4-DL T.A. Cunningham commits to Penn State

Miami (Fla.) Miami Central four-star defensive lineman T.A. Cunningham began building a relationship with Penn State’s coaching staff when he was a freshman. That relationship only continued to grow once he picked up an offer as sophomore and going forward.

That loyalty the Nittany Lions showed Cunningham throughout the process was rewarded Saturday afternoon. Cunningham pledged to Penn State choosing the Nittany Lions over Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. 

“My connection with Coach Franklin and a lot of the recruiting staff stood out with Penn State,” Cunningham told On3. “I’ve been talking to those guys since early in my recruitment and they are people I’m comfortable with. I connected with Coach Barnes knowing that he’s a Penn State grad. He was able to explain his perspective as a former player what it means to be a Nittany Lions and what it means to go there.

…Getting everyone’s perspective and finding that perfect fit, it just all made Penn State feel right for me.”

From the first conversations to the offer he picked up as a sophomore, Cunningham stated that it was clear to him just how much of a priority he was to James Franklin and his staff. That left an impression him.

With all of that already established, Cunningham went into his official visit to Happy Valley in June already high on the Nittany Lions. It was during that visit that he knew he had found his home.

Instead of announcing right after that visit though, Cunningham went home and mulled over his decision just to see if those feelings were real. Before that official visit Cunningham thought he’d likely end up taking his decision into the fall.

Leaving Happy Valley and thinking it over, Cunningham decided that he didn’t need that long to make his decision.

“The OV was huge,” said Cunningham, the No. 257 player in the 2024 class. “It really changed my perspective on a lot of things. Especially coming up from schools like Miami that are flashier than others, coming to State College, it may seem like a let-down at first if you don’t have the right mindset.

…That’s what makes it so special though. It’s a place that’s truly about the people there.”