Penn State has received it’s 5th commitment in just as many days, as 5-star LB Brandon Smith announced that he is going to be a Nittany Lion. Since last Thursday, head coach James Franklin has landed some of his top targets among his 2019 recruiting board. The list of commitments includes 3-star S Jaquan Brisker, 4-star S Tyler Rudolph, 4-star ATH Marquis Wilson, 4-star RB Devyn Ford, and now the highly touted Brandon Smith. Smith is listed as the #2 player at the ILB position and the #1 player in the state of Virginia.
Blessed to announce that I am committed to Penn State University 🦁🔵⚪️🏈 #weare @coachjfranklin @CoachPry_LBU @knnysndrs. Special thanks to @PlatinumGandE for this awesome edit! pic.twitter.com/LMXcXG0x5A
— Brandon Smith (@brand0n_smith12) May 21, 2018
It’s been hard not to write about Penn State lately. The Nittany Lions have been on a tear, and this might be their best pickup yet. Smith is easily one of the most athletic linebackers in the 2019 class. He has a large frame at 6’4″ and will be able to add some more weight, as he is currently at about 225 pounds. However, it is his football instincts that stand out about his game. Smith always seems to take the correct angles and is able to meet the ball carrier with power. Once he hits the college strength and conditioning program, his ceiling is nearly endless.
Mike’s Take
Believe it or not, Penn State has not had a 5-star linebacker since Dan Connor in 2004. In fact Dan Connor is the only ‘backer listed as a 5-star that Penn State ever received a commitment from in the modern recruiting era. What makes this so weird? Well, it’s the fact that Penn State has often been referred to as “LBU” or “Linebacker U.” That’s because the Nittany Lions have always done a good job at identifying and developing talent. Now they have a blue-chip prospect. So they should be able to develop him into an NFL 1st or 2nd round kind of talent. I predict that they do just that, because this kid is something special. He has the speed, size, strength, and most important the drive. Things keep getting better and better in State College, PA.
