Penn State picks up another commitment from CB Antoine Belgrave-Shorter
It’s been no secret that Penn State was aiming to land not one, but both of Mandarin High School’s top cornerback prospects in Jon Mitchell and Antoine Belgrave-Shorter. Following a trip north from Jacksonville to see Penn State, March 30-April 2, the Nittany Lions left with one player committed in Mitchell, but Belgrave-Shorter made it clear that he needed more time to think it all over.
That all changed Monday evening, as Belgrave-Shorter announced his commitment publicly following a Zoom call with the coaching staff the evening. That gives the Nittany Lions three commitments now at the cornerback position, as Philadelphia native Kenny Woseley also joined the class earlier this year.
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A three-star prospect, Belgrave-Shorter’s recruitment picked up substantially following his junior season. After visiting Penn State on Oct. 22 for the White Out game, Kentucky became the first Power Five school to offer just two weeks later. He would add 13 more Power Five offers from December to March, including Penn State, who offered on Jan. 16.
Kentucky got him on campus earlier this year, as did Florida State and Miami. Ole Miss and South Carolina were the other two schools that he was seriously considering.
“Both of those guys have the prototypical size these days, with the long arms, the speed, and everything like that,” said Campbell. ‘If I had to differentiate them a little bit, I think both guys are physical, but AJ has a bit more of a college body already. Jon Jon will fill out and get there soon. He comes from a very athletic family. Jon Jon has three older brothers and they all played Division I football, so he has great genetics.
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“So, I’d say AJ is a bit more physical. He’s a great tackler in space. Whenever I need him to get it done, AJ gets it done. I think his tackling is very impressive for a cornerback. With Jon Jon, I’d give him maybe a slight advantage with his hips. But even then, they’re both excellent there. There’s not much I can really say they need to improve on. They’re both incredible tacklers. They both have great ball skills, but if I had to give them an edge anywhere, I’d say AJ is a bit more physical, while Jon Jon has a bit more of that long-range speed”
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Belgrave-Shorter was recruited by Penn State cornerback coach Terry Smith. Smith has a long-standing relationship with Campbell, as he also trained current sophomore cornerback Cam Miller.
“I’ve been telling those guys that I trust in Coach Terry and Coach [James] Franklin,” Campbell said. “When I first met Coach Terry, he was very personable, very upfront. He’s just very easy to talk with. I really respect how he shoots you straight.
“But I think I have a strong rapport with all the guys at Penn State now after Cam’s recruitment. I knew we had to get those guys up there for the White Out.”
Belgrave-Shorter holds an 88 overall rating by On3. He’s ranked No. 620 nationally and No. 61 at the cornerback position in the state of Florida.
