Penn State Adds Another 4-Star Lineman to Its 2023 Recruiting Class
Penn State bolstered its promising young group of offensive linemen on National Signing Day, as 4-star prospect Chimdy Onoh committed to the Lions' 2023 recruiting class.
Onoh announced his decision Wednesday at a ceremony at his school, Dundalk High in Maryland.
Onoh is the 23rd player in Penn State's 2023 class, which ranks 14th nationally, according to Sports Illustrated. He is the 18th 4-star prospect of the class, according to the 247Sports Composite, and ranks as the No. 5 overall player in Maryland.
Onoh initially committed to Old Dominion, and former Penn State offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne, last September. But after an all-state season at left tackle, Onoh (6-6, 270 pounds) received offers from Penn State, Michigan State, Maryland and Colorado, among several others. He chose Penn State from a final list of schools that included Michigan State, Ole Miss and Rutgers.
As a senior, Onoh was named second-team all-state after recording 46 pancake blocks and allowing just one sack. Dundalk went 22-3 over the past two seasons with Onoh on the line.
The rising star at left tackle also thrives in track & field and basketball. He won Maryland Class 4A titles in the discus and shot put last spring and is a two-time all-county basketball player.
With Onoh, Penn State added to a promising class of offensive linemen. According to Sports Illustrated's SI99, the Lions' two highest-rated recruits of the 2023 class are linemen: J'ven Williams (No. 35) and Alex Birchmeier (65). Penn State also signed 4-star prospect Anthony Donkoh.
That bodes well for an offensive line that staged a renaissance last season.
But during the December signing period, Penn State coach James Franklin said he wasn't finished recruiting linemen. Specifically, he sought a player with the size and capacity to play tackle.
"If you look on the offensive side of the ball, we'd like to get another offensive lineman if we could, specifically an offensive tackle, or a guy that's like the guys that we signed in this class that have position flexibility," Franklin said. "I think you look at Birchmeier, J'ven, maybe Donkoh, I think they can play all five positions in terms of the length to play tackle, the girth to play guard and the intelligence to play center. We'll see how that plays out."
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