While June is expected to be among the busiest months in recent memory for college football recruiting, May also provided several notable developments for Penn State. The Nittany Lions secured three commitments during the month, while an array of PSU targets also made the decision to pledge elsewhere. Here’s a review of some of the significant updates from the past month:
May 1 – Maleek McNeil commits to Penn State
The Nittany Lions opened the month with a big addition – literally. McNeil, an offensive tackle, measures 6-foot-8 and 340 pounds. A three-star talent per the 247 Sports Composite who plays at the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, Massachusetts, he pledged to Penn State less than three months after receiving his offer. McNeil’s other notable offers included Auburn, Boston College, Pitt, and Rutgers.
May 5 – Tyrece Mills commits to Penn State; Ryan Turner commits to Ohio State
Penn State has forged a pipeline with Lackawanna College over the past decade, and that connection will continue with Mills. A three-star safety, Mills ranks as the top junior college player in the entire class. After playing at Northeast High School in Philadelphia, Mills opted for the JUCO route, and it paid dividends quickly, as he gained his first offer from Penn State in March.
Turner, meanwhile, joined a rival school in the Big Ten on the same day, as he gave his verbal to Ohio State. A three-star cornerback, Turner attends Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Hollywood, Florida. The Nittany Lions were among the first teams to offer Turner last October. In March, Turner set an official visit to Penn State for the weekend of June 18, indicating a legitimate interest in the Nittany Lions, but that trip seems extremely unlikely now.
May 7 – Aliou Bah commits to Florida State
A three-star offensive lineman, Bah was one of many Penn State targets at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. In late March, the Memphis, Tennessee native included Penn State among his six finalists. The Nittany Lions extended their offers in November.
May 8 – Holden Staes commits to Notre Dame
The only decommitment of Penn State’s Class of 2022, tight end Holden Staes pledged to Notre Dame. Staes, a four-star talent from Atlanta, ended his verbal to the Nittany Lions in February, shortly after former tight ends coach Tyler Bowen left the program. His commitment to Penn State spanned approximately six months.
May 20 – Jacob Allen commits to Rutgers
Allen, a four-star offensive tackle, appeared to be among the top targets at the position in this class for Penn State. From the Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, Allen elected to stay local, joining the Scarlet Knights. Allen received his offer from the Nittany Lions in April 2020, and he visited campus unofficially this past March. The top-ranked player in New Jersey, Allen is evaluated as the 110th prospect in the entire class.
May 25 – Alex Bacchetta commits to Penn State
Seemingly following in the footsteps of Blake Gillikin, Bacchetta will become the second highly-touted punter from Westminster School in Atlanta to play for the Nittany Lions. Although currently unranked by the 247 Sports Composite, Bacchetta is evaluated as the top punter in the class by Kohl’s Kicking. Penn State entered the mix in late April, and Bacchetta made the call just more than a month later. Arkansas and Virginia also extended scholarship offers.
May 27 – Julian Humphrey commits to Florida
Humphrey, a four-star cornerback from Houston, Texas, appeared to have Penn State in his crosshairs up until his commitment to the Gators. Ranked 135th nationally, Humphrey had set an official visit to Happy Valley for the weekend of June 18. In March, Humphrey listed Penn State among his top five teams, a list that did not include Florida at the time. The Nittany Lions offered the defensive back in January.
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