Signed: Jonathan Sutherland

WHAT HE DID Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, Sutherland took part in the Gridiron Academy and eventually landed at Episcopal High in Alexandria, Va. As a senior, his team finished with an 8-1 record, falling only in its final game of the season to archrival Woodberry Forest, 34-21.

WHAT HE WON Rated by Rivals.com as a four-star prospect, Sutherland was named to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association All-Division I team. Additionally, he was ranked the No. 12 player in Virginia and the No. 27 safety in the Class of 2017.

WHERE HE VISITED Although Sutherland verbally committed to the Nittany Lions in July and took only one official visit following his senior year, his recruiting process was loaded with unofficial visits before the pledge. Having previously camped at Penn State, even while living in Canada, Sutherland also took visits to Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Ohio State, Pitt, Rutgers, Southern California, Syracuse, UCLA and Virginia Tech.

QUOTABLE Sutherland: “I chose Penn State because I’ve had a relationship with them since I was in the seventh grade. I really feel comfortable there, and it’s a good mix of academics and good football. Sitting down with Coach [Tim] Banks and talking about where I would fit into their defense and being around the players and future teammates made me feel really comfortable. I’m going to compete wherever I go. The safety spot is going to have good depth, so I’ll have to compete and hopefully play as a freshman.”

PHIL’S TAKE Projected to play the strong safety position at Penn State, Sutherland has 4.5-second 40-yard speed and is a very physical player who provides excellent run support. He is reminiscent of Bob Sanders, who starred for Iowa in the early 2000s and went on to play in the NFL. It’s likely that he will redshirt as a freshman.