What's Next for Penn State's 2022 Recruiting Class?
Penn State on Sunday capped a whirlwind month of official and unofficial visits, player evaluations and football clinics and a whole lot of photoshoots. Time for the recruiting staff to get a nap.
So what did the June recruiting period yield for Penn State, which has the nation's No. 7 class, according to 247Sports? And what's next as in-person recruiting hibernates for another month? Let's take a look.
Penn State received one commitment in June, from receiver Tyler Johnson, but expects at least a few more in July. Some important players on Penn State's 2022 recruiting board are scheduled to announce their decisions starting in early July.
The Lions also received an important affirmation from offensive lineman Drew Shelton, who released the program's "107% Locked In" on social media. Shelton, who attends IMG Academy, had visited Florida in June as well as Penn State before confirming his plans to commit to Penn State.
Jayden Bellamy, a defensive back from New Jersey's Bergen Catholic, has scheduled his announcement for July 2. Penn State is among the contenders with Clemson, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Rutgers. Bellamy recently visited Penn State with high school teammate Jaeden Gould, who committed to USC.
Linebacker Keon Wylie, who plays at Philadelphia's Imhotep Charter, is announcing his decision July 3. Wylie has visited Penn State, Pitt, and Kentucky, listing those programs as his top three.
July 4 will be a busy day nationally for commitments, with several notable Penn State prospects on the list. Among them is Tyreese Fearby, a defensive end from Pittsburgh who recently visited Penn State and is a leading recruit on Pitt's board.
Defensive linemen Kaleb Artis (from New York's St. Francis Prep) and Zane Durant (from Orlando's Lake Nona) also have scheduled July 4 commitments. Both players visited Penn State this month.
July 6 is a very important date for Penn State, as Pennsylvania running back Nicholas Singleton is scheduled to announce his decision on CBS Sports HQ. Singleton is among the nation's most coveted players, ranked as the No. 3 running back and the No. 2 overall prospect in Pennsylvania, according to 247Sports.
Virginia offensive lineman Gunner Givens, who made official visits to Penn State and Virginia Tech, has scheduled his commitment for July 16. Givens' top six also includes Clemson, Alabama, North Carolina, and Ohio State.
Elsewhere, 2022 cornerback Omari Evans from Texas received a Penn State offer after making the trip last weekend. Evans has offers from Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State and Northwestern, among others.
Ryan Brubaker, the top offensive lineman in Pennsylvania according to 247Sports, announced June 29 that he committed to South Carolina. Brubaker also had visited Penn State, Stanford, Vanderbilt and Tennessee in June. He made several unofficial trips to Penn State, where his father Jeff played on the undefeated 1994 team.
"There is definitely a difference with walking around campus on your own and being shown around campus," Brubaker told SI All-American about his Penn State official visit. "There is some familiarity there, but at the same time, it was a new experience because I have never been to a game. The closest I have ever got is the Blue-White game, so there was a sense of newness there. As far as my dad goes, we walked out on the field before dinner on Saturday night, and I asked him, 'Is this kind of surreal to walk out through here again?'
"For him, he kind of looked at me and said, 'When I was in your shoes, yes, but I have experienced so much else in life that it doesn't feel it anymore.' He has been great because he has been impartial. What I am getting at there is he is not emotionless, but he is open, very supportive, and not going to try and influence me or sway me."
The NCAA's recruiting "dead period" will remain in effect until July 24. Prospects can resume in-person visits to campuses beginning July 25.
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