Recruiting: Four must-get prospects for Penn State in the Class of 2023

Most people were probably in bed just after 12:01 a.m. ET last Wednesday morning, but not Penn State's staff.

Instead, head coach James Franklin led the way as assistants and members of his recruiting staff sent graphics and otherwise electronically communicated with Class of 2023 for the first time after the NCAA calendar made it OK to do so on September 1.

The Lions have one commit in that cycle to already from Virginia four-star offensive lineman Alex Birchmeier, and they're hoping that a torrid run in the current class continues in the next one once those prospects are ready to decide.

With that in mind, it felt like a good time for Ryan Snyder and Greg Pickel to make two picks apiece: One must-get target on offense, and one on defense.

Here are our choices.

Snyder: My pick is more of an athlete than a true offensive player, but I'll go with Nyckoles Harbor from Archbishop Carroll in Washington, D.C. I'm still getting to know Harbor, as he hasn't been one to open up a whole lot about his recruitment so far, but I know Penn State absolutely loves this young man.

It's easy to understand why. At 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Harbor is a freak of an athlete. We talked about this when he visited for the Lasch Bash, but for those unaware, he's also an elite track & field sprinter, running the 100-meter in 10.31 seconds this summer at The Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Ore. He finished second overall at one of the nation's marquee events.

That combination of size and speed is rare, and that's why I expect Franklin and his staff to go all out here. Harbor's sister also graduated from Penn State. She actually accompanied him for his visit back in July, so there are some ties that should help the Lions, too.

What I'm really curious to see moving forward is what position he'll play. So far, Harbor has made it clear that he wants to play tight end, and Penn State seems on board with that idea. That's why I'm listing him as an offensive prospect, but there are also quite a few colleagues of mine who believe his athleticism would be best used at defensive end long term. Either way, this is someone that Penn State absolutely has to land.

Pickel: The junior board is not completely void of commitments, but for the most part, many of the nation's top players who are also Penn State targets have logically held off on committing at this point in time and have no plans to do so anytime soon.

That means the list of names to choose from for this exercise is voluminous, but as I continued to pour over it to make a pick, my eyes kept coming back to Rodney Gallagher.

The two-sport star at Laurel Highlands is a member of the Rivals100 and a four-star receiver recruit who Penn State has talked about as a possible standout on the gridiron and hardwood in State College should the 6-foot, 170-pound talent choose to pick the Lions.

Gallagher is the No. 2 prospect in Pa. We know how important it is to Franklin to keep top talent home so that they don't end up at Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, or another program that will compete for either Big Ten or College Football Playoff opportunities.

Again, you can go so many ways here and not be wrong, but Gallagher is the one who jumps out to me at this point in time.

Snyder: There are so many players to chose from defensively this year. Linebacker is a position of need for the Nittany Lions and this year's class could work out well for them, as Penn State should be able to land a few quality playmakers at that position.

I'll go with the No. 1 player in the state, Ta'Mere Robinson. Landing the top prospect in Pennsylvania has been an issue for Penn State in recent years, but I think they have a better chance with Robinson compared to someone like Enai White, who always showed some interest but was also just as interested or more in other top programs.

Robinson has been on campus a few times already and will be back next weekend for the game against Auburn. I also had contacts suggest at the end of July that Penn State may be a slight favorite with Robinson following two really good visits this summer, but I also think it's a bit too early to make any FutureCasts.

We know he's going to Ohio State this upcoming weekend for the game against Oregon, and he informed me just this week that Clemson and Michigan visits are in the works. I would expect him to also see Notre Dame and Pitt at some point, both of which he visited this summer.

Penn State needs to be landing the top player in the state more often than not, and I think this is their opportunity to potentially put an end to that unwanted trend.

Pickel: Take one look at Ryan's rundown of where Penn State stands with Rivals250 recruits in the Class of 2023, and you'll realize that, just like on offense, the priority board is stacked on Brent Pry's side of the ball too.

I'm going with Josiah Trotter, the latest product of the NFL star's bloodlines to shine at St. Joe's Prep in Philadelphia. His brothers have escaped the Keystone State and landed at Clemson and Ohio State in recent cycles, and frankly, the Lions never really had a chance with either. That's different with Josiah, a hard-hitting 6-foot-2, 225-pound four-star who is the nation's No. 7 linebacker and No. 112 player nationally.

Penn State has cleaned up a lot in linebacker recruiting over the last handful of classes, but this is a class where it could really replenish the well, as other targets at the position are high on the board, too. Getting someone like Trotter to commit might just help reel in the others, which makes him my go-to selection here.

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