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Penn State picks up new commitment from Zion Tracy

Mug-Shot 4x4by: Ryan Snyder09/11/22RyanSnyderOn3
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Penn State picked up commitment No. 20 from CB Zion Tracy this weekend. (Credit: Blue White Illustrated)

Penn State’s Class of 2023 climbed to 20 committed players Saturday, as postgraduate defensive back Zion Tracy officially announced his decision. A three-star prospect, Tracy camped at Penn State the past two summers, but it was his workout this summer that really opened up this opportunity. In addition to running a 4.3-second 40, he performed well against future teammate Ejani Shakir, grabbing the attention of cornerbacks coach Terry Smith and the entire staff.

Although he did announce a top four earlier this week of Penn State, Buffalo, Rutgers and Syracuse, it’s been clear for some time now that the Nittany Lions were the clear favorite.

“Their coaches were just upfront and honest with me the entire time. Whether it was bad or good, they were always telling me what I needed to hear, not just what I wanted to hear. I appreciated that.”

Smith may have led this recruitment, but Penn State head coach James Franklin also had a hand in this commitment.

“I was talking to Coach Franklin more and more over the past couple of weeks. I really liked how real he is with you. Coach Terry just knows how to have that connection with his players. Like, outside of football, there’s a bond there with his players. It’s the same thing with Coach Franklin. Both of them I felt like I really connected with.”

A native of Hempstead, N.Y., Tracy played last season at Long Island Luthern. He earned a handful of Division I offers last year, and even committed to Temple at one point. However, following a coaching change with the Owls, he decided to go the postgraduate route, ending up at St. Thomas More in Connecticut. 

“I was committed to Temple, but the coaching change is why I decommitted,” Tracy said in August. “I decided then to just reclassify, become a 2023 player. I’m a postgrad, so I’ll only be here for three months. Whatever school I end up at, I’ll enroll in January.”

The Nittany Lions remain at No. 12 overall nationally for the Class of 2023. They have the second-ranked class in the Big Ten behind Ohio State. Penn State now has three cornerbacks committed in this year’s class, as Tracy joins Elliot Washington and Lamont Payne.

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