Assessing the Penn State defensive tackle class

Headshot 5x7 reduced qualityby:Thomas Frank Carr•07/23/23•

ThomasFrankCarr

Deion-Barnes-Penn-State-Nittany-Lions-Football-1-CROPPED
Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes has been pivotal in landing a four-player class at defensive tackle. It's been a weakness on the Penn State defense for several years. (Photo: Dan Althouse/BWI)

Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes is having a whale of a first season in his new role. The former graduate assistant and (brief) analyst just landed the team’s top prospect for the Class of 2024 in athlete Liam Andrews and followed that up by nabbing mammoth 6-6 interior defender T.A. Cunningham. While the coaching staff works as a unit in recruiting, Barnes has gotten some impressive players across the finish line in his first year as a position coach.  Let’s take a moment to assess the work he’s done so far and see what’s left to accomplish.