It was a monster Sunday for Penn State football’s recruiting efforts. They secured three commitments throughout the day as they continue to bolster their already potent 2024 recruiting class.
The first domino to fall was locking up their fifth offensive lineman in the class when [autotag]Deryc Plazz[/autotag] committed to the program. The big recruiting weekend continued when edge rusher [autotag]Xavier Gilliam[/autotag] announced his commitment to Penn State.
But Sunday got even better when four-star safety [autotag]Dejuan Lane[/autotag] announced his commitment on social media. Lane was projected to land at Penn State by recruiting services 247Sports and On3 after taking an official visit to State College over the weekend.
Lane is a 6’3″ 200 pound safety prospect from Baltimore, MD. On3’s industry rankings have him listed as the number 27 safety in the country and the ninth overall player in Maryland. He was the second Maryland prospect to commit to Penn State on Sunday.
1000# COMMITTED đ”âȘïž #WeAređŠ pic.twitter.com/WQjzJVkIfR
— Dejuan âSPARKPLUGâ Lane (@Dejuan24) June 5, 2023
Lane has previously been listed as a linebacker, which he played in high school along with some time at safety. He’s seen by many scouts and coaches as a “tweener,” or a player who is in-between two positions but can play both. However, Penn State primarily sees him as a safety when he comes to State College.
As far as why he committed to Penn State, Lane said it was a perfect fit.
He told Ryan Snyder of On3’s BlueWhiteIllustrated, “I committed because I know this is home. Immediately after stepping on campus, I felt this was home. I felt welcomed and loved.”
Lane also spoke about how important academics and athletics are, saying, “Penn State won me over because everything is complete. Itâs the perfect mix of academics and high-level football, which is exactly what I was looking for.”
He also added how important the weekend in State College was telling Snyder, “Theyâve always been very consistent and showing interest in me ever since they offered. Theyâve shown me a bunch of love. When I got on campus for my official then, it was crazy. Everyone knew my name, even people I never met before. Stuff like that always makes you feel good.”
Lane is a big commitment to get for Penn State. He’s their first safety prospect in the class of 2024 and fits what they want to do on defense perfectly.
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