The 2019 Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas is rapidly approaching. Top prospects from the 2020 and 2021 classes will use the event to put their skills to the test against elite competition from across the country. The camp will be of interest to Penn State fans, who should follow the storylines below when things get under way in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Reversing recruiting momentum
Penn State took it on the chin last week, and its impressive recruiting class lost a little luster. Golden Achumba, one of their best recruiters, will be working hard on and off the field in Atlanta to help the Nittany Lions rebuild their strong offensive line recruiting class. His top priority will be trying to get Aaryn Parks back in the fold. The Rivals100 offensive lineman from Maryland decommitted from Penn State very recently, but he hasn’t eliminated it from contention.
Achumba will also be focusing on fellow offensive lineman Anton Harrison. Harrison has been a longtime Penn State target and has been to State College many times. The coaching staff and Harrison are close, but Achumba and some of the other Penn State commits that will be in Atlanta will have to keep working on bringing him into the fold.
Keeping the band together - and then some
Penn State commits Derek Wingo and Curtis Jacobs continue to be targeted by other programs, but the two of them being together again in Atlanta should help them continue to build their relationship. Nittany Lions fans should be excited about the prospect of seeing both of these players working side by side, a potential preview of their future at Penn State.
Fans should also keep an eye on Cody Simon and his interactions with current Penn State commits. Simon just took an unofficial visit to State College over the week and an official visit to Nebraska occurred during the previous weekend. Ohio State is getting its official visit this weekend and a commitment could be coming in the weeks following that visit. Keep an eye on his comments before, during and after the Five-Star Challenge to get a clear idea about what direction his recruitment is heading.
Can Nittany Lions add a few offensive weapons?
A couple major offensive targets are heading to Atlanta on Monday: Rivals100 running back Jalen Berger and four-star receiver KeAndre Lambert. Berger just released a short list and Penn State figures prominently in that group. While his recruitment has shaped up mostly as a Michigan and Ohio State battle, the Nittany Lions are very much in the picture and have a strong relationship with Berger and his camp. The recent running back history at Penn State is also a big factor for Berger.
Lambert took his official visit to Penn State two weekends ago and the Nittany Lions came away from that visit in great position, but the competition for him has been fierce. Ohio State, Clemson, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia Tech and Maryland are all in the mix and most are expected to get him on campus again this summer. A commitment from Lambert is not expected in the near future, but make sure to keep an eye on him as the fall gets closer.
