Signed: TE Zack Kuntz
WHAT HE DID: A four-year starter on both sides of the ball, Kuntz helped lead his team to a 33-14 record over the course of his career. They won two District III Championships and advanced to the PIAA Class A quarterfinals his sophomore season. Throughout his career, he racked up an impressive 2,705 yards receiving and 26 touchdowns, averaging 18.4 yards per reception. Kuntz was also a force in track & field, as he won 10 district championships throughout his career, participating in the 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, 4 x 400-meter relay and the 4 x 100-meter relay. He also won the PIAA Class 2A State Championship in the 110-meter hurdles his junior season. Kuntz will be an early enrollee at Penn State. He'll begin taking classes once the spring semester begins next month.
WHAT HE WON: Kuntz’s junior season was derailed due to a foot fracture, but he earned first-team all-state honors at tight end his sophomore and senior seasons. He also earned second-team all-conference honors his freshman year and first-team all-conference honors his sophomore and senior seasons. A member of the Rivals250, Kuntz is ranked No. 111 in the nation. He’s the fourth-ranked tight end and the third-ranked player in Pennsylvania.
WHERE HE VISITED: Kuntz earned 17 scholarship offers before committing to Penn State on Nov. 26, 2017. Alabama, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech we’re the schools that he previously visited and decided between. He visited for every game in the 2017 season and took his official visit to Penn State Dec. 8-10.
QUOTABLE: Kuntz - “Academics played a big role in my final decision. I know that Penn State offers a great education, so that was always something that I knew I could fall back on with Penn State. I really like that.”
PHIL’S TAKE: Athletically, Kuntz has some similarities to All-Big Ten tight end Mike Gesicki. At 6-foot-7, 222 pounds, Kuntz is very athletic for his size, excelling in both track & field and basketball. In track, Kuntz won the gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles last spring at the PIAA 2A Track & Field Championships. He also finished third in the 300-meter hurdles. With a 38-inch vertical leap and the frame to easily add 20-plus pounds, I expect his role to be almost identical to the way Gesicki was utilized the past three seasons. Just like Gesicki, Kuntz will bring an extra dimension to Penn State’s offense by vertically stretching the field from the tight end position. I believe that he has a good chance to play early in his career.
