Signed: C.J. Thorpe

WHAT HE DID Thorpe played a key role in Central Catholic’s run to the PIAA 6A championship game against St. Joseph’s and its 14-2 finish. He led an offense that averaged almost 270 rushing yards per game and scored 60 touchdowns on the ground, and he also totaled 26 tackles and a sack while playing in nine games as a defensive tackle. Thorpe participated in January’s Under Armour All-America Game and was one of the more consistent offensive linemen throughout the week of camp.

WHAT HE WON Thorpe was named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Fabulous 22 team. He also earned first-team All-Conference and All-State honors, in addition to participating in the Under Armour game. Rated a four-star prospect, he dropped out of the Rivals250 before his senior season. But after his all-star performance in Orlando, he soared into the Rivals100 in the final rankings. Finishing at No. 78 overall, Thorpe is listed as the fifth-best offensive guard in the country and the fourth-best overall prospect in Pennsylvania.

WHERE HE VISITED Thorpe checked out Auburn, Michigan, Pitt and UCLA. The Bruins received an official visit late in the process, and he considered an official visit to Ann Arbor, too. But after a January weekend in State College with the rest of the pledges in Penn State’s class, he reaffirmed his commitment to the Nittany Lions.

QUOTABLE Thorpe: “Everything is good on Penn State. I’m staying home, not going on any more officials or anything like that. This weekend was great. Hanging out with all the commits was a lot fun.”

PHIL’S TAKE Thorpe, whose father, Chris, played at Penn State in the 1980s, plays football with an attitude and is surprisingly athletic. Expected to play guard at Penn State, he has excellent feet for a player of his size. He also has an extremely strong lower body. Thorpe reportedly benches over 400 pounds, and his strength was reflected in his total of more than 40 pancake blocks as a senior at Pittsburgh Central Catholic.