Update: Evans has committed to Penn State. Read more here:
https://bwi.rivals.com/news/breaking-penn-state-picks-up-2022-commitment-from-wr-omari-evans
Original story:
It is decision day for Killeen, Tex., Shoemaker High receiver Omari Evans.
Will he pick Penn State, or is the 6-foot, 170-pound three-star headed elsewhere?
The Lions enter Saturday with 25 Class of 2022 verbal commitments and are hoping to make it 26 by the end of the day by adding a prospect who visited for the White Out game against Auburn a couple of weeks ago before setting his decision date.
Below, we preview Evans' announcement.
Where Penn State stands
Penn State has commitments from at least three receivers, but that number could go as high as five in the Class of 2022 as things currently stand.
Anthony Ivey, Kaden Saunders, and Tyler Johnson are all guaranteed to be pass catchers at the next level, but it's still unclear whether Mehki Flowers and Cristian Driver will start their time in blue and white on offense or if one or both of them will be safeties in college.
As for the scholarship chart, Jahan Dotson and Cam Sullivan-Brown are both expected to be gone after this year, leaving Daniel George and Norval Black as the oldest players who could be on the roster for the 2022 season. After them, the Lions would be expected to also have KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Parker Washington, Jaden Dottin, Malick Meiga, Liam Clifford, and Harrison Wallace III back.
When you factor in possible portal entries and a 2023 board that will probably only yield one or two additions at receiver, it's not hard to see why picking up Evans to add to an already big group of commitments at the position would make sense should he pick the Lions.
The contenders
A list of finalists that was released on Aug. 1, 2021, shaved a list of 27 offers down to just seven schools of interest: Arkansas, Baylor, Houston, Indiana, Penn State, Rutgers, and Vanderbilt.
By all accounts, while those programs may have made the cut, this is a battle between the Scarlet Knights and Nittany Lions. That may seem odd, but Evans lived in Ohio for 10 years, which means he has roots outside of the Longhorn State.
What he's said about the Lions
“They just said they could use someone like me," Evans told BWI two weeks ago.
"They really like my speed and they think they can use it in different ways. They also like my versatility. They think I could play outside, inside, in the slot. I could play anywhere for them, so that’s how they want to use me.”
What FutureCast says
BWI recruiting insider Ryan Snyder logged the first FutureCast prediction for Evans to Penn State back on Sept. 28, and three analysts have since followed suit. Entering the day, the picks are unanimous for the Nittany Lions.
Final word
Evans actually plays quarterback for his Shoemaker team, but he will catch passes at the college level. Every school that has offered him loves his speed (as evidenced by a 4.3-second 40-yard-dash and 4.2 shuttle) and he has all the makings of a highlight-reel player at the school of his choice.
Penn State is pushing hard to land him following a quality official visit in September, and it will soon find out whether or not its efforts to do so pay off. Evans is expected to announce around 3 p.m. eastern time.
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