Penn State places two positions at top for On3 Class of 2022 assessments

Penn State’s Class of 2022 is thought of highly for On3 national Director of Scouting and Rankings, Charles Power.

Already considered among the nation’s top classes, ranked No. 7 in the Class of 2022 team rankings for On3 with 25 signees, the Nittany Lions have one of the top groups in the tenure of head coach James Franklin. 

Specifically, that takes shape in the form of three five-star prospects, 12 rated as four-stars, with another 10 receiving three-star status. With a total score of 91.926 for the 25-man class, Penn State trails only Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Texas, and Notre Dame.

According to Power’s judgment, however, those programs and all others in college football are looking up at the Nittany Lions in two key areas.

Wrapping up the 2022 cycle in a Wednesday feature, Power broke down the top hauls on a position-by-position basis across the country. 

Placing the Nittany Lions atop the recruiting world at quarterback and running back, landing two elite prospects apiece at each position, respectively, 

Here is how Power broke down his reasoning behind the picks:

Quarterbacks – Drew Allar and Beau Pribula

“Penn State’s two-man quarterback class of Drew Allar (No. 27) and Beau Pribula (No. 451) gets the nod as the nation’s top haul at the position. Allar is the top arm talent in the class. The five-star signal-caller is the highest-rated quarterback signee of the James Franklin era and has the potential to be a true difference-maker behind center for the Nittany Lions. At 6-foot-4.5, 230 pounds, Allar has the ability to throw with velocity and touch from multiple arm slots. Pribula is a dual-threat with his ability to pick up yards on the ground. He accounted for 5,667 yards and 89 touchdowns in his final two years of high school football.”

Running backs – Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen

“Penn State inked two of the nation’s top eight running back prospects in Nick Singleton (No. 24) and Kaytron Allen (No. 136). Singleton ranks as an On3 Consensus five-star prospect and as the No. 1 running back in the cycle. The 6-foot, 215-pounder was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year as a senior after rushing for 2,690 yards and 41 touchdowns on 276 carries (9.7 yards per carry) at Reading (Pa.) Governor Mifflin. Singleton has a high-end combination of outstanding initial burst, power, and breakaway speed. Allen is a bruising runner at 5-foot-11, 225 pounds who excels as a tackle-breaker with his ability to run through contact.”

Meeting Penn State’s pressing recruiting needs

For Franklin and Penn State, those assessments could not be coming at a more opportune time.

In the wake of a disastrous season offensively, Penn State finishing ninth in the Big Ten with 22.8 points per game and 13th in rushing at just 97.0 yards per outing, both Singleton and Allen will vie to make an immediate impact in the program.

As detailed by Franklin during the early signing day in December, the opportunities will be there for the players. Both are currently enrolled and participating in winter workouts.

“They’ve still got to go out and earn the job and things like that, but both of them have a really impressive background, and being here at mid-semester, those things help,” Franklin said. “We’ll see how that plays out. It’s interesting because it’s like you look at Kaytron and he has a different style. He’s a physical guy. He is going to punish you. He’s been as big as 225 pounds. I think he’s about 215 now but has been as big as 225. 

“But it’s funny because people talk about it’s almost like thunder and lightning and Nick is this undersized scat back. Nick is 215 pounds and has the ability to go 80 [yards]. I don’t know if there is a better running back class signed in the country.

“We’ll see how it plays out. We’re super excited about getting them. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but should be exciting.”

At the position, Power gave honorable mention nods to Alabama, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. All four programs brought in two four-star running backs each. 

Meanwhile, Penn State’s future at quarterback is bright with a five-star in Allar and a prolific dual-threat signal-caller in Pribula. 

Only threatened for the honor by Ohio State, whose signing of Devin Brown earned the Buckeyes a mention from On3, Penn State has two legitimate options to handle its quarterback role in the future.

Like his assessment at running back, Franklin’s signing day statements in December echoed the notion that Penn State’s haul at quarterback was among the best in the nation.

“When we were recruiting him early on, we felt like we signed two of the better quarterbacks in all of college football this year in terms of signing classes,” Franklin said. “I think there are probably more similarities with them than there are differences, but there are some. Allar is a little bit bigger I would say. Pribula may be a little bit more athletic. 

“But I think both of them have a lot of traits and skills that you look for and desire. And I love the fact that both of them are embracing the competition.”