Hardy the Latest to Choose Lions

Penn State's coaching staff has been eying this one for quite a while, and Sunday, the effort paid off.

Paramus Catholic four-star defensive lineman Dorian Hardy has made the call, and the call is to Penn State.

The relationship seemed to be solid between the Hardy family and the Penn State staff early in the process.

Visiting Penn State by himself this weekend before being joined by other family members on Sunday, the trip was one of many the outstanding prospect has taken to State College during the recruiting process.

Most recently, following a visit to Penn State the weekend of the Blue-White Game in April, Hardy's mother described some of the reasons the Nittany Lions were ingratiating themselves so well.

“Many places have one or two (coaches) that stick out, but we both love the whole staff at Penn State and have from day one,” said Mrs. Hardy. “Also the family environment that Franklin has created and demanded. You feel it, you truly feel it. It’s not just words.”

Hardy is Penn State's first verbal commitment since Bryce Effner made the call more than a month ago. With his verbal pledge, the class expands back to 13 members, with its Rivals.com team recruiting ranking likely to nudge higher from its current spot of No. 4 in the country.

Currently, Hardy is ranked No. 154 overall in the Class of 2018. He's also the eighth-ranked defensive end, but at 6-foot-4, 252 pounds, there's a good chance that he'll grow into a defensive tackle. Hardy is also the fifth-ranked prospect in New Jersey.

Over the past year, he's earned more than 20 scholarship offers. Top schools include Alabama, Clemson, Florida, LSU, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State, Pitt, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin.

Blue White Illustrated will have much more on Hardy's commitment in the coming days.