2018 Recruiting Thread

[Judge Smails]

http://www.roarlionsroar.com/penn-s...wkins-interview-ohio-state-archbishop-moeller
AENEAS HAWKINS ON PENN STATE: "I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE THE BEST RECRUITERS IN THE GAME."

http://www.roarlionsroar.com/penn-s...wkins-interview-ohio-state-archbishop-moeller

Aeneas Hawkins is one of Penn State's primary targets at the defensive tackle position in the 2018 class. The 247Sports Composite three-star has been a busy man since the turn of the calendar, picking up offers from Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Michigan, Iowa and many others

RLR: Your father played at Cincinnati, so did you grow up a Cincinnati fan? Any Ohio State fandom?

AH: "I never really liked the Buckeyes until they offered me a scholarship and I started talking to them. Before that, I was a Bearcat fan all the way. My dad played there, he was a second round draft pick out of there. I went to all the home games, the Orange Bowl, the Sugar Bowl where Tim Tebow just destroyed them [laughs]. I was there, I was a diehard, I had the jerseys. Anything Bearcat, I was about."

RLR: Any idea what the rest of your top group would be right now?

"I THINK THE REASON THAT [PENN STATE] GETS BIG-TIME RECRUITS IS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE THE BEST RECRUITERS IN THE GAME."– AENEAS HAWKINS

AH: "Penn State's one of them, they're a big one. Ohio State would be in there, Notre Dame, Alabama, Clemson. Those are really the ones that recruit me the hardest. Not to say those are my top group, there's still others who I'm looking at a lot, but those are the schools that contact me the most."

RLR: What is it about each of those schools that makes them stand out?

AH: "Penn State,I feel like they're the big picture. They have everything going. Their coaching staff is phenomenal, and I knew that coming in the door. But I really felt that on my visit there. I know the recruiting class coming in, guys like Micah Parsons, guys like Justin Fields- all those cats are really welcoming. They've wanted me to join the family for a little while now, so those are good relationships.

 

[bmw199]

AENEAS HAWKINS ON PENN STATE: "I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE THE BEST RECRUITERS IN THE GAME."

http://www.roarlionsroar.com/penn-s...wkins-interview-ohio-state-archbishop-moeller

Aeneas Hawkins is one of Penn State's primary targets at the defensive tackle position in the 2018 class. The 247Sports Composite three-star has been a busy man since the turn of the calendar, picking up offers from Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Michigan, Iowa and many others

RLR: Your father played at Cincinnati, so did you grow up a Cincinnati fan? Any Ohio State fandom?

AH: "I never really liked the Buckeyes until they offered me a scholarship and I started talking to them. Before that, I was a Bearcat fan all the way. My dad played there, he was a second round draft pick out of there. I went to all the home games, the Orange Bowl, the Sugar Bowl where Tim Tebow just destroyed them [laughs]. I was there, I was a diehard, I had the jerseys. Anything Bearcat, I was about."

RLR: Any idea what the rest of your top group would be right now?

"I THINK THE REASON THAT [PENN STATE] GETS BIG-TIME RECRUITS IS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE THE BEST RECRUITERS IN THE GAME."– AENEAS HAWKINS

AH: "Penn State's one of them, they're a big one. Ohio State would be in there, Notre Dame, Alabama, Clemson. Those are really the ones that recruit me the hardest. Not to say those are my top group, there's still others who I'm looking at a lot, but those are the schools that contact me the most."

RLR: What is it about each of those schools that makes them stand out?

AH: "Penn State,I feel like they're the big picture. They have everything going. Their coaching staff is phenomenal, and I knew that coming in the door. But I really felt that on my visit there. I know the recruiting class coming in, guys like Micah Parsons, guys like Justin Fields- all those cats are really welcoming. They've wanted me to join the family for a little while now, so those are good relationships.

WOW, high praise

 

[Judge Smails]

WOW, high praise

Make sure you read the article at the link. Deciding May 10th. Visiting PSU in March.

 

[bmw199]

Make sure you read the article at the link. Deciding May 10th. Visiting PSU in March.

Yea, OSU's insiders all have him going to there. It will be interesting when and how often he visits them and FSU down the stretch to his decision.

 

[bmw199]

Georgia must be loaded this year with prospects; they have 30 4*s. #23 in the state 4* OT Christian Armstrong is visiting this week.

Composite Rating: Four-star, .9115 rating. No. 232 overall, No. 19 OT, No. 23 in Georgia.

Rating: Four-star, 90 rating. No. 268 overall, No. 21 OT, No. 24 in Georgia.

Offers: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Penn State, South Carolina

Crystal Ball: All three predictions favor in-state Georgia

Actions: Visited Florida State for Junior Day over the weekend. Visited Auburn in January, went to a game at Tennessee in September. Visited Florida State, South Carolina and Georgia last summer.

Penn State Story: This will be Armstrong’s first trip to Penn State. He was offered by the Nittany Lions on February 7. Penn State is looking for a few offensive tackles in the Class of 2018 and the 6-foot-5, 325-pounder fits the mold. He’s been in touch with offensive line coach Matt Limegrover and Recruiting Coordinator Michael Villagrana.

 

[lionlurker]

If Georgia has 30 4-stars, they can't take all of them.

 

[LionJim]

If Georgia has 30 4-stars, they can't take all of them.

Yes, that's a direct physical application of Planck's Constant. But you knew that.

 

[marshall23]

If Georgia has 30 4-stars, they can't take all of them.

I think you have just summarized Pitt's recruiting philosophy. Sign one WPIAL stud and wait until prospects lose out on their "dream" schools.

 

[ejb25]

I haven't really looked, but I think Georgia has around 30 4* recruits ever year.

In comparison, our recruiting grounds of PA, NJ, and the DMV have around 30-40 4*s total every year also. I'm in the opinion that our recruiting area has enough talent along with cherry picking VA Beach, NC, Georgia, and the Midwest to sustain an Elite Program.

 

[GregInPitt]

I haven't really looked, but I think Georgia has around 30 4* recruits ever year.

In comparison, our recruiting grounds of PA, NJ, and the DMV have around 30-40 4*s total every year also. I'm in the opinion that our recruiting area has enough talent along with cherry picking VA Beach, NC, Georgia, and the Midwest to sustain an Elite Program.

Yep, and maybe the Georgia recruits are over rated as they end up mainly at SEC schools that are usually over rated. Kind of goes hand in hand.....

 

[bmw199]

I haven't really looked, but I think Georgia has around 30 4* recruits ever year.

In comparison, our recruiting grounds of PA, NJ, and the DMV have around 30-40 4*s total every year also. I'm in the opinion that our recruiting area has enough talent along with cherry picking VA Beach, NC, Georgia, and the Midwest to sustain an Elite Program.

Yep, and maybe the Georgia recruits are over rated as they end up mainly at SEC schools that are usually over rated. Kind of goes hand in hand.....

I looked at 2 years. 2017 33 4* and in 2014 only 23 4*. Clearly there is something going on there. Has GA high school football actually gotten that much better? I mean maybe...

 

[Judge Smails]

Apparently Young might be coming back this weekend as well.

 

[Lion8286]

Apparently Young might be coming back this weekend as well.

View embedded media

That tweet is from Raines, not Young.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

That tweet is from Raines, not Young.

He knows that.

 

[Judge Smails]

He knows that.

Hit 'show ignored' to figure out your post, which reminded me again why he's on ignore.

Thanks for the response.

 

[bmw199]

Apparently Young might be coming back this weekend as well.

View embedded media

Did we get any immediate commits after last years Jr Day?

EDIT: Looks like Barber and Matos were post JR Day. Martin, Thorpe, Miranda, and Brown were post BW.

 

[Lion8286]

He knows that.

Okay

Really believe the twitter nerd was confused.

 

[Judge Smails]

Did we get any immediate commits after last years Jr Day?

"Junior Days, as they are often called, have also been good to the Lions of late; a year ago this coming weekend was when the program netted Class of 2018 five-star and Harrisburg end Micah Parsons, and names of current Nittany Lions like linebacker Jarvis Miller, lineman Ryan Bates, and recent signees Damion Barber and Yetur Matos, all committed to the program while visiting in February during their junior years."

 

[ClarkstonMark]

Okay, with your caveat of "take it for what is it worth", let's look briefly here:

What advantage does the University of Florida have that Penn State does not have?
Fan support?
Tradition?
2016 success?
2017 outlook?
recruiting momentum?
conference rivalries and quality?
quality of education including graduation rates?
offensive schemes?
personality of the head coach?

Feel free to identify the Florida strong points in this discussion.

Some PSU fans still have traumatic shock from the Sandusky/NCAA debacle and are pessimistic about recruiting battles, but the football giant is awake and can compete with any traditional power, on the field or on the the recruiting scene.

Troll or not, would not shock me to see Fields go elsewhere.

 

[bmw199]

"Junior Days, as they are often called, have also been good to the Lions of late; a year ago this coming weekend was when the program netted Class of 2018 five-star and Harrisburg end Micah Parsons, and names of current Nittany Lions like linebacker Jarvis Miller, lineman Ryan Bates, and recent signees Damion Barber and Yetur Matos, all committed to the program while visiting in February during their junior years."

So basically, where this staff is with these recruits it's not crazy to think we'll see one or two. Unless, some of the guys it would have been already pulled the trigger.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[bmw199]

Not that anyone wants to talk about this but Micah visited UGA this weekend. Tweeted up a storm about it. Some other pro PSU tweets since. Honestly, I'm just glad it isn't OSU; haha

 

[ChiTownLion]

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It's a great stat and certainly something to be proud of. Looking at our "peers," I wish there was a way to distinguish between success in the classroom vs eligibility factories.

 

[lionlurker]

Yes, that's a direct physical application of Planck's Constant. But you knew that.

Yes, yes I did. It's one of the few times I don't have to divide Planck's Constant by 2pi, which I have frankly always found irritating. For that I blame Dirac.

 

[meanmiJ01]

AH: "Penn State,I feel like they're the big picture. They have everything going. Their coaching staff is phenomenal, and I knew that coming in the door. But I really felt that on my visit there. I know the recruiting class coming in, guys like Micah Parsons, guys like Justin Fields- all those cats are really welcoming. They've wanted me to join the family for a little while now, so those are good relationships.

Hmmmmmm Parsons is recruiting someone to PSU???

 

[lionlurker]

Troll or not, would not shock me to see Fields go elsewhere.

The only recruit I can remember who has taken as big a leadership role as Fields, who didn't eventually enroll, was McLean, and it probably wasn't his decision to make. Others may feel free to correct me on this.

 

[bmw199]

The only recruit I can remember who has taken as big a leadership role as Fields, who didn't eventually enroll, was McLean, and it probably wasn't his decision to make. Others may feel free to correct me on this.

Cam Williams, but that was for different reasons...

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

$$$ article, but more positive vibes...

 

[bdgan]

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Where's Northwestern?

 

[artsandletters]

Word down south is that Florida was always Fields' "dream school" growing up - huge Tebow fan. Not many in his circle expected him to blow up as much as he has over the last year so it is believed that he will re-evaluate his recruitment especially with Florida. Not that any of you care about any outsiders' opinions, but it is doubtful that he signs a LOI with a school in the north. TIFWIW

"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is an absurd one." -- Voltaire

 

[ChiTownLion]

 

[BobPSU92]

Where's Northwestern?

Northwestern has a small athletic department, so while their graduation rates are outstanding, they simply don't have the numbers.

What Penn State Athletics has accomplished in the classroom, legitimately for decades, is very impressive when you consider the size of the department.

 

[TheGLOV]

Fields will stick with PSU.

Mark it down.

As long as our "O" coordinator stays. IMO.

 

[lionlurker]

Fields will stick with PSU.

Mark it down.

As long as our "O" coordinator stays. IMO.

Fields has already stated that his commitment isn't tied to our OC.

 

[Ranger Dan]

Where's Northwestern?

Maybe they satisfy the Academic part of the statement, but not the All Big Ten portion...

 

[uPBRmeASAP]

Fields has already stated that his commitment isn't tied to our OC.

Yup, he was getting contacted by other coaches when the rumors were swirling about JoMo being a HC candidate at various schools.

Fields told those coaches it wasn't
why he chose PSU or would affect his commitment status.

 

[TheGLOV]

Fields has already stated that his commitment isn't tied to our OC.

Good!

 

[21Guns]

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Ut oh, better call the Bag Man...

 

[Judge Smails]