey, which is the same high school as 2021 NFL Draft first-round pick and former Nittany Lion defensive end Odafe Oweh. Kane could play multiple positions at the collegiate level and is shaping up to be one of the top recruits in the region for 2023 and is a name Penn State fans will likely hear on a frequent basis between now and the December 2022 signing period.

Another 2023 prospect who earned an offer following their camp performance on Sunday is wide receiver Anthony Brown.

There are a lot similar vibes between Brown and current Nittany Lion commit Kaden Saunders. Like Saunders, Brown is an Ohio native. Also like Saunders, Brown possesses elite athleticism and can be one of the top play makers in his recruiting class. Being one of Brown’s first big-time offers should help the Nittany Lions be real players in his recruitment.