Penn State Lands 4 Players in Final SI99 Rankings

Nicholas Singleton finishes as the nation's No. 1 running back in Sports Illustrated's 2022 class rankings.

Author:
Mark Wogenrich
Jan 25, 2022 12:32 PM EST

Penn State completed quite the recruiting turnaround in the 2022 cycle, landing the nation's sixth-ranked class despite nearly two years of limitations and a combined record of 11-11. And that 2022 recruiting class includes four of the nation's top players, according to Sports Illustrated.

The site released its final SI99 for the 2022 cycle, with Penn State landing three players in the top 25 and four overall. The SI99 represents the top 99 players of the 2022 class as ranked by Sports Illustrated's recruiting analysts.

And all four Nittany Lions could make the case for playing time next season.

Quarterback Drew Allar leads the contingent at No. 14 overall. Allar, among nine freshmen who enrolled early in January, is the No. 2 quarterback behind Texas' Cade Klubnik. John Garcia, Jr., SI's director of recruiting, called Allar the "cornerstone" of Penn State's 2022 recruiting class.

"This is maybe the most talented quarterback Penn State has signed in quite some time," Garcia, Jr. said. “We mentioned the size. He's legitimately six-foot-five, well over 200 pounds, a good athlete, not one you're going to design runs for, but he can escape when he needs to. And when it comes to the arm, my goodness. He is just as strong [as anyone] in the pocket as we've seen in this class of 2022.

"He's got great velocity on the ball, can hit all three levels. And he's a smart kid. When you talk to him, you're kind of impressed. He makes you kind of fix your posture a little bit, and that's rare when you're talking about high school quarterbacks."

Nicholas Singleton is No. 23 overall and the top-ranked running back in the SI99. Singleton won multiple national awards for his 2,059-yard rushing performance last season.

"This is a superstar running back, and we know what [Penn State] has done at running back," Garcia, Jr. said.

Defensive lineman Dani Dennis-Sutton, who continued the McDonogh High-Penn State pipeline, is No. 25 in the SI99. Garcia, Jr. called Dennis-Sutton one of the nation's top players at any position, not just on the defensive line. Dennis-Sutton can play inside or outside, and his pass-rushing skills will make him a player to watch early.

"He really could have gone anywhere in the country," Penn State coach James Franklin said. "... If you look at his film and also his measurables, you could pencil him in as a guy that's going to have an opportunity to compete even though he is not coming in mid-semester. He's 6-5, 255 pounds, physical against the run, and he can rush the passer. So he's not like an undersized defensive end that you're going to have to develop over time. He's got the ability to come in and compete from day one, and I think that's going to be his mentality and approach."

Receiver Kaden Saunders rounds out the foursome at No. 75 overall and has drawn some parallels to a recent Penn State All-American.

"I think Kaden Saunders is an electric slot receiver who can play outside as well," Garcia, Jr. said. "I mean, I'm sure he's heard some Jahan Dotson comparisons already. That's a little lofty for me, but in terms of height, weight and skill set, the athleticism is there. He is one of the best route-runners in this class of 2022.

"He's reliable, and the floor is very high with Saunders. I think we get caught up in the ceiling a lot with recruiting, but when you've got a high floor, you're my kind of recruit. It's a little safer bet for us who are making these decisions. So I'm a really big fan of Kaden Saunders. He's an absolute speedster and a polished route-runner as well."

Which programs claimed the biggest haul in the SI99? Here's the top 10.