By FRANK BODANI
The Penn State Nittany Lions landed the high school running back they wanted.
Now, can they pull in the surprise quarterback?
Evan Royster, a 6-foot, 190-pound running back from Chantilly, Va., reportedly has given a verbal commitment to Penn State. He chose the Lions over Nebraska, but he also had scholarship offers from Oklahoma, Florida, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
“I just felt something at Penn State I didn’t feel at other places,� he told the Washington Post.
Royster is PSU’s 19th commitment in a recruiting class that most experts rate in the top 10 nationally.
“He’s not super big or super fast, but he’s very productive,� said Tom Lemming, a national recruiting expert in the Chicago area. “He’s a winner.�
“He’s a Tony Hunt-type of kid,� said Bob Lichtenfels of Scout.com, a national recruiting service. “Maybe he’s not as physical as Tony, but he’s that patient type of runner. And he might be a step faster. He’s also a very good receiver out of the backfield.�
But Royster may not be the biggest recruit to be had at the end.
The Lions appear back in the hunt for top-line quarterback prospect Pat Devlin (6-4, 200 pounds) from Downingtown East High School.
Though he committed to the University of Miami months ago, the Chester County star has apparently opened up his recruiting again since the recent firing of Hurricane assistant coaches.
Devlin’s high school coach, Mike Matta, told the Miami Herald that the quarterback is now also “exploring Virginia and Penn State.�
Devlin’s father went to Penn State, his mother was a cheerleader there and his grandfather still lives in State College. Internet rumors have swirled about Devlin making a recruiting visit to Penn State this weekend.
No matter that the Nittany Lions have hotshot QB Anthony Morelli, a junior next fall, or another high school quarterback recruit (New Jersey’s Brett Brackett) who already is committed.
“Devlin is the man in the East this year,� Lemming said. “A precision passer with a big league arm, and he’s smart. Composure, courage, you say it, he’s got it.
“He’d be a guy Morelli would have to worry about ...�
Devlin is rated as one of the top five high school quarterbacks in the nation, according to Scout.com.
“Look at Morelli. He’s got an NFL arm, but he might not be as strong at reading defenses as Devlin is,� Lichtenfels said.
For the most part, the recruiting season ends on Feb. 1, the first day recruits can make their verbal commitments binding.
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