CB Raleigh Collins discusses relationship with Penn State
Pennsylvania’s Class of 2022 is set to be one of the deepest we’ve seen in the past decade.
While this year’s class, the Class of 2021, has been an improvement, the 2019 and 2020 classes had just 12 prospects combined that James Franklin and his assistants felt were worthy of a scholarship offer. For some perspective, next year’s class has already seen 13 players earn offers from the Nittany Lions, and there’s still 16 months to go before anyone can sign.
Talent is good, but momentum may be even more important, and that’s something Penn State has to regain in the Keystone State. A lack of talent meant they were focused elsewhere, and that’s seen PSU's pull at different schools across the commonwealth diminish. Fortunately, that appears to be changing. Already, the Lions have added quarterback Beau Pribula, from York, Pa., and they’re considered the favorite with linebacker Ken Talley, who plays at Northeast High School in Philadelphia.
The City of Brotherly Love will undoubtedly have a major impact on Penn State’s success in Pennsylvania, with seven of those 13 players playing for schools inside the city. That’s a major reason why Franklin shifted one of his best recruiters, cornerbacks coach Terry Smith, to recruit the city and surrounding area. Already, he’s made an impression on a few prospects, one of whom is cornerback Raleigh Collins from Neumann Goretti.
“We’ve been texting a lot since September 1st,” Collins said, referring to Smith. “We’ve been talking a lot about what I’ve been doing with training, plus keeping me up to date on their schedule. Coach Smith seems like a real good person. I’ve actually had a couple people from their staff reach out to me since then. … I got a brochure from them that was very welcoming. It was basically just letting me know that I should reach out to them whenever I need anything."
However, even before Sept. 1, which was the first day that Smith, Franklin and other coaches and recruiting staff could initiate conversations with Collins, he said he had spoken with Penn State. Those talks just had to be initiated by Collins or his high school coach, Alby Crosbie.
“Before September 1st, I believe we had two or three calls. I remember one FaceTime and another call. I also did a Zoom call with them the day I was offered,” Collins said.
He reminisced about learning the offer, adding, “I remember my coach wanted to keep it a surprise for me. I knew I was going to be talking to some coach, but I didn’t know who. So, when I got on the Zoom call and saw them, I was shocked. Remember, that was my first offer, so when it’s from the Big Ten and one of the top schools in the nation, that was big for me. I was really shocked.
“But I talked to Coach Smith for awhile during that call because Coach Franklin hadn’t joined us yet. Then, Coach Franklin joined and that was a lot of fun. I just remember I couldn’t stop smiling. Coach Franklin was so cool. I never expected him to be like that. He was making jokes and just keeping it loose. He was really cool.”
Like so many prospects in the Class of 2022, Collins hasn’t been able to see many schools yet, including Penn State. He did camp at both Maryland and Pitt last summer, but that’s it. Because of that, he has a lot to learn still about all of his top schools, but there are a few things that come to mind for him when he thinks about the Nittany Lions.
“I really think of family when I think of Penn State,” Collins said. “My little league coach growing up, his son is Troy Reeder. So, when I got the offer from Penn State, he was the first person to contact me, congratulating me. He was just telling me how great of a school Penn State is and that I can’t go wrong going to a school like that. I also know that Penn State is a great school academically, and I’m pretty sure they’re highly ranked in what I want to major in, which is architectural engineering.”
Aside from the Nittany Lions, Collins has earned 12 other scholarship offers so far. Notable schools include Boston College, Cincinnati, Ole Miss, Oregon, Pitt and West Virginia. Of those schools, it’s the program from the Pac-12 that's been pushing hard early on.
“I’ve been hearing from Oregon a lot. I think I heard from three or four coaches from there. They all texted me at like 12:01 Tuesday night," Collins said. "I heard from their head coach, Coach [Mario] Cristobal. So, they came at me pretty hard and all of their coaches are now following me. I also talked to Pitt [on Wednesday]. We just talked about what I’m up to, what I’m planning to do [with the season suspended], all of that.”
Collins added that Indiana, Marshall, Purdue, Temple, and UMass all reached out to him for the first time this week. Of those schools, UMass and Temple have already offered.
Growing up in Newark, Del., Collins played for Caravel Academy the past two seasons before transferring to the Philadelphia private school. He had four interceptions last season.
*******
• Talk about this article inside The Lions Den
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue-White Illustrated
• Follow us on Twitter: @BWIonRivals, @NateBauerBWI, @RivalsSnyder, @DavidEckert98
• Like us on Facebook