Penn State picks up first 2023 wide receiver commitment from Ejani Shakir

Penn State continued its run on the recruiting trail Wednesday evening with the addition of wide receiver Ejani Shakir. A four-star prospect according to the On3 Consensus, Shakir earned an offer from the Nittany Lions back in April 2020.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, his recruitment didn’t really get going until last summer when he attended Penn State’s Whiteout Camp on June 6. Following a good performance that afternoon, Shakir returned for a personal visit with the staff just over a week later. Those two visits left a strong first impression.

“The first time I ever stepped on campus there, it was great,” Shakir said. “I’ve been to a few campuses and none of them really felt like that. It just felt like a great fit for me.”

Of course, the recruiting process is about much more than just feeling at home on campus. Relationships are always a massive part of everyone’s decision. That’s another area where Penn State excelled.

“When you have the coaches showing as much love as they did, it feels great. They were one of my early offers too, so they’ve been consistent,” Shakir said.

“They’ve really seen me evolve and have stuck with me. Plus, I just think they’re the staff that’ll make me the best player I can be. I can be great there. They can take me to the league, but if it’s not about that, they’ll help me get a great job because of the education there. Everything is great around them.”

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Listed at 6-foot, 175 pounds, Shakir is expected to play wide receiver at Penn State. Terry Smith, who oversees Philadelphia and South Jersey, played a major role in locking up his commitment, but the same can be said about position coach Taylor Stubblefield.

“I feel like I got to know Coach Stubbs a lot better throughout the process. He’s a really fun guy. He likes to joke and doesn’t keep it too serious,” Shakir said.

“He’s really articulate, too. He wants the best for you, and he wants the best of the best there with him. I remember watching their receivers and everyone there was running crisp routes, running everything correctly. I know he knows what he’s doing. He’s been there before, too. Back in college at Purdue, he was great there. I feel like he’s great for me.”

In addition to the Penn State coaching staff, Shakir mentioned quarterback Marcus Stokes and cornerback Lamont Payne as two players he built a relationship with in recent months.

“I’ve gotten to know a couple of the guys there. Marcus Stokes I’ve gotten to know. One of their linemen has been hitting me up. I talk to their cornerback, too, Lamont [Payne]. I wouldn’t say we talk all the time, but we’ve been talking a little bit. Those guys have been on me. I didn’t tell them exactly what my plans were, but I was letting them know there was gonna be something.”

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Since the end of his freshman season, Shakir earned 18 scholarship offers. He visited Boston College, Maryland, Rutgers, Temple and West Virginia. Penn State hosted him substantially more than any other program, totaling five unofficial visits. His most recent trip was on April 20.

“It was mainly Penn State for me,” Shakir said. “I would say the closest contenders were West Virginia and Boston College. Those were probably my top three, but mainly Penn State and West Virginia. I could see myself at both of those schools, but Penn State felt more like home for me. I just felt that they gave me the best opportunity.”

Shakir is the first wide receiver to commit to Penn State in the Class of 2023. The Nittany Lions are expected to add at least one more, potentially two. Uniontown, Pa., native and four-star prospect Rodney Gallagher remains a massive priority moving forward.

After a few seasons at Pennsauken, Shakir recently transferred to Winslow Twp., where he’ll now be coached by former Nittany Lion players Bill Belton and Christian Hackenberg. Belton is the offensive coordinator, while Hackenberg coaches the quarterbacks. Belton also played at Winslow Twp. growing up.

Shakir is currently ranked No. 284 nationally according to the On3 Consensus. He’s the 42nd-ranked wide receiver and No. 4 in New Jersey. Penn State is up to 12 commitments total. The Consensus rates them with five four-star players and seven three-star players. The Nittany Lions remain at No. 2 in the Big Ten. They move up one spot nationally to No. 8 following Shakir’s commitment.