Already well on its way to filling all of the openings in its 2017 class after a recent flurry of verbal commitments, the Nittany Lions moved ahead on Saturday morning by getting a pledge from four-star class of 2018 wide receiver Justin Shorter of New Jersey.
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Penn State’s 2018 recruiting class now has three members.
Penn State was in Shorter’s final five schools prior to his annulment that included Pitt, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Rutgers.
It’s fair to note that Shorter could play other positions, but there has never been an indication that Penn State likes him as anything but a receiver. Penn State now has 13 commitments for the 2017 class which is ranked No. 23 in the nation and No. 5 in the Big Ten per the 247 Network.
Shorter is ranked as the 69th (nice) best player in the nation, according to 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Monmouth Junction product averaged nearly 19 yards per catch last season and helped his team to an 11-1 record and the NJSIAA Central Group 5 State Championship. Now holding a Composite score of 0.9659, Shorter is the highest rated wide receiver to commit to Penn State since Derrick Williams in 2005.
Make no mistake about it, this is a big time commitment for the Nittany Lions. He also still has room to add some muscle and good weight to his frame. “His size makes him physically hard for cornerbacks to jam him”.
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The amount of recruiting momentum Penn State has been able to generate heading into the season is awesome. “In addition to his speed and catch radius, the thing that makes Shorter an elite prospect is his ability to go get the football”, Wiltfong said.
