In his second recruiting cycle as Penn State head coach, Micah Shrewsberry has brought in three of the top 150 recruits in the Class of 2022 according to 247Sports. As a result, the Nittany Lions have the No. 25 recruiting class in the country and the highest-rated recruiting class in Penn State history.
The top three players are Evan Mahaffey, a 6-5, 175-pound shooting guard and small forward out of Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, OH, who is the lone four-star recruit who is the No. 3 recruit in the state of Ohio, and the No. 117 recruit in the country. Jameel Brown, a 6-4, 190-pound combo guard out of Norristown, Pa is the No. 139 player in the class of 2022. The last player is Kanye Clary, a 6-0, 180-pound point guard out of Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, VA is the No 143 player in the Class of 2022.
Mahaffey, who is considered the crown jewel of this year’s recruiting class is a swingman that can male plays for himself and others at a high level. He was a great three-point shooter in high school, as well as to the ability to drive to the basket. He has the length and athleticism to be a great defender at the college level capable of guarding positions one through four.
Brown is a combo guard plays with control, can drive to the basket using both hands and plays with more craft than explosiveness. Brown has the length and athleticism to guard the one through three. He knows how to find teammates off the dribble and a great rebounder for his position.
Cleary is an explosive scoring point guard who is capable of being a playmaker and takes pride on the defensive side of the ball, which is ivary mportant in Shrewsbury’s program. He is also a capable rebounder, and most importantly, Clary has the potential to be the heart and soul of the program for the next four years.
The rest of the Class of 2022 is rounded out by three-star center Kebba Njie a 6-8 power forward out of La Lumiere High School in LaPorte, IN, and Demetrius Lilley, a 6-10 center out of Lower Marion High School in Ardmore, PA. Njie has the skills to play in the post and has a nice touch in the mid-range jumper, and he is improving as a defender and a shot blocker. Lilley is a skilled, versatile big man that can also play in the post and on the outside and has the athleticism can run the floor.
The Nittany Lions 2022 recruiting class could be the foundation of building a sustained excellent program that fans and alumni have been long clamoring for.
Twitter: @bwalkerdadon
