Five intriguing visitors expected at Penn State's White Out Game

Penn State will host one of the deepest lists of recruits ever assembled by the coaching staff Saturday. Our list of confirmed visitors has already surpassed 110 prospects, and out of those players, more than 70 have already earned a scholarship offer from the Nittany Lions.

Even if a dozen or so of those players don’t end up showing, it’ll be one of the deepest lists of scholarship talent we’ve ever seen.

The list also includes dozens of players that On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has Penn State as the team to beat. It also includes the three players that our staff has logged picks for: Pennsylvania offensive lineman Kevin Heywood, as well as Maryland edge rusher Dominic Nichols and Jaylen Harvey. None of those three appear to be on commitment watch this weekend, although there’s always a chance.

But there are also a few other prospects who intrigue us more than the rest. BWI’s Ryan Snyder breaks down a few players that stand out to him below.

LB Kaveion Keys (2023)

Penn State missed out on linebacker Kaveion Keys when he announced in August that he was committing to North Carolina. However, like all good recruiters, the staff was never going to give up. We know Penn State has a strong relationship with the coaching staff at Varina, and that’s helped the Lions stick around in this one.

Keys has never really opened up to the media about his true feelings on any school, but the fact that he’s coming back for this game has our attention. Sources seem to think they’re still very much in the mix here. He’s already used his official visit to PSU, too, so the fact that he’s coming back on his own dime stands out.

WR Tyseer Denmark (2024)

Roman Catholic WR Tyseer Denmark made news this past week, announcing that he plans to end his recruitment on Thanksgiving, Nov. 24. Because of that, there’s a real chance that today’s visit will be his last time in State College before he makes his announcement. With Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee and USC being the other four schools in the mix, this feels like a Penn State – Ohio State battle.

Sure, Denmark has visited Oregon, but he hasn’t been to Southern Cal or Knoxville yet. Roman Catholic is also on pace to not only make the playoffs but likely win a few games. If he sticks with this timeline, it’s going to be hard to squeeze in official visits during the playoffs.

We also expect Denmark’s mother and grandmother to join him this evening. His four other visits to Penn State were all with his teammates or for a camp, so getting having those two join him on campus at least once before he decides is certainly a positive. This isn’t an event that leads to many extended conversations with family members, but we expect James Franklin, Terry Smith and Taylor Stubblefield to all make sure they spend time with Denmark and his family today.

LB Anthony Speca (2024)

Pittsburgh native Anthony Speca is one of Penn State’s top linebacker targets in the 2024 class. He’s made it no secret that the Lions are high on his list. However, he’s also made it clear that Michigan is another school he could realistically end up at.

Last week. Speca traveled to Ann Arbor to watch the Nittany Lions get beat pretty good. Now, he’s expected back in Happy Valley this evening. Speca doesn’t have any sort of timeline for a decision, but with the Lions and Wolverines near the top of his list, he’s someone I’ll be intrigued to speak with after this weekend. Speca is also building a good relationship with Tennessee, too. The Vols are having an incredible season, so just getting an overall update on where he stands will be high on my list this upcoming week.

DT DD Holmes (2024)

It’s becoming more and more clear that Penn State needs some upgrades at the defensive tackle position. Not only do they need to get bigger, but they need a talent infusion, too. Gonzaga’s DD Holmes fits both of those.

At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds, Holmes has the potential to make a real impact as a three-technique defensive tackle down the road. On3 also rates him pretty high, currently at No. 143 nationally. That’s good for No. 11 nationally at the defensive tackle position.

Holmes has been pretty tight-lipped about his recruitment so far, but we know he was on campus in the summer for one of Penn State’s team camps. Learning more about his other top schools is something I hope to do after this visit. Holmes has a ton of offers, but his recruitment is a bit of a mystery currently.

DL Ernest Willor (2024)

Did I mention defensive tackle is becoming pretty important? A native of Baltimore, Ernest Willor came to Penn State last year for the game against Indiana. He made the decision to attend IMG Academy this season and it’s been a good move for him, attracting a ton of interest that he didn’t have previously.

However, Willor hasn’t really been able to visit schools since heading south, so the fact that he’s returning to State College while home during a bye week is a good sign for the Lions. He’s a highly-coveted defensive lineman, ranking No. 35 nationally in the On3 Consensus.