What does the addition of Holden Staes mean for Penn State?

Penn State’s Class of 2022 added another prospect Thursday in Georgia tight end Holden Staes.

Despite the fact that he’s never met with the coaching staff during a true unofficial visit, Staes has become very comfortable with head coach James Franklin and tight end coach Tyler Bowen. In fact, his interest was so high in recent weeks that he and his family elected to drive 12 hours to State College this past weekend so they could see the town on their own before making this decision official.

So what does this commitment mean for the Nittany Lions? We break down a few key talking points below.

1) Another commitment, another tight end. It may seem like a surprise, but it really shouldn’t be. Tyler Bowen has already grabbed the attention of many following the success of Pat Freiermuth, but I also think you can make the case that, aside from Franklin, he’s the best recruiter on the staff right now. At the same time, you can argue that Bowen has an easier job compared Ja'Juan Seider, but it's hard to ignore Bowen and how much he's helped the Nittany Lions, not only at tight end, but regionally throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. I know you guys don't want to read this, but the real question is, how long until he wants to become an offensive coordinator? It's just a matter of time until someone gives him a chance. Hopefully Franklin will be able to keep him because Bowen is a key member of this staff. This commitment is another reminder of that.

2) Staes hasn’t been active on the camp scene, and even if he had been, most of the top camps were cancelled this spring/summer, making it difficult to track down accurate measurables and testing numbers. When speaking with contacts about him today, the name that everyone kept bringing up is current sophomore tight end Brenton Strange. However, unlike Strange, Staes already has much more experience with his hand in the ground, as Strange primarily split out wide during his final two seasons at Parkersburg. One other comparison I heard was Elijah Arroyo, a four-star 2021 tight end from Texas that Penn State pursued. He committed to Miami earlier this year.

3) The Nittany Lions have now earned commitments from three tight ends who can’t sign for at least 16 more months. Virginia resident and Class of 2023 prospect Mathias Barnwell kickstarted this surge back in June, becoming the youngest player to ever commit to Penn State. The staff then earned a commitment from 2022 prospect Jerry Cross from Milwaukee a few weeks ago. Can they keep all three tight ends committed that long? It won't be easy, as you know schools are going to push for all three to visit once the dead period finally ends. However, one thing that fans should feel good about with Staes is his commitment to academics. Penn State's standing academically was a major reason why he wanted to come north.

4) Speaking of potential teammates, I did reach out to Cross earlier today to ask about Staes and how this commitment may impact him. Not only did he say that he was aware of the staff’s plans to add another tight end, but he’s actually been actively recruiting Staes over the past couple of weeks. The two are still getting to know each other, but Cross has enjoyed getting to know his future teammate so far. From that perspective, all appears well.

5) Can Penn State skip the tight end position in the Class of 2021 now? I know that's a question I'm going to be asked. Theoretically, yes, they could, but if they did, it would have nothing to do with the three underclassmen that committed this summer. Penn State's staff understands that a lot can change. Most of you reading this understand that, so they'll continue to pursue not only 2021 tight ends, but 2022 and beyond, too. Sources confirmed again today that the staff has no plans to let up on in-state prospect Khalil Dinkins. The question is, where does Dinkins stand in the process and does the recent extension of the NCAA’s dead period change his plans to wait and take more visits? I’ll work on that throughout next week. Sources told me today that they weren’t exactly sure where Dinkins stood when it comes to making a decision.

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