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Ranking the States: No. 10 Pennsylvania

Enai White
Enai White

Over the next two weeks, Rivals National Recruiting Director Adam Gorney will look at the 10 best states when it comes to producing talent in the 2022 and 2023 classes combined. He will break down the recruitment of many top players from that state and give his thoughts on some timely topics from the area. Coming in at No. 10 is Pennsylvania.

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OVERVIEW

One of only two states on the entire list that has no five-star commitments, Pennsylvania still makes the list because of 13 four-star prospects in the 2022 class and eight four-stars in the 2023 class,. It has plenty of players that could be major contributors across college football in years to come.

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RECRUITING

Kevin Thomas
Kevin Thomas (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

When it comes to top prospects from the state of Pennsylvania, 11 of 13 four-stars are already committed. The only one out of that group so far who is expected to take any visits is WR Kevin Thomas from Philadelphia (Pa.) Neumann-Goretti, who committed to West Virginia in late July. Thomas said he is planning three other official visits but no destinations are finalized yet.

The state’s top player, Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Charter outside linebacker Enai White, has a final four of Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M and Ohio State, but has no fall visits scheduled yet. Those trips are going to be crucial for the four-star to make his decision.

Pittsburgh (Pa.) Perry Traditional Academy defensive end Tyrese Fearbry, a former Penn State pledge, is the only other uncommitted four-star but he doesn’t have any trips planned yet for the fall.

Among the top 2023 four-star prospects, Pittsburgh (Pa.) Brashear outside linebacker Ta’Mere Robinson is hoping to see Pitt, Penn State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Clemson and Vanderbilt if possible during the fall. Three-star defensive end Eric Gardner Jr. out of Warminster (Pa.) Archbishop Wood wants to see Penn State, Maryland and Rutgers.

There are still lots of opportunities in Pennsylvania’s 2023 class as none of the top-15 players there are committed yet.

Penn State and South Carolina have done particularly well in the 2022 class. The Nittany Lions, not surprisingly, have cleaned up with six of the top 10 players in the state. The Gamecocks have come in and landed pledges from four-star OL Ryan Brubaker and four-star DB Keenan Nelson, Jr., and neither are expected to take any other trips.

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SOME THOUGHTS

Micah Parsons
Micah Parsons (Getty Images)

... Micah Parsons was the last top-ranked in-state prospect who picked Penn State and he’s already in the NFL so that speaks to how long it’s been since the Nittany Lions landed the No. 1 prospect there. That was the 2018 class - and to be fair Penn State is doing better with in-state players this recruiting cycle - but landing a stud like Enai White would be big. That doesn’t look like it will happen as Penn State is not in his top four. And when it comes to White, there will be a lot of debate about his ranking. The outside linebacker spot is loaded with five-star commits CJ Hicks, Gabe Powers and others and White checks in at No. 9. If he was ranked as a weakside defensive end, or essentially an edge rusher, he’d be higher in the position rankings but probably around the same spot in the Rivals250. Either way, White is really talented and will be a big pickup for one of the four schools left on his list.

... The top of the Penn State class of in-state prospects is impressive. Harrisburg (Pa.) Central Dauphin East’s Mehki Flowers moved up after a strong summer and he’s now in the Rivals100. The Nittany Lions won big by beating Notre Dame and others for four-star RB Nicholas Singleton, who could be the future in Penn State’s backfield. Defensive end Ken Talley from Philadelphia (Pa.) Northeast has a real argument to move even higher through his senior season.

... The prospect to watch over the next few months is Tyreese Fearbry, who had been committed to Penn State but backed off that pledge after less than a month because he felt he rushed into his decision. A battle between the Nittany Lions and Pitt is likely with Kentucky, Auburn, Tennessee and others involved. The Pittsburgh Perry standout does not have any visits planned at the moment but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him visit the in-state schools this season – and then make a decision from there.

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