Franklin identified sleeper in Penn State’s Class of 2023
Penn State head coach James Franklin was asked about just about everyone during his signing day press conference Wednesday. From the offensive line to the linebackers and everyone in between, Franklin hit on nearly all of the 22 players who signed, giving the Nittany Lions another Top 15 class.
But during the final question of his press conference, Franklin was asked about the two late additions to the class at defensive end, Mason Robinson and Joseph Mupoyi. After answering the question, the Penn State head coach had the opportunity to stop talking and just end it. That’s not what he did.
Instead, he took the opportunity to make it clear that there’s a player who’s not being talked about nearly enough.
Related: Key Takeaways from Penn State’s Class of 2023
“The guy that nobody’s talking about, and I watch his tape and I think he’s really good, is Ty Blanding,” Franklin said. “You watch the guy play linebacker, he is twitchy and quick. You watch him play defensive end and he’s twitchy and quick. Then, you watch him play a defensive tackle and he’s making plays and he’s explosive.”
Franklin went on to add, “I think sometimes New York is under recruited. People view it as a basketball state, but there’s been a bunch of really good players come out of that state. He’s a guy, when I watch his tape, I’m just like, ‘I don’t understand why more people are not talking about this guy.’ I think his tape is really really good.”
Blanding, who’s been committed to Penn State since the summer, has always kept to himself. From a rating perspective, he holds an overall grade of 89, which is the highest three-star rating possible by On3. The On3 Consensus, which equally weighs all four major recruiting services, rates him a bit lower with an 86.28 grade. That puts him at No. 854 nationally and No. 93 at the defensive tackle.
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Listed at 6-foot-2, 265 pounds, Blanding doesn’t have the size as some of the nation’s best interior defensive lineman. However, that doesn’t appear to be a concern for the Nittany Lions.
“He’s a skinny 260 pounds right now, so I think he’s gonna end up being a big, powerful, athletic kid. We’re excited about him on our roster,” Franklin said.
Blanding is Penn State’s only true interior defensive lineman in this year’s class. In addition to Robinson and Mupoyi, the Nittany Lions also signed Jameial Lyons Wednesday. Lyons has the potential to grow into an interior player, but he’ll start on the edge.
Regional recruiter Terry Smith, who oversees Philadelphia, believes Lyons is a player who could make an impact early.
“I think Jameial can give us an immediate impact,” Smith said. “There’s always a need for edge rushers. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s athletic, he’s fast. He’s got great twitch and great bend. He just has to come in and learn the system. We think he can contribute right away.”
The Nittany Lions currently rank at 14th nationally in the On3 Consensus Team Rankings. They signed 14 four-star players Wednesday. Defensive back Conrad Hussey remains the only unsigned player as of Thursday morning.
