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Penn State football: upcoming visit could decide the fate of four-star defensive lineman

Penn State football has a chance to gain an edge with a huge defensive line target this weekend.

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Penn State football, Amaris Williams, official visit
Dec 28, 2019; Arlington, Texas, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin celebrates with wide receiver Jahan Dotson (5) and quarterback Sean Clifford (14) after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Memphis Tigers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

This weekend marks the start of official visits for Penn State football in State College. As the Nittany Lions aim to strengthen their 7th-ranked recruiting class, a select group of crucial visitors will kick off things off from June 2nd-4th. Among these prominent targets is Amaris Williams, a four-star defensive lineman from Clinton High School in North Carolina. Currently, the Recruiting Prediction Machine indicates that NC State and Penn State are the two programs vying for his commitment. While the Nittany Lions trail the Wolfpack, the margin is not substantial.

Upcoming official visit may sway 2024 D-Line target for Penn State football

Undoubtedly, one of the country’s most promising recruits is Amaris Williams, who has secured a coveted spot within the top 100 rankings according to 247 Sports. With an impressive standing at No. 88 overall, Williams showcases exceptional talent and potential.

Notably, Williams holds remarkable positions, ranking No. 15 among defensive linemen and No. 2 among recruits in North Carolina. This makes his potential acquisition a significant triumph for Head Coach James Franklin and his coaching staff, as Penn State is in need of size, particularly along the defensive line.

Currently, NC State holds a slim advantage over Penn State football in the recruitment of Amaris Williams. However, this weekend, from June 2nd to June 4th, Williams is scheduled to take an official visit. With Head Coach James Franklin renowned for his efficiency during official visits, this weekend presents an opportunity for the Nittany Lions to gain an edge over the competition, especially NC State. In a recent announcement, Amaris Williams listed his five finalists, which include Penn State football, Florida, NC State, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Williams would make a great addition to the Nittany Lions’ 2024 recruiting class

Amaris Williams possesses an imposing stature, standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing over 260 pounds. These physical attributes make him a standout prospect along the defensive line and an ideal target for major Big Ten programs like Penn State.

Positioning themselves favorably in the pursuit of Williams, the Nittany Lions have their sights set on addressing their needs along the defensive line. Fans eagerly await his decision, as the potential addition of such a highly regarded recruit would undoubtedly bolster the team’s aspirations and elevate the 2024 class to the next level heading into the bulk of summer recruiting.



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BREAKING: Penn State football lands top 10 prospect in PA

Brady O’Hara a top 10 prospect in PA commits to Penn State.

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Penn State Football, top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania, Brady O'Hara
Oct 19, 2019; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Pat Freiermuth (87) reacts to a touchdown run by quarterback Sean Clifford (14) against the Michigan Wolverines during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY S

The Penn State football team has now gone three straight days a landing a commitment. Brady O’Hara has made his commitment to the Nittany Lions. He is a top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania. The 2025 class has added DJ McClary and Tiqwai Hayes in the past two days. Both players are part of Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class. The impact of the whiteout continues to prove its value on the recruiting trail.

Penn State football lands top 10 prospect in PA

Brady O’Hara is a four-star recruit in the 2025 class and he plays his high school football at North Catholic High School located in Pittsburgh, PA. He held offers from Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, UConn, and Penn State. Then, on Tuesday morning he announced his commitment to Penn State on his social media channels.

O’Hara is currently ranked as the No. 8 prospect in Pennsylvania.

Brady O’Hara plays both sides of the ball

O’Hara is listed as an athlete on 247sports because he plays both tight end and defensive end. It will be interesting to see what position he will choose to play when he gets on campus. But after watching Tyler Warren and Chop Robinson on Saturday night either position would fit him well.

Either way, he has shown that he can be successful regardless of where he lines up on the field. He can be a great red zone target or a dominant defensive end. Both positions at Penn State have developed well over the years which helped their case land this top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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BREAKING: Penn State football earns commitment from 4-star RB from PA

The Penn State football team has gone back-to-back days landing commitments. As they add another 4-star prospect to the 2025 recruiting class.

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Penn State football, Tiqwai Hayes, 2025 recruiting
Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins tackles Penn State running back Nick Singleton near the line of scrimmage during the White Out game at Beaver Stadium Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in State College, Pa.

After a successful whiteout game where the Penn State football team handled its business, recruiting is picking back up. Yesterday, the Nittany Lions earned a commitment from Top 100 linebacker DJ McClary. Now, James Franklin and his coaching staff go back to back days landing a commitment. The 2025 recruiting class has just earned a new member, Tiqwai Hayes.

Penn State football earns commitment from 4-star RB from PA

Last week Tiqwai Hayes received a crystal ball predicting him to land at Penn State. Today, he made that prediction become reality as he made his commitment to the Penn State football team. Hayes is a four-star prospect from Aliquippa, PA in the 2025 recruiting class according to 247sports. He attends Aliquippa High School where he has made an outstanding name for himself.

Tiqwai Hayes chose Penn State over Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Maryland, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and several other schools. His nickname is “Tikey” according to his Twitter/X profile and he rushed for 2,011 yards and 33 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022.

Penn State currently has the 9th-best class in the 2025 recruiting cycle. With the addition of Hayes that should increase the Nittany Lions’ position. He will join KiAndrea Barker as the other running back commitment in this class, a theme we have seen for years. Ja’Juan Seider likes to have a pair of running backs in each cycle and he has done that yet again. In 2022 it was Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Then, in 2023 it was London Montgomery and Cam Wallace. Currently, in 2024 it’s Quinton Martin and Corey Smith. Now, in 2025 it’s KiAndrea Barker and Tiqwai Hayes.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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Penn State commit, No. 1 player in Pennsylvania putting athleticism on display this fall

Penn State commit and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania Quinton Martin has been putting his speed and athleticism on full display.

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Penn State football, Penn State commit, No. 1 player in Pennsylvania, Quinton Martin
Oct 20, 2018; Bloomington, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Miles Sanders (24) runs the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium . Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Speed kills in college football. In recent months, Penn State football players present and future have made headlines for remarkable speed and athleticism on and off the field. The most recent to do so is Penn State commit and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania in the class of 2024, Quinton Martin. Over the last several weeks, Martin has proven his four-star pedigree with flashes of athleticism on both sides of the football.

Penn State commit, No. 1 player in Pennsylvania Quinton Martin flashes athleticism

Quinton Martin made headlines across the state when he committed to Penn State football back in April. Since then, the four-star prospect and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania has validated his top evaluation with his play on the field.

Martin went off for a four-score performance for Belle Vernon High School at the start of his senior season earlier this month. Now, Quinton Martin is back in the headlines again with his feats of athleticism on both offense and defense.

Last week, Martin was clocked hitting a top speed of 19.1 mph on a 40-yard touchdown run. Reel Analytics, the sports analytics firm that posted the evaluation on social media, uses AI to rate player performance. “The Nittany Lions will add a versatile athlete on their roster on signing day,” the post said of Martin.

Quinton Martin is clearly using this speed to make plays on both sides of the ball. In last week’s game, Martin flashed his athleticism on defense, coming up with a critical 4th quarter interception to seal Belle Vernon’s win.

Despite a loss to Thomas Jefferson on Friday night, Martin was a critical playmaker again for Belle Vernon. Often compared to the Deebo Samuel of the San Franciso 49ers, Martin has shown time and again that he can make plays anywhere on the football field.

Penn State football has some serious speed

Quinton Martin isn’t the only Nittany Lion making headlines for his athleticism. In July, Reel Analytics posted another video of Penn State commit Corey Smith, who had the fastest in-game speed the company ever recorded for a high school athlete.

Penn State football has some serious speed on its current roster as well. Last week, CB coach Terry Smith praised true freshman Elliot Washington II, who broke the program’s speed record using GPS.

One thing is for certain, Penn State football has recruited the speed to compete at the national level. We’ll see how that speed translates to the field in the years to come.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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