New Recruiting Prediction Machine entry for Penn State
Penn State is coming off its best month on the recruiting trail so far this cycle, earning four new commitments in April.
But in addition to the immediate commitments, all those April visits will set the table for more in the months to come. I think one of those players will be offensive lineman Zech Owens from Eagles Landing Christian in Georgia.
On Sunday afternoon, I logged a pick for Penn State in On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine. The pick comes after multiple discussions with both Owens and sources close to the Nittany Lion football program.
Just one month ago, On3’s Jeremy Johnson logged a pick for Clemson to land Owens. I do still believe Dabo Swinney and his staff remain serious contenders, but following Owens’ visit for the Blue-White Game two weeks ago, I believe the Lions sit the pole position.
Previously, Clemson held an 83 percent chance of landing Owens in On3’s RPM. Now, Penn State is the projected favorite with a 55.9 percent chance. The Tigers sit at 38.3 percent.
A major reason why is Owens’ relationship with offensive line coach Phil Trautwein.
Related: Penn State off to a strong start with 2024 WR Tyseer Denmark
“Traut isn’t even like a recruiter to me. He’s becoming more like a father-figure, best friend kind of vibe,” Owens told BWI in an interview last week. “We don’t really talk about football all the time. He’s sent me riddles and puzzles, all types of stuff. I go bowling all the time, so he’s asking me about how I bowled, how school is going, whatever else is going on at my house.
“So, he’s not really recruiting me, I feel. We’re just building a relationship. My big thing is relationships. I don’t care where the school is, how far it is. As long as we got the best relationship, that’s all that matters to me.”
Penn State may be far from his school in McDonough, Ga., but Owens told us that the majority of his family resides in New York City. When you add in the relationship he’s building with many of Penn State’s committed players, it bodes well for the Nittany Lions.
“I was cool with Josh [Miller] before the visit. Me and Josh go back,” Owens said. “I’ve been texting Josh for some time now, but then I got cool with Alex [Birchmeier], cool with Joey [Schlaffer], a bunch of guys.
“Once I started getting introduced to everyone, I really saw how they rock there. Those are going to be the guys I spend my next four years with. Spending time with them was amazing. They have a really cool group of guys there. They got a strong bond already. I could tell that if I go there, we’re going to have a good time.”
Owens has an official visit scheduled with Penn State for June 24-26. He also has one scheduled with Clemson for June 3-5. Michigan, who just offered recently, is also in the mix for an official visit. We’re being told that the Wolverines are aiming for June 17-19.
The On3 Consensus ranks Owens No. 191 nationally. He’s the 17th-ranked offensive tackle and the 20th-ranked prospect in Georgia.
