James Franklin set to battle ex-DC Manny Diaz for Penn State football legacy prospect

Penn State football is full steam ahead on recruiting for the class of 2025. The Nittany Lions are in the middle of several junior days, taking place through early February. But James Franklin has some new competition from a familiar face for one of the top in-state prospects for the 2025 recruiting cycle, who just so happens to be the son of a former Penn State QB. Last week, 2025 St. Joseph’s Prep LB Anthony Sacca picked up an offer from ex-Nittany Lions DC Manny Diaz at Duke. 

Manny Diaz offers Penn State legacy Anthony Sacca

For the 2025 recruiting cycle, James Franklin and Tom Allen hope to add to the lineage of “Linebacker U” with a prospect whose father once excelled on the opposite side of the ball for Penn State. Beyond his family ties to the university, Anthony Sacca, son of former Nittany Lions QB Tony Sacca, is one of the top prospects in the state. A consensus top-10 player in Pennsylvania, Sacca is among the best LBs in the nation for the 2025 recruiting cycle. 

Since offering the St. Joseph’s Prep LB in 2021, Sacca has visited Penn State several times, most recently for the program’s first junior day on January 20.

But now, Franklin will have some competition from a former member of the Penn State football staff for the top 2025 LB. Coming out of his visit to Happy Valley last week, Anthony Sacca posted on social media that he had received an offer from Manny Diaz and Duke. 

After a great conversation with @Coach_MannyDiaz & @GinfanteMT I’m proud to announce I have received an offer to play college football at Duke University! #AGTG pic.twitter.com/grApwh9eIL

— Anthony Sacca (@saccaanthony) January 25, 2024

Of course, Manny Diaz played a significant role in Sacca’s early recruitment after serving as Penn State’s DC for the last two seasons. Also involved in Sacca’s recruitment at Duke is assistant head coach Gabe Infante, who worked under Diaz in Happy Valley as a defensive analyst for Penn State football. 

Legacy prospect gains interest from ex-Nittany Lions assistants

Anthony Sacca isn’t the only Penn State football legacy prospect to be on the radar of former Nittany Lions coaches recently. Last week, Michael Carroll, whose father played LB under Joe Paterno in the late 1990s, receieved a visit from Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry. The ex-Penn State offensive coordinator was joined by Tyler Bowen, the Nittany Lions TE coach between 2018 and 2020. 

Thanks for stopping by today @CoachPryVT #GoHokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/rcOhhZqpb0

— Michael Carroll 4⭐️ (@BIIGMIKE_55) January 26, 2024

Since earning an offer from James Franklin and Penn State football in June, Michael Carroll has become one of the top offensive line recruits in the nation. On3 currently has Carroll as a top five IOL in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Michigan is also thought to be heavily in the mix for the Central Bucks East product. 

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