Penn State adds third five-star to Class of 2022 as DE Dani Dennis-Sutton earns upgrade at On3
Penn State already had an excellent recruiting class, but it took another positive step in the right direction Monday morning with the announcement of another five-star player.
Defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, who was excellent at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio earlier this month, moved up 18 spots to No. 20 overall in the updated On300, earning him a fifth star in the final update. That now gives Penn State three five-star players in the class. Dennis-Sutton joins running back Nick Singleton and quarterback Drew Allar.
“We’ve always been high on Dani Dennis-Sutton dating to the initial On300 ranking in August,” said Charles Power, On3’s Director of Scouting and Rankings. “He was banged up at different points, but you could see the talent level as a big, athletic, high energy pass rusher. His showing at the All-American Bowl validated our thoughts and raised his rankings ceiling a bit.
“Dennis-Sutton more or less had his way with offensive tackles all week, first dominating 1-on-1 drills then making several plays during the game. He did similar at the Polynesian Bowl on Saturday. Dennis-Sutton’s speed-to-power as a pass rusher, paired with his ready-made size and top notch motor, make him one of the better EDGE prospects in our eyes and ultimately an easy call as a five-star prospect.”
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A native of Millsboro, Del., Dennis-Sutton was one of Penn State’s top targets in the class for almost three years. Playing at McDonogh School in Baltimore, he earned an offer from the Nittany Lions way back in May 2019. He took an unofficial visit to Penn State for the Michigan game in October of that year, but was unable to return until June 2021 due to the NCAA mandated dead period.
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Dennis-Sutton earned 35 scholarship offers over those two years, but by the time he got to spring 2021, it was clear that Penn State was the team to beat. However, Alabama and Georgia were also seriously in the mix, earning official visits from Dennis-Sutton in June. Georgia proved to be the real competitors, but he ultimately ended up committing to Penn State July 22, 2021.
Link: On3’s Charles Power recaps Dani Dennis-Sutton at All-American Bowl
“It really just came down to relationships. I feel like I have a great relationship with all of their coaches,” Dennis-Sutton said, regarding the Penn State coaching staff at the time of his commitment. “Also, they produce players. They’ve done a great job getting the most out of guys. I just trust their process and I like the way they go about it. It really comes down to trust.”
Dennis-Sutton missed his entire junior season due to the pandemic. He then broke his elbow in a preseason game earlier this year, limiting him the first half of the season. However, the Penn State commit finished strong in the final seven games, totaling 40 tackles, seven sacks.
“Dani is the ultimate competitor,” said McDonogh head coach Hakeem Sule. “He’s the epitome of what you get when you combine hard work and talent. His leadership on and off the field is tremendous. He’s a guy who brings it every day, despite battling through injuries, with grit and determination. He’s a dominant player in the trenches. He can take the game over at any point with his ability to wreak havoc.”
