Need your input guys!

[HotMic]

Doing a little PSU report and I need your input.

-Your feelings on PSU recruiting this year in general so far?

-Thoughts on current verbals?

-Thoughts on prospects you are still in on (most important, areas of need, who you feel good/bad about...and so on)

-Anything else you can add will help as well!

Thanks in advance guys, and keep up the great work!

[FrankBooth]

I'm pleased with the recruits PSU has gotten so far and optimistic about chances with Deion Walker and Jimmy Bennett among others. I think it will turn out to be a solid class when all is said and done, with or without Pryor.

But the worst thing to happen this year was one quote (later retracted) from Darrell Scott saying that PSU was in his top 3 along with mention that Cyrus Gray from TX was also looking at PSU, because that got some fans drooling with excitement of getting some exotic stud RBs from far, far away. Now that there is a realistic chance of landing relatively local guys like Shaw and Beachum, we'll hear some goofballs go nuts as if the staff is recruiting bums instead of going hard after the studs who are longshots.

[immikefazz]

[quote]-Your feelings on PSU recruiting this year in general so far?[/quote}

Penn State is going to have a small class this year. I predict no more than 13 members of the class of 2008. PSU's needs are OT, RB, LB and WR.

Taking this into account, having four verbals (30 percent of the class) by July is doing okay.

-Thoughts on current verbals?

Zordich and Mauti are both nice pickups for the MLB position. Yancich reminds me of Sean Lee on the outside (that's a good thing).

The other verbal was a bit of a surprise (Stankiewitch at OG/OC). Interior line is not a position of need. However, I think the staff sees him as a true center and probably felt they shouldn't pass on him.

-Thoughts on prospects you are still in on (most important, areas of need, who you feel good/bad about...and so on)

PSU is in the race for some top-notch talent at the other need positions. Still in it for Terrelle Pryor at QB; Jimmy Bennett, Deon’tae Pannell and Vinston Painter at OT; Deion Walker, Kenny Tate, DJ Woods and AJ Alexander (wavering on FSU) at WR; Michael Shaw, Dontavius Jackson and Brandon Beachum at RB.

If I were to rate how confident I was about getting each of these recruits from one to ten, with one being "no way in hell" and ten being "stone cold lock" this is what it would look like:

Pryor: 5.5 (I think he's down to OSU and PSU, honestly. Distance is a factor and these two schools have been on him the hardest. I like his relationship with Tom Bradley; it mirrors the relations TB built with Justin King. Pryor most likely won't be committing until the winter, so things will keep changing with him. I don't think basketball plays as important a role as some others think.)

Bennett: 7.5 (He has been to Penn State and praised the school. It's probably the best FB school on his list -- Va Tech being the other, although they're late getting on him.)

Pannell: 5.0 (Down to MSU and PSU, allegedly. Is visiting late July with his parents. If he is willing to leave the state of Michigan, he’ll come to PSU for sure. No idea as to whether he’s willing to go away from home, however. As of now, I count him as leaning toward MSU.)

Painter: 3.5 (Has always been complimentary of PSU going back to the Army AA camp in 2006. Seems to be leaning toward Va Tech, but apparently PSU isn't dead in the water just yet. It would have to be considered a minor upset, however, were he to verbal to PSU.)

Walker: 6.5 (PSU has gotten the most consistent praise from Walker. His father (an admitted USC fan) coached at a PSU camp and likes the school. I think he can be considered a slight lean to PSU right now.)

Tate: 4.0 (Man of mystery as his coach keeps tight reigns on recruitment. Larry Johnson Sr. has done very well in MD/DC area and has a good relationship with Tate and his coach. No real feeling on where he stands right now, however.)

Woods: 5.5 (If he gets an OSU offer, he’s gone. If he doesn’t, I think PSU has a legit shot at this kid.)

Alexander: 3.5 (I have him at 3.5 because he’s a verbal to FSU. However, AJ seems to still be unsettled in his recruitment. He’s thinking of coming to PSU for the ND game in September. PSU has had success of late with guys changing their minds.)

Shaw: 8.5 (I think Shaw is going to pull the trigger on a verbal commitment at the end of July when he visits with his parents.)

Jackson: 4.0 (Southern guy who has all southern schools on his list, save for PSU. Likes our depth chart. Has relatives in Pennsylvania, too. Will visit this summer. Slight long shot but he consistently says “don’t count out PSU.”)

Beachum: 5.0 (I think PSU is growing on him. Depth chart is appealing. Lack of an OSU offer helps here. I think it comes down to Wisconsin and Penn State.)

[blueband98]

So far:

Zordich, Mauti, Yancich - I dont know if you'll find a LB class this year any better than this. There may be some great LB classes elsewhere, but these three are all studs. Yancich is a freak athlete. Mauti is a hard nosed mean nasty player. Zordich has the potential to play either FB or LB. He has all the skills needed and can probably play either inside or out.

Stankiewitch - Seemed like a stretch early on, but the more I hear about him the more I think he has good potential. He has size and strength for the interior line and should add to the depth PSU recruited last year. I am interested in hearing more about him in the fall.

The guys I feel most strongly about now are Wedderburn and Shaw. Both are solid recruits and obviously RB is a need with Shaw.

After that I have no idea. Things are looking good with Walker and Bennett.

Keys to the class will be Pryor, a 2nd or 3rd RB (Beachum or Scott or someone else), and 2 OTs. As the season starts up we'll have a better idea as to who is going where.

[HotMic]

Thanks for the input guys!