Penn State lands four-star Cristian Driver; Lions extend July run
Penn State has done it again.
The Nittany Lions landed their 10th Class of 2022 commitment in July and 22nd overall on Thursday when four-star athlete Cristian Driver picked them over more than 40 other programs.
A 6-foot-1, 170-pound two-way standout at Liberty Christian in Argyle, Texas, Driver is the son of former NFL star Donald Driver. He plans to play his father's position, wide receiver, at the next level, although he's also been an impact player at safety throughout his high school career.
Cristian Driver is a Rivals250 talent and the second player to commit to the Lions in this cycle as an athlete, joining four-star Mehki Flowers.
"I could say so much about Penn State and why that's the school for me, but the one thing I really liked was the family that they have there, the brotherhood," Driver said. "It's not about the individual there. It's about the team. They don't have names on the back of their jerseys. People know you there based on your number, not your name, because it's not about you. It's about the team. That's where 'We Are' comes from.
"It's all about playing as a team there and being a family. That's something a lot of other colleges don't have. Coach [James] Franklin does a terrific job pouring into all of his players, pouring into their families. I think that's one thing that really stood out to me the most."
The Nittany Lions were always among Driver's favorites, but they seemed to pull ahead following an official visit to State College back in June.
Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and Wisconsin were among the schools recruiting him the hardest, although Penn State was one of the few that were open to him playing either side of the ball. That played a key role in this decision.
"Terry Smith was originally my lead recruiter. He's the one that got it started with me," Driver said. "But once I told him I preferred to play wide receiver, nothing ever changed, and that's one thing I loved about him. So many other coaches would back off when I told them that, but he was fine with it and kept recruiting me hard. Then, I built a relationship with Coach [Taylor] Stubblefield, who was great also.
"Another thing is, I've been following Coach [Mike] Yurcich around for a few years now. He was the first coach to offer me as a receiver when he was at Ohio State. So, I liked him a lot then, and then he went to Texas and I had a lot of interest in him there. Of course, he ended up at Penn State then and that's when it felt like everything just came into place for me."
Driver, who also celebrates his birthday on July 29, told BWI on numerous occasions that he looks to Franklin "as an uncle." His ties to the Nittany Lion head coach actually go back to 2005, when Franklin coached Driver's father with the Green Bay Packers. Franklin only stayed with the Packers for one season, but his connection with the Driver family never faded.
"I've known him since I was very young and he's always believed in me, so that made this an easier decision, too," Driver said. "He always poured into me, believed in me. Everything he saw in me as a little kid, he sees in me now and I appreciate him a lot. That stands out the most to me. He's always been there for me."
Related: 10 Things to Know - Four-star Cristian Driver commits to PSU
Driver checks in at No. 229 nationally and as the No. 12 athlete in Rivals' rankings. He also excels in another sport.
According to athletic.net, he clocked a 12.03-second 100-meter dash during the 2021 outdoor track season in addition to a 5-foot, 10-inch high jump and a 21-foot, 10-inch long jump at the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) Class 6A championships that won the event. However, it wasn't his season-best, which checked in at 22 feet and a quarter of an inch.
It appears that he is the complete athletic package, which is why so many schools sought to land him during the recruiting process. In the end, a strong and long family relationship, plus a terrific staff effort, both before, during, and after the official visit, netted the Lions their latest four-star pledge in a class that is full of them.
"I think out of all the coaches that I've met, as far as on the college level, this is the best group of coaches and staff I've ever been surrounded by," Driver told BWI in June. "I think just the way that Coach Franklin, Coach Stubbs, Coach Yurcich and a bunch of other people on the staff took my family in this weekend, it really was great.
"I enjoyed my time down there. Everything Coach Franklin got to show my family was excellent. It's a great group."
Penn State has now landed about half of its current class over the last 29 days. The Nittany Lions remain at No. 2 in the nation, according to the Rivals Team Rankings. Franklin and his staff still await another decision this month, as Maryland four-star safety KJ Winston will pick between Penn State and Maryland on Saturday.
Quotes for this story were obtained by BWI's Ryan Snyder.
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