Rivals250 CB Josh Moten joins Penn State's 2020 class

James Franklin and the Nittany Lion coaching staff added another Rivals250 prospect Saturday, this time in the Class of 2020, as four-star defensive back Josh Moten announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions.

A 6-foot-1, 170 pound cornerback, Moten plays for National Christian Academy in For Washington, Md. He's currently on campus for the staff's Junior Day. His last visit was nearly a year ago, back in March 2018 for a spring practice.

"It was a number of things," Moten said. "I like how Coach Franklin and his coaches coach their players. I also liked the locker room and the atmosphere around the place. It's also a place where I can compete for a championship every year."

National Christian Academy head coach Andre Kates added that the Nittany Lions are getting a special person.

"Josh is a special kid," said Kates. "He believed in National Christian Academy when I first got on board here to start the first official varsity season. He started about six games as a true freshman and hasn't looked back ever since.

"The way he digests information is second to none. He’s a fast learner and eager to learn more. His ability to read route concepts and understand divider rules when he was 14 years old gave him an edge on a lot of players."

Over the past year, Moten has earned more than 20 scholarship offers. Some notable programs include Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin. Penn State was one of the first schools to make that move, offering back in Jan. 2018. The Lions have been at the top of Moten's list ever since.

"He has been loving Penn State since day one," Kates said. "He came to me maybe three weeks ago and told me he wanted to make it official. I told him to check all the boxes in the checklist. Cross all T's and dot all I's and go home and make a decision with your family. I guess it’s always been Penn State deep down inside. I’m so excited for him and his family. Josh will do well."

In 2018, he totaled seven pass deflections and four interceptions. He’s currently ranked No. 130 overall in the Class of 2020. He’s also the 14th-ranked cornerback and seventh-ranked prospect in Maryland.

Kates added that, in addition to what he brings as a player, Moten is also an excellent leader.

"Josh is [an] incredible leader. He stays after practice and you'll catch him during practice helping players who have a hard time understanding. One of our defensive coaches call Josh the student defensive coordinator. He can line everyone up, understand what kind of tempo we want at practice and he brings energy every week. It’ll be fun to see how much more he attacks this offseason and spring to prepare him for the season."

Moten now joins four-star linebacker Derek Wingo, four-star Ath. Curtis Jacobs and three-star offensive lineman Grant Toutant in Penn State's 2020 class.