Penn State closes in on historic Top Five recruiting class

The Nittany Lions did more than add an elite pass-rusher to their impressive defensive line recruiting haul this week.

They took another critical step in locking down their highest-rated class in more than a decade.

New Jersey defensive end Jayson Oweh — yet one more game-changing four-star prospect — revealed Thursday evening that he was the latest to join the Lions. He actually signed his national letter of intent during the early signing period last month but waited to go public until this week's Under Armour All-America Game.

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Penn State's recruiting class is now ranked fourth nationally behind only Georgia, Ohio State and Texas — and at least temporarily ahead of Alabama and Clemson.

With two or three more elite targets still in play before national signing day on Feb. 7, the Lions appear primed to finish with their highest-rated class since 2006 and maybe longer. That '06 class was ranked sixth by Rivals.com and seventh by Scout.com (now 247Sports).

This could go down as one of their best recruiting efforts ever.

"They found a coach who can maximize what Penn State can bring to the table," said Ryan Snyder, a recruiting analyst with Blue-White Illustrated. "How many times in the 90s and early 2000s did people talk about the 'sleeping giant?' Now, they've got a coach who can (deliver) that, flat out." 

Recruits are saying James Franklin's staff "puts in more work into developing relationships with players more than anyone else. And that includes Alabama and Ohio State ...," Snyder said

Adam Friedman, a recruiting analyst with Rivals, said he doesn't expect the Lions to fall from the top five over the next month. A key part in that is Oweh. He joins a top-shelf group of defensive linemen that includes Maryland's P.J. Mustipher, Ohio's Aeneas Hawkins and Florida's Judge Culpepper. Harrisburg's Micah Parsons, a top-five overall prospect, could grow into a defensive end but expects to start his college career at linebacker.

Oweh is considered a raw prospect with tremendous potential, starting with his considerable length and quickness. The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder picked Penn State over Ohio State. He also claimed more than two dozen offers including Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami and Michigan. 

"He's pretty new to football so he's not technically sound yet ... but he has this huge frame to fill out, and he's incredibly athletic," Friedman said. "Coach (Sean) Spencer will have a field day training with this guy, getting him to be the best defensive end possible."

It was a break-even kind of Thursday for the Lions. Another coveted defensive line prospect, Tyreke Smith of Ohio, picked the home state Buckeyes.

Oweh told Brian Dohn of 247Sports that he is most looking forward to working with Spencer.

"I know he can make me better and develop me," Oweh said in a 247Sports article. "People talk a lot about (Ohio State defensive line) coach (Larry) Johnson, and he is a great coach, but so is Coach Spencer. He connects with his players." 

Penn State now has 22 signed prospects for this 2018 class with one verbal commitment still pending — receiver/defensive back Shaquon Anderson-Butts, a Harrisburg teammate of Parsons.

The Lions will look to close out the class and lock up that top five ranking,  with commitments from more four-star prospects such as Maryland offensive tackle Rasheed Walker, New Jersey defensive tackle Tyler Friday and Arizona receiver Solomon Enis. He's the son of former Penn State star tailback Curtis Enis.