Penn State goes back-to-back, adding defensive lineman T.A. Cunningham to Class of 2024
Following a quieter-than-expected month on the recruiting trail, Penn State has now added two four-star prospects at one of its most important positions in a little over 24 hours. After adding Top 100 prospect Liam Andrews on Friday, the Nittany Lions have now added Miami Central defensive tackle T.A. Cunningham on Saturday afternoon.
A native of Georgia, Cunningham totaled 66 tackles and seven sacks during a breakout sophomore season at Johns Creek. He then moved to California in a much-publicized transfer last summer that ultimately resulted in Cunningham initially being ruled ineligible by the California Interscholastic Federation.
When he was ruled eligible to play at Los Alamitos halfway through the regular season, Cunningham finished the season with just 17 tackles and five quarterback hurries in the final seven games. The move was a massive step up in competition, which will prove positive for him down the road. However, he has now since transferred again, coming back to the East Coast to play for Miami Central.
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When it comes to Penn State, Cunningham first earned an offer from the Lions in Aug. 2021. However, it wasn’t until this past March that he visited for the first time. Miami, South Carolina and Ohio State also hosted him in the spring, but when Cunningham took just one official visit to Penn State in June, it started to become clear that James Franklin and his staff had emerged as the team to beat.
“What I’d say set Penn State apart would just be the people,” Cunningham said. “I’ve been getting recruited by Coach Franklin and their staff, Coach Kenny Sanders; I’ve been talking to these guys since pretty much my freshman year. They’ve been there from the jump, and they’ve stayed consistent with everything.
“They were very persistent and made sure that I knew how important I was to them, how much they believed in me and my ability. Even with some recent dropoffs, with everything with the CIF, dealing with injuries and things like that, they see past it and saw me through all of that stuff. I really just see Penn State as a genuine program that likes me for more than a football player.”
At 6-foot-6, 275 pounds, Cunningham totaled more than 50 scholarship offers dating back to his freshman season. He also visited more than 20 different schools during that timeframe.
Cunningham holds a 90 overall rating by On3, making him a four-star prospect. The On3 Industry Ranking, which combines On3 with 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN, has him at No. 257 nationally.
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“I’m just happy to be done with the process,” Cunningham added. “It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions and different things. I’m happy to have the relief of having it over. My path was a little less traditional than some others. You have juniors and seniors still receiving offers. Most of my offers came early from all the visits and camps that I went to early on. I’m pretty familiar with the process.
“It’s all been a blessing, but everything has to come to an end, and I’m just ready for the next chapter of my life, where I can just get down to business, get ready to work and just have a stable environment.”
