Signing Day Predictions

Signing Day is quickly approaching and Penn State is nearly done assembling its Class of 2009. The most recent commitments are both exciting and surprising.

• First, Shawney Kersey (WR) and John Urschel (OL/DL) both committed on their official visits to Happy Valley. Urschel was expected to commit, as PSU was the first major BCS program to discover him in Upstate New York. Kersey, however, was the third PSU commit to switch his commitment from Rutgers to Penn State. Kersey is very close with early enrollee Gerald Hodges (SS) and will bring his long, lean, and athletic build to the PSU wide receiving corps this Fall.
• Next, 2010 prospect Paul (P.J.) Jones (QB) also committed a year early to be a Nittany Lion. Like PA linebacker Mike Hull who committed a couple months ago, Jones was Penn State's number one target on Offense for 2010.
  
• Finally, Maryland product Mike Wallace (CB) committed to the Nitts. Wallace is a good friend of Jelani Jenkins, Penn State's top remaining target. Wallace is also a grey-shirt candidate if the 2009 class is too full.
  

Left on the Recruiting Board for 2009:

1. Jelani Jenkins (LB): My gut feeling is the Jenkins will pick Penn State on signing day; but if I were a betting man, I would put my money on Florida. (Penn State's Chances: 49%)
2. Justin Brown (WR): Just the opposite of my feeling of Jenkins, my gut says that Brown will choose Rutgers based on his relationship with Rutgers commit Tom Savage (QB). However, the smart money is still on Brown to PSU since we've been his "top choice" for over 8 months. (Penn State's Chances: 66%).
3. Jim Noel (CB): Noel, currently committed to play at Boston College, visited Penn State this weekend after weeks of speculation that he was "soft" on his commitment to BC. While I'm not sure how much room we still have in this class, we certainly have room at cornerback and several players are grey-shirt candidates if we need space. A commitment from Noel would also solidify that Curtis Drake and Derrick Thomas will begin their careers at wide receiver. That said, Penn State got in late with Noel and they'll need to have impressed him on his visit to affect any change. EDIT: Penn State impressed Noel on his official visit and it's now a two team race. (Penn State's Chances: 50%).

That's it. There are not many signing day surprises this year. But what we lack in quantity will be made up for in quality. Both Jenkins and Brown, if they commit to PSU, will see playing time as True Freshmen; and both will be penciled in as starters as Sophomores.

Either way, this year's class (which will be reviewed in full following Wednesday's National Signing Day) looks to be one of the best overall classes Paterno & Co. have put together since before "the dark ages" of Penn State Football.