Penn State Adds Four-Star Lineman Chimdy Onoh to 2023 Class

Penn State closed its 2023 recruiting class with a bang on National Signing Day by inking four-star offensive tackle Chimdy Onoh. The Dundalk, Maryland prospect was one of the highest priorities for James Franklin’s staff during the second signing period, and it paid off with Onoh joining the Nittany Lions’ class during a signing ceremony Wednesday afternoon.

What does Chimdy Onoh bring to Penn State?

Previously committed to Old Dominion, Chimdy Onoh became highly coveted after he decided not to sign with a school during the early signing period in December. Penn State beat out several other programs for Onoh’s signature, including Michigan State, Ole Miss, and Rutgers.

Onoh is the 14th-ranked offensive tackle in the country for the class of 2023, according to On3’s consensus database. A top-five prospect from the state of Maryland this cycle, Onoh was given a four-star rating by On3 and 247 Sports and a three-star rating by Rivals.

Onoh already has a robust frame, measuring 6-5 and weighing 270 pounds. Despite his size, Onoh has displayed great athleticism at the high school level, standing out as a basketball player and winning the Maryland 4A state championship in shot put and discus in 2022. The key to Onoh’s success at Penn State will have to be his ability to maintain this athleticism while also adding more bulk.

Stacking Classes

The commitment from Chimdy Onoh is the latest success during several impressive recruiting classes for Penn State on the offensive line.

In 2020, the Nittany Lions signed three-star Olu Fashanu, who quickly developed into a potential top-ten pick in the NFL Draft after making only nine starts in his career. Fashanu’s decision to return to college for another season is a significant boost for Penn State, as he figures to be the offensive line’s anchor in 2023.

Penn State has signed five four or five-star offensive line prospects over the last three cycles. Landon Tengwall (four-star) was the headliner of the 2021 class and started five games in his redshirt freshman season this fall before being sidelined with an injury. The Nittany Lions added another four-star in Drew Shelton during the 2022 cycle. Shelton provided substantial depth for an injury-plagued line unit this season, starting four games, including the Rose Bowl.

But Penn State’s most significant haul of offensive linemen comes in the current cycle. Onoh now becomes the third four-star or higher lineman James Franklin’s staff has signed in 2023. He joins five-star Jven Williams and four-star Alex Birchmeier, the number one overall recruits in Pennsylvania and Virginia, respectively.

Most importantly, the Nittany Lions are not slowing down any time soon. The Lions already have two other four-stars committed for the two subsequent cycles. Cooper Cousins, rated as the third-best player in Pennsylvania for the class of 2024, has been committed for over a year. Penn State also added its first commitment for the 2025 cycle earlier this week when Jaelyne Matthews – the top-ranked recruit from New Jersey – announced his intentions to come to Happy Valley.

Shot Across the Bow?

In the short term, signing Chimdy Onoh is noteworthy because he will add significant talent and depth up front. His commitment also serves as a great way to bookend the class of 2023.

But at a higher level, Onoh’s commitment should come as a statement. With most of its line talent coming from Pennsylvania and the surrounding states, Penn State is quickly becoming a destination for the top linemen in the Mid-Atlantic. And that doesn’t look to be changing any time soon.