Penn State recruiting rolls on with Baltimore lineman Zachary Franks
Frank Bodani
The Nittany Lions finally got the offensive tackle they needed in this 2019 recruiting class.
He probably won't be the last one.
Zachary Franks, a 6-foot-6, 290-pound lineman from the Gilman School in Baltimore, announced his verbal commitment Thursday. He is the 15th member of this class that is rising toward the Top 10 under coach James Franklin.
Franks is the third pledge the Lions have received since last weekend, joining North Carolina receiver Emery Simmons and Oregon quarterback Michael Johnson Jr.
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Franks didn't take long to make his decision. He received his Penn State scholarship offer in June, according to 247Sports, and chose the Lions over Northwestern, Rutgers, and Duke. His other reported offers included Arizona, Baylor, Boston College, Cal, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Nebraska, Pitt, Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Virginia.
He is a three-star prospect and the No. 86 offensive tackle in the nation in the 247Sports Composite rankings. He will join another former Gilman star in State College, redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Ellison Jordan.
Franks is "very long and technically sound. He needs to get a little stronger and more quick-twitch," said Adam Friedman, a Mid-Atlantic analyst for Rivals. "If he really puts it all together he could be a cornerstone."
Penn State expects to lock down at least one more offensive tackle in this class, and the top target is Lackawanna Community College standout Anthony Whigan.
The Great Mills, Md., native is a four-star prospect and one of the top junior college players in the nation. Whigan (6-5, 290 pounds) has three years to play two at an FBS school.
The Lions already have two premier interior offensive lineman in this class, New Jersey's Caedan Wallace and Delaware's Saleem Wormley.
The class is ranked 13th nationally by 247Sports and is tied for 11th with Tennessee by Rivals.
A few of the most highly-rated prospects Penn State is still pursing include New York defensive end Adisa Isaac, Texas defensive back Lewis Cine and Florida running back Noah Cain.
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