Tag: King Mack

Penn State’s 2023 football commitment tracker

The Penn State football Class of 2023 commitment tracker has been updated with the latest recruiting development

The Class of 2022 was great for Penn State, but it’s already time to turn the page toward the Class of 2023. And James Franklin and the Nittany Lions already had a few commitments on the board for the Class of 2023 as the signed letters of intent were coming in for the Class of 2022.

We’ll be keeping track of every commitment that goes on the board for Penn State in the Class of 2023. But knowing that odds are pretty good at least one player will have a change of heart somewhere along the recruiting process, we’ll keep tabs on what they are doing up until signing day.

This tracker will be updated accordingly when needed. It was last updated on February 1, 2023.

Penn State Class of 2023 signee gets big bump in final On3 player rankings

One key member of the Penn State Class of 2023 just saw his stock skyrocket.

With the traditional national signing day approaching quickly, On3 has provided its final update to its player rankings for the Class of 2023. And as a result, it turned out to be a big update for Penn State commit [autotag]Andrew Rappleyea[/autotag].

Rappleyea was among the biggest movers up in the On300 ranking, moving from no. 82 in the last update all the way up to no. 41 in the final player rankings from the recruiting service. He is now the second highest-ranked player in Penn State’s Class of 2023 behind offensive lineman [autotag]J’ven Williams[/autotag]. He passed another offensive lineman, [autotag]Alex Birchmeier[/autotag], in moving up as high as he did.

Penn State ended up having a number of players ranked in the final On300 rankings, and there could still be room for another. Offensive tackle [autotag]Chimdy Onoh[/autotag], from Maryland, is ranked no. 210 in the nation on the rankings from On3, and he is believed to be considering Penn State as his commitment announcement approaches.

Other Penn State commits in the On300 rankings include:

  • OL J’ven Williams (no. 9)
  • OL Alex Birchmeier (no. 74)
  • LB [autotag]Tony Rojas[/autotag] (no. 86)
  • S [autotag]King Mack[/autotag] (no. 113)
  • DE [autotag]Jameial Lyons[/autotag] (no. 155)
  • TE [autotag]Joey Schlaffer[/autotag] (no. 158)
  • LB [autotag]Kaveion Keys[/autotag] (no. 171)
  • CB [autotag]Elliot Washington[/autotag] (no. 194)
  • CB [autotag]Zion Tracy[/autotag] (no. 200)
  • OL [autotag]Anthony Donkoh[/autotag] (no. 216)

[vertical-gallery id=28821]

[listicle id=13140]

[lawrence-related id=28859,28851,28826,28823,28749]

Follow Kevin McGuire on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

[mm-video type=video id=01gq0srk4m7knd14ryee playlist_id=01ey902ehrs6e9bvhw player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gq0srk4m7knd14ryee/01gq0srk4m7knd14ryee-3f0d4b366f2e6cbef8ffbc8d94692f39.jpg]

Penn State football recruiting profile: S King Mack

Penn State football recruiting profile: King Mack added star power at safety in Class of 2023

Penn State attached the Class of 2023 hard at the safety position, and the efforts paid off in a big way. Penn State ended up with a strong trio of safeties in the Class of 2023 with all three coming out of the south. Among those key recruits in the typical SEC territory is a standout from Florida with one of the coolest names in the recruiting class, [autotag]King Mack[/autotag].

Mack committed to Penn State over the summer and signed his letter of intent in the early signing period to make his journey to Penn State a reality. Mack has already been highlighted as a player that could be most likely to receive some early playing time in 2023 as Penn State will have a starting job to fill in 2023 with the departure of [autotag]Ji’Ayir Brown[/autotag]. Even if King doesn’t slide right into a starting job, fans should still anticipate hearing his name next fall as Penn State’s secondary looks to be one of the deepest in the Big Ten.

Here is a snapshot look at one of Penn State’s key additions in the Class of 2023.

King Mack mentioned as player who could play early by 247Sports

247Sports says this Class of 2023 piece could have early impact at Penn State

Penn State’s latest recruiting cycle certainly hit the mark when it came to adding quality depth across the roster. A solid follow-up to the Class of 2022, the incoming Class of 2023 is not short on quality pieces that could have an impact relatively early on for the Nittany Lions. Among those in the class highlighted as a player to watch as early as 2023 could be safety King Mack.

247Sports put together a list of 15 players across the country in the Class of 2023 that could potentially have an early impact with their new teams. Mack was the one player in Penn State’s class put in the spotlight by 247Sports in its list.

Here is what 247Sports said about one of Penn State’s next big defensive stars;

Penn State’s 2023 safety haul is absurd. The Nittany Lions landed a trio of Top247 four-star safeties from the state of Florida, headlined by King Mack. Not only is Mack the most ready-to-play prospect of the group, but he’s also the highest-upside player. Mack was a defensive and special teams terror this fall for Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas, which got 50 tackles, one interception, two punt blocks, one kick block, one defensive TD, two kick return scores and two punt return TDs. The 5-foot-11, 180 pound speedster has an outstanding track profile which contributes to the excellent athleticism he shows on the field (a 10.69 100, a 21.43 200, and a 46.25 400, which won gold in Florida’s Class 3A).

As referenced by the writeup from 247Sports, Mack is one of three safeties in Penn State’s recruiting class. He is joined by four-star DaKaari Nelson from Alabama and four-star Elliot Washington from Florida. Penn State was close to adding another safety to the mix but Conrad Hussey flipped his commitment from Penn State to Florida State in the early signing period.

Penn State will have at least one starting job open at the safety position in 2023 with [autotag]Ji’Ayir Brown[/autotag] graduating and moving on to the NFL. Penn State’s most senior safety heading into 2023 will be [autotag]Keaton Ellis[/autotag]. Potential candidates for starting in Brown’s vacant spot include returning players such as [autotag]Jaylen Reed[/autotag] and [autotag]Zakee Wheatley[/autotag]. But Mack certainly is on the radar coming into the program.

[listicle id=27803]

[lawrence-related id=27863,27823,27813,27811]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01ey902ehrs6e9bvhw player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Follow Kevin McGuire on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Penn State football locks in Class of 2023

Here is every player Penn State has announced in its Class of 2023.

Penn State’s start to the early signing period on Wednesday ended with the official signing of 22 members of its Class of 2023. The recruiting class is one balanced with offense and defense and will add some terrific quality and depth on the line of scrimmage a year after addressing some skill positions in the Class of 2022. And while the latest recruiting class didn’t necessarily go off without a mild bump in the road on the first day of the early signing period, it is getting head coach James Franklin excited about the program’s future.

Penn State made sure to sign some of the top players from in the state but also did some solid work beyond the state’s borders. This was especially true in Virginia as the Nittany Lions kicked the class off with the first commitment on the board from Virginia offensive lineman [autotag]Alex Birchmeier[/autotag] and continued to add help from the state right up until the final days of the recruiting efforts before the early signing period opened. In all, Penn State added players from nine different states ranging from Alabama to New York.

Here is the full rundown of the confirmed additions to the Penn State program in the Class of 2023.

Penn State flips four-star safety Elliot Washington from Alabama

Penn State recruiting gets weekend started with a flip from Alabama

What a difference a day can make in the world of college football recruiting. A day after Penn State was on the wrong end of a handful of recruiting headlines, the Nittany Lions are riding into the weekend feeling a bit more optimistic on the recruiting trail. [autotag]Elliot Washington[/autotag], a four-star safety from Florida, announced he has flipped his commitment from Alabama to Penn State, marking a major recruiting victory for Penn State head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag].

Washington had been committed to Alabama even though he announced he was reopening his recruiting to explore a few more options. He never officially announced a decommitment from the Crimson Tide until announcing his new commitment to the Nittany Lions on his Twitter account on Friday afternoon.

Washington is the fourth highest-rated player in Penn State’s current Class of 2023 lineup according to 247Sports. The 5′-11″ safety is a speedster too with a successful background in track and field.

Last season for Venice High School, Washington had 58 tackles and four interceptions in 15 games as a key player for Venice’s run to a state championship.

Washignton made two official visits in the month of June. The first was to Penn State on June 10. Two weeks later, Washington visited Michigan State, and the Spartans began to trend as the favorite to secure his commitment. But as Penn State fans know all too well, sometimes the recruiting experts can be caught off guard as well.

Washington is the fourth safety on the board for Penn State in the Class of 2023. He joins a safety-heavy class that already includes [autotag]King Mack[/autotag], [autotag]DaKaari Nelson[/autotag], and [autotag]Conrad Hussey[/autotag]. All three of those players are also four-star players according to the 247Sports composite player rankings. Penn State has also added to its defensive secondary with cornerback [autotag]Lamont Payne[/autotag], one of its top in-state targets.

Penn State’s 2023 football commitment tracker

[lawrence-related id=21012,21006,21003,21000,20993]

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Crystal ball predicts four-star offensive tackle to Penn State

Recruiting expert casts crystal ball pick for Penn State for this four-star offensive tackle

It is clear to see that Penn State has placed a good amount of emphasis on improving its offensive line depth and quality in the Class of 2023 recruiting cycle. And after spending a decent amount of time beginning to fill in other areas on the depth chart, another four-star offensive lineman could be making his way to Happy Valley.

[autotag]Evan Link[/autotag] is a four-star offensive tackle according to the 247Sports composite player ratings from Washington D.C., and it is beginning to look as though Penn State is the early favorite to secure his verbal commitment.

On Tuesday, Lions247 insider Tyler Calvaruso case the first official crystal ball prediction for Link on 247Sports. Calvarusso’s prediction favored Penn State. It is worth noting at the time of the crystal ball prediction going on record, Calvarusso was 16-for16 with his crystal ball predictions in the Class of 2023, including a number of recent Penn State commits such as [autotag]DaKaari Nelson[/autotag], [autotag]Tomarrion Parker[/autotag], and [autotag]King Mack[/autotag].

While still early to form a real outlook, the On3 recruiting prediction machine also gives Penn State a sizable advantage on the recruiting trail with a 52.7% chance of landing Link’s verbal commitment. Stanford is second in the running according to On3’s prediction machine with a 31.0% chance of receiving Link’s commitment.

In addition to Penn State and Stanford, Michigan appears to be the other viable contender on the recruiting trail for Link. Link visited all three schools in the month of June with Penn State getting the first visit, followed by Michigan a week later and culminating with an official visit to Stanford after that.

No commitment date for Link has been confirmed at this time, but this does set a positive tone for the Nittany Lions as we inch closer to a decision being finalized.

[listicle id=11403]

[lawrence-related id=20966,20953,20928,20892,20918]

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

4-star S King Mack commits to Penn State over Michigan State

Michigan State just missed out on a big-time recruit to a fellow Big Ten East Division foe on Thursday

Michigan State just missed out on a big-time recruit to a fellow Big Ten East Division foe on Thursday.

Four-star safety King Mack of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. announced his commitment to Penn State on Thursday afternoon. The Spartans and Nittany Lions were his two finalists.

Mack is ranked as the No. 122 overall prospect and No. 7 safety in 247Sports’ rankings for the 2023 class. He holds offers from 30 different programs.

Mack was projected to end up at Penn State according to 247Sports’ crystal ball predictions. So it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise he picked the Nittany Lions, but it does still sting a bit considering it was to a rival within the division.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on Twitter @RobertBondy5.

[mm-video type=video id=01g3spkvdx0p008ny50w playlist_id=01eqbz825g32p3akwt player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g3spkvdx0p008ny50w/01g3spkvdx0p008ny50w-1d597baaa935b31a4a3b23e8afab787f.jpg]

[listicle id=100728]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1362]

Lion King: Four-star safety King Mack commits to Penn State

Four-star safety King Mack commits to Penn State in Class of 2023

Penn State continues to add some terrific building blocks for future stability in the defensive backfield. On Thursday afternoon, Penn State received a commitment from four-star safety [autotag]King Mack[/autotag], from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Mack is the 16th commitment in Penn State’s Class of 2023 and another key defensive player to add to the mix. Penn State also received commitments from four-star safeties DaKaari Nelson and Conrad Hussey in the recruiting class. What remains to be seen now will be if Penn State can keep all three in the recruiting class. Penn State also added to its secondary with cornerback [autotag]Lamont Payne[/autotag], one of the top in-state targets for the Nittany Lions.

Mack measures 5′-11″ and 180 lb according to his recruiting profile on 247Sports. The St. Thomas Aquinas standout was recruited primarily for Penn State by Ja’Juan Seider and Anthony Poindexter. Mack took an official visit to Penn State on June 17, a week after he took an official visit to Michigan State. The Spartans were the other team in the running for Mack’s commitment.

[listicle id=20461]

Penn State’s Class of 2023 continues to impress and will remain one of the top recruiting classes in the nation with the addition of Mack. Penn State owned the nation’s No. 5 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite team rankings at the beginning of the day. Penn State’s recruiting class is also the second-best in the Big Ten behind only Ohio State.

[listicle id=11403]

[lawrence-related id=20743,20740,20738,20726,20722,20720]

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Penn State or Michigan State? King Mack set to announce decision

Penn State awaits official commitment announcement from four-star safety.

The finish line is in site for four-star safety [autotag]King Mack[/autotag]. The Florida native has announced he will be making his college decision official on Thursday afternoon, and Penn State only has one team to beat for his commitment.

As previously suggested, Penn State and Michigan State are the final two schools in the running for the Fort Lauderdale recruiting target. Mack made official visits to each in the month of June, with a visit to East Lansing on June 10 and a trip to Happy Valley the following weekend.

Mack is a four-star safety in the Class of 2023 according to the 247Sports composite rankings. Just based on the 247Sports recruiting rankings, Mack is the nation’s No. 7 safety and the No. 122 player in the nation overall.

Penn State is considered the favorite to secure the commitment from MAck. The On3 prediction machine calculates a 98.2% chance of Penn State receiving Mack’s commitment. Every crystal ball prediction filed to 247Sports also favors the Nittany Lions over Michigan State. At this late stage, it would seem to be considered a solid upset of Mack doesn’t choose Penn State.

Good news appears to be on the horizon for the Nittany Lions, and there could still be more on the way in the coming week. Penn State’s Class of 2023 is already viewed as one of the best classes in the nation. Adding Mack and some potential targets in the coming days and weeks will only continue to solidify Penn State’s standing in the recruiting rankings.

[listicle id=20461]

[lawrence-related id=20743,20740,20738,20726,20722]

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.