Take Two: Is Penn State team to beat for TE Theo Johnson?
Ryan Snyder/Blue White Illustrated
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling an issue in the college football landscape. Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com national recruiting director Mike Farrell and an expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites or a regional analyst.
THE STORYLINE
Theo Johnson is one of the best tight ends in the country and he was at Penn State this past weekend.
ESPN College GameDay was there. It was a white out game. And the Nittany Lions beat Michigan, 28-21, to stay undefeated.
Penn State has emerged as one of the favorites for the intriguing prospect from Windsor (Ontario) Holy Names. He has the athleticism and speed to play outside but is also physically developed and can block when needed.
The Wolverines will have an opportunity to sway Johnson when he visits. Iowa is making a big push and the Hawkeyes have had huge success at tight end. Georgia is also very much in the mix and playing for a national power in the SEC could be tough to turn down.
Has Penn State done enough to convince Johnson it’s the right fit for him or do those other front-runners still have an edge in his recruitment as things wind down for the Canadian standout?
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FIRST TAKE: JOSH HELMHOLDT, MIDWEST RECRUITING ANALYST
“My sense going into this visit was that Penn State was the team to beat, so unless the weekend didn’t go as expected the Nittany Lions have probably only lengthened that lead.
“Michigan will get a chance to host him for an official visit and that’s probably the last trip he takes. Georgia hosted him for an official visit and Iowa hosted him in June and an unofficial visit last weekend. So all of those are pretty fresh in his mind. Penn State was in so early in this recruitment and did such a good job of building that relationship early that I think it's the consistent team here and it has to be looked at as the team to beat.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, NATIONAL RECRUITING DIRECTOR
“After that environment and the way they use the tight ends, it certainly helps that Pat Freiermuth caught a touchdown. That passing attack is very tight end friendly and I think the Nittany Lions have to be considered the leader.
“With the way Penn State is playing, with the white out, undefeated, beating Michigan, it has to have the momentum.”
