Recruiting: Junior Day Preview

Spring practice may have ended over a month ago, but James Franklin and his assistants have been busy on the recruiting trail, checking up on many of the nation's top prospects during the spring evaluation period.

Now, he and his staff will host one final junior day before the summer camp season kicks off next month. While this weekend's event won't be nearly as big as some others, there are over a dozen quality prospects expected to be on campus.

Below are the top players that we'll be watching closely Saturday.

Schools: Top 5 - Penn State, Kentucky, Michigan State, Pitt, Purdue

The Latest - 5/17/19 - Austin visited Penn State back on April 6 and he's now headed back just a month later. All four of the other programs in his top five are also very much in the mix, but Penn State has quickly jumped towards the top of his list in a little over six weeks. Austin isn't expected to make any moves until later this year, but we continue to hear that he's very interested in the Lions. Remember the name.

Schools: Cincinnati, Duke, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Purdue, Washington St.

The Latest - 5/17/19 - We wrote a full preview on Baker earlier this week. You can read that here. He's already set to take an official visit to Iowa June 21-23, and it does feel as if the Hawkeyes currently hold the lead. However, if the staff decides to offer, PSU could quickly jump into his top 2-3 schools. Baker and Ath. RJ Moten are two prospects we'll be watching closely for an offer this weekend.

Schools: Penn State, Baylor, Duke, Illinois, Maryland, Mich. State, Minnesota, N. Carolina, N.C. State, Oregon, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, Utah, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Va. Tech, W. Virginia

The Latest - 5/17/19 - The Lions offered Martin in the beginning of April and are now set to host him for the first time. At 6-5, 220+ pounds, he has the length that Sean Spencer loves off the edge. He also holds a pretty solid offer sheet. The in-state Mountaineers are considered the favorites, although he also visited North Carolina and Vanderbilt this spring.

Schools: Boston College, Duke, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia, Va. Tech, W. Virginia, Wisconsin

The Latest - 5/17/19 - Moten has been one of the region's hottest prospects since the evaluation period started. Since the end of April, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska and Wisconsin are just a few of the schools that have offered. At 6-0, 200 pounds, Moten could play a few positions at the next level, but Penn State is primarily interested in him playing running back - he rushed for 1,305 yards and 16 TDs in 2018 - although the staff wants to meet him in-person before they decide. If all goes well, there's a good chance Moten leaves campus with an offer this weekend.

Schools: Penn State, Arizona St., Boston College, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Iowa St., Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Pitt, Rutgers, W. Virginia

The Latest - 5/17/19 - Royer only earned an offer from Penn State 10 days ago, so the fact that he's visiting so quickly suggests that he has real interest in the Lions. With that said, he has been busy visiting other schools recently, checking out Arizona State in April and then Louisville just last week. Boston College, Cincinnati and West Virginia have also hosted him previously. Just like Moten, he's grabbed the attention of a lot of schools during the evaluation period.

Schools: Penn State, Baylor, Maryland, Pitt, Rutgers, Virginia, Va. Tech, W. Virginia

The Latest - 5/17/19 - We wrote a full preview on Cheek earlier this week. You can read that here. He's already been on campus twice before - he camped last summer, then attended the Ohio State game in the fall - so while he's familiar with PSU, Cheek is yet to really see the Lasch Building and all of campus. It's still early, but we expect Penn State to be a serious player here. Cheek had a great performance at the Baltimore Under Armour camp at the end of April.

Schools: Penn State, Baylor, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio St., Okla. State, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Va. Tech, W. Virginia, Wisconsin

The Latest - 5/17/19 - Johnson hasn't been able to visit many schools yet. He's been trying to get to State College for a few months now, so it's good to see that he's making the trip. Johnson is listed as an athlete, but we expect him to play cornerback if he ends up in Happy Valley. He already has an excellent offer sheet and is on pace to be a member of the Rivals250.

Schools: Penn State, Alabama, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, N. Carolina, N.C. State, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, Virginia, Va. Tech, Wake Forest, W. Virginia

The Latest - 5/17/19 - Leigh is another player who's earned a lot of attention during the evaluation period. Over the past month, he's added over a dozen scholarship offers, including Penn State in the final week of April. Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina and West Virginia have also come calling recently. So far, he's visited Pitt, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. This will be his first time at Penn State. Leigh is on pace to earn a four-star ranking and a spot in the Rivals250.

Schools: Penn State, Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, Florida, Florida St., Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Miss. State, N. Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio St., Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Virginia, Va. Tech

The Latest - 5/17/19 - Despite the fact that he's just now finishing up his sophomore year, Tengwall will be visiting Penn State for the seventh time this weekend. His last visit was in the beginning of April to watch spring practice. Tengwall is yet to narrow his list of schools, but it's becoming clear that Michigan and Notre Dame are PSU's top competitors. Many believe that the Irish currently hold the edge, however. He's on pace to be a Rivals100 prospect.

Schools: Penn State, Baylor, Boston College, Nebraska, Oklahoma St., Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas A&M, W. Virginia

The Latest - 5/17/19 - Johnson already holds 15 scholarship offers, include a dozen Power Five schools. He's not only on pace to be one of the region's top linebackers in 2022, but could potentially be the state's top player that year. Remember the name. This is Johnson's first trip to Penn State.

Schools: Penn State, Indiana, Michigan, Mich. State, Nebraska, West Virginia

The Latest - 5/17/19 - Saunders has already been on campus once, attending the staff's first spring practice back in March. It's still early, but he's been reaching out to PSU on his own time to start building a relationship, so that's a positive sign. He's going to be one of Ohio's best in 2022.

May 18

PSU Commits

OL Nicholas Dawkins - FILM - Allentown, Pa. - Parkland

LB Curtis Jacobs - FILM - Owings Mills, Md. - McDonogh

OL Grant Toutant - FILM- Warren, Mich. - De La Salle

2020

DL Bryce Austin - FILM - Southfield, Mich. - Southfield A&T ***

WR David Baker - FILM - Indianapolis, Ind. - Scecina Memorial

WR Norval Black - FILM - Scranton, Pa. - Lackawanna

DB Ja'yir Brown - FILM - Scranton, Pa. - Lackawanna

DE Sean Martin - FILM - Bluefield, W.Va. - Bluefield ***

RB RJ Moten - FILM -Delran, N.J. - Delran

DE Pheldarius Payne - FILM- Scranton, Pa. - Lackawanna College

QB Anthony Romphf - FILM- Southfield, Mich. - Southfield A&T

TE Joe Royer - FILM - Cincinnati, Ohio - Elder ***

2021

CB Jalen Cheek - FILM - Atco, N.J. - Winslow Twp. ***

RB Tristan Cox - FILM - Pulaski County, Ky. - Pulaski County

Ath. Tysheem Johnson - FILM - Philadelphia, Pa. - Neumann-Goretti ***

OL Tristan Leigh - FILM - Fairfax, Va. - Robinson ***

OL Landon Tengwall - FILM - Olney Md. - Good Counsel ***

2022

LB Anthony Johnson - FILM - Philadelphia, Pa. - Neumann-Goretti ***

WR Kaden Saunders - FILM - Westerville, Ohio - Westerville South ***

*** - Holds a Penn State scholarship offer