Behind Enemy Lines: Penn State Football Recruiting
Penn State has arguably played Ohio State the toughest of any Big Ten football opponent in recent years, holding a win over the Buckeyes along with a few narrow losses.
The Nittany Lions beat OSU 24-21 back in the 2016 season and have since endured slim defeats by scores of 39-38, 27-26 and 28-17 last fall in Columbus. But before any results play out on the field, head coach James Franklin and staff hit the recruiting trail to secure talent.
Mark Wogenrich, managing publisher for AllPennState on Sports Illustrated, joined our newest “Behind Enemy Lines” segment to further discuss the world of recruiting. PSU has routinely compiled a top 15 or 20 class under Franklin, including a No. 6 finish back in 2018, but are currently positioned outside of the top 30 in this upcoming cycle. However, that might just be a function of the circumstances.
“This wasn’t going to be a really big recruiting class for them, because there just aren’t a lot of seniors to replace on the current roster,” Wogenrich explained. “But I think it would really help, from a perception standpoint, to get two of the best available (2021) prospects from Pennsylvania in lineman Nolan Rucci and safety Derrick Davis Jr. I can’t imagine Penn State fans would enjoy the idea of Justin Fields throwing to Julian Fleming at Beaver Stadium.”
Easily the top 2021 commit for Penn State, at the moment, is offensive lineman Landon Tengwall from Olney, Md. The 6-foot-5, 306-pounder can play either tackle or guard, appearing to feature good hand movement and excelling at the point of contact. He is widely regarded as the top player in Maryland, a state where the Nittany Lions have been successful.
“Penn State has a long history of recruiting Maryland well,” Wogenrich said, noting how PSU landed top overall prospect Derrick Williams out of Washington, D.C. back in 2005 despite coming off a losing season. “That moment kicked things off, and the recruiting battle now between Franklin and Mike Locksley is going to be interesting. Penn State really values the Maryland area.”
One position that Penn State enjoys notable success at is tight end, considering the Nittany Lions have recently sent guys like Mike Gesicki, Jesse James and Andrew Quarless to the NFL and currently boast standout Pat Freiermuth. The program also welcomed two more in the 2020 class (Theo Johnson, Tyler Warren) and has another pair locked up in the 2022 cycle (Jerry Cross, Holden Staes).
“Gesicki got this latest run started but they’ve had good tight ends for years,” Wogenrich began. “Freiermuth had the potential for 50 catches this year and could have gone to the NFL, where I think he will be a first-round pick whenever that time comes.”
“Kuntz is incredibly athletic and a very good basketball player too, so I have been curious to see how he meshes,” Wogenrich added. “Then, the one guy to really watch in the future is Theo Johnson. He might end up being one of the best tight ends they ever produce. He is that good.”
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