Matthew O'Haren/USA Today Sports
Penn State Offers Scholarship to Virginia Lineman, Class of 2028
June is a major recruiting month at Penn State, as the Lions will host camps and official visits over four hectic weekends. But Penn State also began June with a unique offer to a player in the Class of 2028.
Nijal Thigpen, a, 6-5, 245-pound offensive lineman from Virginia, received a scholarship offer from Penn State on June 1. But Penn State wasn't the first Division I program to offer Thigpen. That was Virginia Tech, coached by former Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry. Buffalo also has offered a scholarship.
Offers to players not yet in high school certainly aren't new, though social media has made them feel more common. In Thigpen's case, coaches are offering the potential of a 6-5 lineman who still has several years to grow and mature through high school football. The 247Sports recruiting site doesn't even list 2028 offers yet, but clearly Penn State, like every major program, works ahead. The Lions have offered two players in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports, and more than 60 in the 2026 class.
Thigpen, who is gaining regional notice through his under-14 team, definitely will be among Penn State's young prospects to watch over the next four years. In the meantime, the Lions will host dozens of prospects in June seeking to fill their 2024 and '25 recruiting classes.
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