Before I start shifting my focus to the upcoming two home games, I caught with two sources briefly over the past day or two. With so many guys visiting this past week, it's impossible to go in depth on all of them, but I tried to get a feel for as many as I could. I put together a few takeaways below. Nothing crazy in-depth, but some good info that I wanted to share.
1) We'll start with Andre Roye. No, he didn't visit Saturday, but he was supposed to commit today. If you missed my post earlier, I'm being told he's aiming to decide on Saturday now. I would normally say that it's clear he's torn between schools and probably shouldn't rush this, but I honestly just have no feel for what he's thinking. I know Penn State has been working hard to do a Zoom with Roye and his family this week. I believe they're still working to accomplish that, but he's been so quiet. The same is true for Maryland, too, so this doesn't appear to be a situation where he's ducking PSU because he's going elsewhere. Anything could happen here. I can see him committing, I could see him not committing. You could tell me he committed to Rutgers or even NC State on Saturday and I wouldn't be surprised. This one is totally up in the air.
2) I do get the sense that Penn State feels they're in a good position with Jaishawn Barham coming out of this weekend. One source told me that they think they lead, while the other said they felt good but were just hesitant to say PSU is the favorite with no decision timeline set. People at St. Frances have mentioned to both Rivals and elsewhere that October could potentially be a month for Barham to decide, but when I asked contacts at PSU about it, I was told that Barham never discussed that with them over the weekend. So, when exactly he'll decide is up in the air.
But one thing PSU thought went well was Barham's time with the DeMatha players currently on roster. He played with a few of those guys when he was a freshman at DeMatha. He has a good relationship with KJ Winston, too, so they were happy with how he connected with those guys over the weekend. Barham is expected to be at South Carolina this weekend for an official visit.
- Jaishawn Barham & KJ Winston hanging out on Penn State's sideline before the game.
3) Penn State may be best position currently with DB Larry Turner-Gooden if he decides to decommit from Arizona State, and I think a major reason why is his relationship with Terry Smith. Before we get to that though, here's some background info on Turner-Gooden.
- He plays for a 7-on-7 team ran by Armond Hawkins, who's the father of Chris Hawkins, Arizona State's defensive back coach. That relationship is the key reason he's committed to ASU.
- Hawkins is also one of a two coaches at ASU who are currently suspended. For the record, that's a little bit different from Adam Breneman's situation, as he's currently on paid administrative leave. Just want to clarify that. Still, I'd be surprised if Hawkins, Breneman or Prentice Gill, the wide receivers coach, are brought back after the season.
Now, the more I learn about Turner-Gooden's relationship with Smith, the more I realize that this has been going on for a very long time. I hit on the fact Friday that he played in LaVar's 8th grade all-star game back in April 2018. Penn State then offered Turner-Gooden in Feb. 2019, which was quite some time ago. He was also very good at contacting coaches and building relationships on his own, and Smith was one of those coaches that got a foot in the door very early.
Turner-Gooden will go to Texas in a few weeks, but that's a new staff that doesn't have anywhere close to the relationship that PSU has. I will be very curious to see if he visits USC. Why? Because Armond Hawkins Jr., Chris's brother and Sr.'s son, is on that recruiting staff at USC. Of course, there's going to be a coaching change there though, too, so that may hurt USC's chances.
One other big note with Turner-Gooden: Penn State is discussing another visit with his family for the Michigan game in November. Obviously, he would have to pay his own way to campus if he returns, but if that visit happens, look out. Turner-Gooden returning would tell us a lot in this recruitment. Penn State will do everything it can to find room for him, too.
4) I keep hearing mixed things on WR Omari Evans. I get the impression that James Franklin, Mike Yurcich and Taylor Stubblefield are high on him, and at the end of the day, those three hold more weight here than everyone else. With that said, they'll definitely have a discussion as a staff if he wants to commit in the coming weeks. The only negative has nothing to do with Evans, but more so that PSU has a few players of his skillset (WRs who are speedy, shifty, under 6-foot-1). Kaden Saunders is 5-10, Tyler Johnson is 5-11. Both bring very similar skillsets. With that said, I don't get the vibe that Andre Greene is coming to Penn State. So, if they want another WR, this is their best opportunity. I'm also getting the impression that PSU is no longer pushing as hard for Darrius Clemons as they once were. I don't know the specifics with Clemons, however.
5) I get the impression that Penn State and Ole Miss are the early favorites for 2023 QB Jaden Rashada. PSU's staff is very high on Rashada. I've been saying for awhile now that I think Dante Moore is the clear top target at the quarterback position for next year, and while I still slightly lean that way, Rashada is not far behind. Both sources raved about Rashada. Speaking of Moore, they think it went very well with him, too. One source was joking with me that I need to start buying in more because I keep saying Notre Dame and Michigan have a clear lead. I'll take their advice and do my best to follow Moore a bit more closely in the months to come. PSU feels good, but they know they have work to do, too. Rashada is the one to watch the closest at the moment.
- QB Jaden Rashad poses with Saquon Barkley about 20 minutes before PSU's game with Auburn.
6) Penn State feels they're in a good spot with 2023 LB Phil Picciotti. I'm probably going to log a pick here soon. He was 6-2, 235 this past weekend, so all signs point to MLB. Similar to Nick Tarburton in a lot of ways. A little smaller, a little more athletic. TE Joey Schlaffer is also clearly leaning PSU's direction, but I know the staff wants to see him make some improvements academically. Keep that in mind, although I still see him committing at some point.
7) Penn State also loves Virginia Ath. Cam Seldon. I may have to travel down there to get an interview though. Haven't had much luck with Seldon. He checked in at 6-0, 203 this weekend, which is quite a bit smaller than the 6-2, 220 listed on his profile. Some think he'll grow into a linebacker, others think safety. Either way, PSU loves his potential. Not only is he very high on their board, but Sal Wormley is his cousin.
8) They once again gushed about Ath. Nyck Harbor, who checked in at 6-5, 220 this weekend. He seriously looks like Usain Bolt. I mentioned to one source, "He has to pursue track, right?" Their response was that Nyck is serious about wanting to play football, more than people realize. He will absolutely run track, too, but football is certainly a key part in all of this. BTW, remember this name: Joseph Mupoyi. He plays with Harbor at Archbishop Carroll. 6-5, 205-pound defensive end. He's played just three games so far in his entire career and has been killing it. Maryland offered in August, before he even played a game, and now Miami offered yesterday. He was at the game this past weekend and is on pace to get an offer from Penn State. I think they just want to see a few more games first, but PSU loves what they've seen from this young man so far.
9) Both contacts said they feel good about tight ends Mathias Barnwell and Neeo Avery currently. I've been hesitant to buy into Barnwell leaning towards Penn State again, but I think I'm back on board there.
10) In the summer, I got the impression that DB Khalil Ali and WR Ejani Shakir were borderline guys for the staff. I don't think that's the case anymore. PSU is very happy with what they've seen from both this season and they're also very high on Penn State. This was their third visit each since June. I hate talking about package deals, but I could absolutely see both of them being part of PSU's 2023 class. One other thing to note from South Jersey: don't count PSU out on Notre Dame commit Adon Shuler. I wouldn't be surprised if he visits this season.
- Penn State likes what they've seen from DB Khalil Ali so far this season.
11) OL Koby Keenum came with his entire family, including his sister, who currently attends Auburn. I know PSU's staff had fun with her before the game. It was good though. Keenum's family grew up big Auburn fans but they haven't offered him yet and PSU is pulling ahead here. He and Alex Birchmeier were together basically the entire night on Saturday. At 6-3, 295, he's a guard or potentially a center at the next level.
12) DE Cam Lenhardt is another name we need to start talking about more. I'm scheduled to speak with him today, so I hope to have a writeup on him tomorrow. I wasn't sure if PSU was pushing all out for the IMG Academy prospect (he's from Staten Island) but I learned that they definitely are. He's playing linebacker for IMG and was actually in a cast Saturday. I know he missed his last game - I believe he broke his forearm - but he's been cleared to play in a cast moving forward. At 6-2, 230, he's a defensive end at the next level.
13) LB Tony Rojas is pretty high on the staff's linebacker board and I think PSU is the clear favorite with him currently. He checked in around 6-2, 185 this past weekend. He has a really long reach that the staff loves, ran a 4.5-second 40 this summer, a 4.2-second shuttle and surpassed 30 feet in the triple-jump. For now, I'm putting Ta'Mere Robinson is a group of his own for 2023 linebackers, but Rojas needs to be in that discussion for the second-tier.
14) Ath. Quinton Martin - I don't have a lot to add here on the 2024 prospect, but one source told me that Martin is the closest thing they've seen to Micah Parsons in Pennsylvania since 2018. Just wanted to provide some perspective on the kind of athlete we're talking about here. Right now, linebacker makes the most sense, but his position is still up in the air. I'm going to see him play Rodney Gallagher on Oct. 1. Should be fun.
1) We'll start with Andre Roye. No, he didn't visit Saturday, but he was supposed to commit today. If you missed my post earlier, I'm being told he's aiming to decide on Saturday now. I would normally say that it's clear he's torn between schools and probably shouldn't rush this, but I honestly just have no feel for what he's thinking. I know Penn State has been working hard to do a Zoom with Roye and his family this week. I believe they're still working to accomplish that, but he's been so quiet. The same is true for Maryland, too, so this doesn't appear to be a situation where he's ducking PSU because he's going elsewhere. Anything could happen here. I can see him committing, I could see him not committing. You could tell me he committed to Rutgers or even NC State on Saturday and I wouldn't be surprised. This one is totally up in the air.
2) I do get the sense that Penn State feels they're in a good position with Jaishawn Barham coming out of this weekend. One source told me that they think they lead, while the other said they felt good but were just hesitant to say PSU is the favorite with no decision timeline set. People at St. Frances have mentioned to both Rivals and elsewhere that October could potentially be a month for Barham to decide, but when I asked contacts at PSU about it, I was told that Barham never discussed that with them over the weekend. So, when exactly he'll decide is up in the air.
But one thing PSU thought went well was Barham's time with the DeMatha players currently on roster. He played with a few of those guys when he was a freshman at DeMatha. He has a good relationship with KJ Winston, too, so they were happy with how he connected with those guys over the weekend. Barham is expected to be at South Carolina this weekend for an official visit.
- Jaishawn Barham & KJ Winston hanging out on Penn State's sideline before the game.
3) Penn State may be best position currently with DB Larry Turner-Gooden if he decides to decommit from Arizona State, and I think a major reason why is his relationship with Terry Smith. Before we get to that though, here's some background info on Turner-Gooden.
- He plays for a 7-on-7 team ran by Armond Hawkins, who's the father of Chris Hawkins, Arizona State's defensive back coach. That relationship is the key reason he's committed to ASU.
- Hawkins is also one of a two coaches at ASU who are currently suspended. For the record, that's a little bit different from Adam Breneman's situation, as he's currently on paid administrative leave. Just want to clarify that. Still, I'd be surprised if Hawkins, Breneman or Prentice Gill, the wide receivers coach, are brought back after the season.
Now, the more I learn about Turner-Gooden's relationship with Smith, the more I realize that this has been going on for a very long time. I hit on the fact Friday that he played in LaVar's 8th grade all-star game back in April 2018. Penn State then offered Turner-Gooden in Feb. 2019, which was quite some time ago. He was also very good at contacting coaches and building relationships on his own, and Smith was one of those coaches that got a foot in the door very early.
Turner-Gooden will go to Texas in a few weeks, but that's a new staff that doesn't have anywhere close to the relationship that PSU has. I will be very curious to see if he visits USC. Why? Because Armond Hawkins Jr., Chris's brother and Sr.'s son, is on that recruiting staff at USC. Of course, there's going to be a coaching change there though, too, so that may hurt USC's chances.
One other big note with Turner-Gooden: Penn State is discussing another visit with his family for the Michigan game in November. Obviously, he would have to pay his own way to campus if he returns, but if that visit happens, look out. Turner-Gooden returning would tell us a lot in this recruitment. Penn State will do everything it can to find room for him, too.
4) I keep hearing mixed things on WR Omari Evans. I get the impression that James Franklin, Mike Yurcich and Taylor Stubblefield are high on him, and at the end of the day, those three hold more weight here than everyone else. With that said, they'll definitely have a discussion as a staff if he wants to commit in the coming weeks. The only negative has nothing to do with Evans, but more so that PSU has a few players of his skillset (WRs who are speedy, shifty, under 6-foot-1). Kaden Saunders is 5-10, Tyler Johnson is 5-11. Both bring very similar skillsets. With that said, I don't get the vibe that Andre Greene is coming to Penn State. So, if they want another WR, this is their best opportunity. I'm also getting the impression that PSU is no longer pushing as hard for Darrius Clemons as they once were. I don't know the specifics with Clemons, however.
5) I get the impression that Penn State and Ole Miss are the early favorites for 2023 QB Jaden Rashada. PSU's staff is very high on Rashada. I've been saying for awhile now that I think Dante Moore is the clear top target at the quarterback position for next year, and while I still slightly lean that way, Rashada is not far behind. Both sources raved about Rashada. Speaking of Moore, they think it went very well with him, too. One source was joking with me that I need to start buying in more because I keep saying Notre Dame and Michigan have a clear lead. I'll take their advice and do my best to follow Moore a bit more closely in the months to come. PSU feels good, but they know they have work to do, too. Rashada is the one to watch the closest at the moment.
- QB Jaden Rashad poses with Saquon Barkley about 20 minutes before PSU's game with Auburn.
6) Penn State feels they're in a good spot with 2023 LB Phil Picciotti. I'm probably going to log a pick here soon. He was 6-2, 235 this past weekend, so all signs point to MLB. Similar to Nick Tarburton in a lot of ways. A little smaller, a little more athletic. TE Joey Schlaffer is also clearly leaning PSU's direction, but I know the staff wants to see him make some improvements academically. Keep that in mind, although I still see him committing at some point.
7) Penn State also loves Virginia Ath. Cam Seldon. I may have to travel down there to get an interview though. Haven't had much luck with Seldon. He checked in at 6-0, 203 this weekend, which is quite a bit smaller than the 6-2, 220 listed on his profile. Some think he'll grow into a linebacker, others think safety. Either way, PSU loves his potential. Not only is he very high on their board, but Sal Wormley is his cousin.
8) They once again gushed about Ath. Nyck Harbor, who checked in at 6-5, 220 this weekend. He seriously looks like Usain Bolt. I mentioned to one source, "He has to pursue track, right?" Their response was that Nyck is serious about wanting to play football, more than people realize. He will absolutely run track, too, but football is certainly a key part in all of this. BTW, remember this name: Joseph Mupoyi. He plays with Harbor at Archbishop Carroll. 6-5, 205-pound defensive end. He's played just three games so far in his entire career and has been killing it. Maryland offered in August, before he even played a game, and now Miami offered yesterday. He was at the game this past weekend and is on pace to get an offer from Penn State. I think they just want to see a few more games first, but PSU loves what they've seen from this young man so far.
9) Both contacts said they feel good about tight ends Mathias Barnwell and Neeo Avery currently. I've been hesitant to buy into Barnwell leaning towards Penn State again, but I think I'm back on board there.
10) In the summer, I got the impression that DB Khalil Ali and WR Ejani Shakir were borderline guys for the staff. I don't think that's the case anymore. PSU is very happy with what they've seen from both this season and they're also very high on Penn State. This was their third visit each since June. I hate talking about package deals, but I could absolutely see both of them being part of PSU's 2023 class. One other thing to note from South Jersey: don't count PSU out on Notre Dame commit Adon Shuler. I wouldn't be surprised if he visits this season.
- Penn State likes what they've seen from DB Khalil Ali so far this season.
11) OL Koby Keenum came with his entire family, including his sister, who currently attends Auburn. I know PSU's staff had fun with her before the game. It was good though. Keenum's family grew up big Auburn fans but they haven't offered him yet and PSU is pulling ahead here. He and Alex Birchmeier were together basically the entire night on Saturday. At 6-3, 295, he's a guard or potentially a center at the next level.
12) DE Cam Lenhardt is another name we need to start talking about more. I'm scheduled to speak with him today, so I hope to have a writeup on him tomorrow. I wasn't sure if PSU was pushing all out for the IMG Academy prospect (he's from Staten Island) but I learned that they definitely are. He's playing linebacker for IMG and was actually in a cast Saturday. I know he missed his last game - I believe he broke his forearm - but he's been cleared to play in a cast moving forward. At 6-2, 230, he's a defensive end at the next level.
13) LB Tony Rojas is pretty high on the staff's linebacker board and I think PSU is the clear favorite with him currently. He checked in around 6-2, 185 this past weekend. He has a really long reach that the staff loves, ran a 4.5-second 40 this summer, a 4.2-second shuttle and surpassed 30 feet in the triple-jump. For now, I'm putting Ta'Mere Robinson is a group of his own for 2023 linebackers, but Rojas needs to be in that discussion for the second-tier.
14) Ath. Quinton Martin - I don't have a lot to add here on the 2024 prospect, but one source told me that Martin is the closest thing they've seen to Micah Parsons in Pennsylvania since 2018. Just wanted to provide some perspective on the kind of athlete we're talking about here. Right now, linebacker makes the most sense, but his position is still up in the air. I'm going to see him play Rodney Gallagher on Oct. 1. Should be fun.
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