National Signing Day Preview

With 19 players already signed, 11 of which are already on campus, plus late additions in DE Smith Vilbert and DT Joseph Darkwa, Penn State is set to once again rank among the top dozen schools in the country, regardless of what happens Wednesday.

After finishing 12th overall in 2017, plus last year's No. 5 ranking - the highest since Rivals began in 2001 - James Franklin and his assistants have continued to set a high bar, as the Nittany Lions currently sit 10th in 2019. Penn State also ranks second in the Big Ten, just behind Michigan, who are one spot ahead of the Lions nationally.

So, what are the chances that they finish No. 1 in the Big Ten?

Well, with the Wolverines not expected to add any new prospects Wednesday, all Penn State needs is just one of the three four-star prospects they're still pursuing. As of Tuesday, Saf. Nick Cross appeared to be the most realistic option, but they're also still in the mix with RB Mark-Antony Richards and DT Jaquaze Sorrells. Penn State is also the favorite with three-star WR TJ Jones. However, if Jones is the only prospect to join, the Lions won't make up the 46 points they need to surpass Michigan. You can learn more on the Rivals Rankings here.

Below is a breakdown on where we believe the staff stands with each of those prospects!

Schools: Penn State & Florida State

The Latest: If there's one player that Penn State fans - and likely the staff - want more than any other, it's Cross. While the DeMatha prospect is still committed to Florida State, Franklin and his staff have done a good job putting themselves back in this race. Cross also took an unofficial visit to Georgia last week, but this should down to the Lions or Seminoles. Our contacts feel as if Lions have a good chance here, but nothing has been finalized. We get the impression that this could go either way. DeMatha is expected to host a signing event at roughly 2:15 PM ET Wednesday. It's still unclear if Cross will publicly announce then or earlier in the day.

Schools: Penn State, Indiana, Texas A&M

The Latest: As we noted on Friday, Jones didn't take an official visit to Georgia Tech this past weekend, so his trip to Penn State was the final visit he took. He's saying that Texas A&M is in the mix still, but the Aggies have four wide receivers committed already, so we're not expecting any late changes here. This will come down to Indiana and Penn State and we feel the Lions are the team to beat. Jones will announce his decision around 10 AM ET.

Schools: Penn State, Auburn, Florida, Georgia

The Latest: Penn State is still in the running here, but almost all of our colleagues believe he's off to Auburn. His coach put out a tweet this morning announcing that Wellington's Signing Day event will take place at roughly 12:15 PM ET Wednesday. We'll keep an eye on Richards, but it feels like he's going to end up in the SEC.

Schools: Penn State & South Carolina

The Latest: If Penn State is going to get a surprise commitment Wednesday, it'll likely be Sorrells. While he did take a late official visit to Alabama this past weekend, the Tide appear to be focused elsewhere, so this should come to the Lions and Gamecocks. Our colleagues have been leaning South Carolina for awhile now, but our contacts have hinted that Penn State is in a better position here than most realize. It's also notable that Sorrells hasn't been speaking with the media at all over the past month, so there's more questions here than answers. He's expected to announce at 1:30 PM ET via Instagram Live.