Recruiting Recap
Penn State - The Butch Davis era at Penn State got off to a great start as the 2010 recruiting season came to a close. With an incredible haul of 8 five-star caliber recruits committing to the Nittany Lions, PSU pulled in the #1 recruiting class in the nation, edging out Nebraska which brought in 5 five-star recruits. Headlining the Lions class of 25 players were three players ranked #1 at their positions, as well as six #2s, and five of the National Top 25.
Player, Position, Position Rank, Stars
1. Jonathan Carroll, TE, #1, 5 stars
2. Edmond Washington, MLB, #2, 5 stars
3. Dennis Outlaw, G, #1, 5 stars
4. Brooks Oliver, SS, #1, 5 stars
5. Sam Thomas, ATH, #2, 5 stars
6. Joseph Young, G, #2, 5 stars
7. Willie Roberson, T, #2, 5 stars
8. Mike Novak, OLB, #2, 5 stars
9. Rob McCargo, SS, #6, 4 stars
10. Clay Allen, G, #19, 4 stars
11. Bill Adriano, HB, #14, 4 stars
12. Jared Mason, SS, #7, 4 stars
13. Jon Bell, ATH, #6, 4 stars
14. Tony Francis, OLB, #6, 4 stars
15. Pete Cobbs, MLB, #19, 4 stars
16. Erik Wilson, QB, #16, 4 stars
17. David Willis, K, #2, 4 stars (JUCO Junior transfer)
18. Tony Sanders, CB, #8, 4 stars
19. Sean Dunn, HB, #6, 4 stars
20. Harvey Kane, FS, #13, 4 stars
21. Ryan Huff, TE, #14, 4 stars
22. Alvin Hall, P, #3, 4 stars
23. Jonathan Lane, DE, #8, 4 stars
24. Brian Stephens, WR, #67, 3 stars
25. James Meyer, MLB, #55, 3 stars
Coach Davis said at the signing day press conference that this class could rival some of the star-studded groups that he pulled in while at Miami almost a decade ago. Davis said that, although the team is filled with solid returning talent, this group could become the core for four years to come.
Special note: Linebackers Mike Novak and James Meyer were teammates at Fostoria High School in Fostoria, OH, and helped lead their team to the state finals last season. The two announced their intentions on the same day and are looking forward to the prospect of playing at PSU.
Athlete Jon Bell is expected to play CB for the Nittany Lions and athlete Sam Thomas is expected to play HB. Thomas will redshirt this season, but will likely be the starter next year when seniors Marcus Jennings and Corey Givens graduate.
Youngstown State - The jury is still out on the Youngstown State Class of 2010. In the first season under head coach Wasderf Jikolo, the Penguins netted the #26 ranked recruiting class nationally. While it may not look spectacular on paper, Coach Jikolo is confident that many of the players actually flew under the radar and could become impact players for this team within the next 2-3 years.
Player, Position, Position Rank, Stars
1. Dominic Curry, MLB, #20, 4 stars
2. Chris Harvey, MLB, #13, 4 stars
3. Cory Harris, C, #8, 4 stars (in-season commitment)
4. Doug Vincent, T, #15, 4 stars (in-season commitment)
5. Joe Day, MLB, #38, 3 stars
6. Eric McKenzie, ATH, #24, 3 stars
7. Rashad Irons, DE, #38, 3 stars
8. Rob Young, G, #44, 3 stars (JUCO Sophomore transfer)
9. Jed Higgins, SS, #24, 3 stars
10. Paul Marcellus, CB, #19, 3 stars
11. Derrick Vaughn, HB, #138, 2 stars
12. Joe Ryan, G, #61, 2 stars
13. David Phillips, HB, #112, 2 stars
14. Cedric Bomar, MLB, #82, 2 stars
15. Bryan Durbin, OLB, #69, 2 stars
16. Sam Arrington, ATH, #59, 2 stars
17. Reggie Toth, SS, #44, 2 stars
18. Cody Johnson, DE, #125, 2 stars
Special Note: Sam Arrington is the younger brother of superstar CB Ryan Arrington of the Penguins. Ryan, expected to be a 1st day and possibly first round pick in next year's NFL draft, was a key factor in bringing Sam to YSU. Sam is expected to follow in his brother's footsteps at CB.
Athlete Eric McKenzie is expected to make the team as a TE, despite his questionable size (6'2", 188 lbs). He will likely be redshirted in his freshman season.
