10 Things to Know: Penn State adds commitment from CB Jordan Allen

Penn State's momentum on the recruiting trail just keeps rolling with the addition of Louisiana native Jordan Allen.

A three-star cornerback, Allen had been on Penn State's recruiting board throughout the year, but when he was unable to make it for an official visit, it looked as if the Nittany Lions weren't going to be a contender.

That was incorrect.

Get to know the newest Nittany Lion below.

Well, this isn't something we see every day.

Since taking over the program, James Franklin and his staff have landed a few prospects from southern states not named Florida, but Louisiana hasn't been one of them. They've signed a handful of prospects from Georgia, especially early in their tenure, while Harrison Wallace, Torrence Brown and Christian Campbell all grew up in Alabama.

If memory serves me correctly, the Nittany Lions last signed a recruit from Louisiana in 2008, and even that player had ties to the program in linebacker Michael Mauti.

Louisiana isn't a state where Penn State usually pulls in players, so that alone makes this a big commitment and a sign that the current recruiting momentum is being felt all across the country.

Penn State offered Allen back on Jan. 25, 2021. At the time, the Nittany Lions were just trying to kickstart a relationship after reviewing his film. They made steady progress over the next month, but then, when he had a virtual visit with Franklin and his staff in March, his interest became more serious.

Come April, Allen included Penn State in his top six along with Georgia, Louisville, Miami, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. In May, he set an official visit to come to Penn State, although that ultimately had to be canceled due to a funeral.

Although he canceled his official visit, Allen's interest in Penn State remained high. His top six dwindled down to four come June, and even then, Georgia had a few players ahead of Allen on their recruiting board, which made this a battle between Penn State, Miami, and Louisville.

Miami was the first school to host Allen for an official visit, June 4-6, while Louisville got him on campus that following weekend, June 11-13. His Penn State official visit was originally set for June 18-20.

Since mid-June, Miami has picked up two defensive backs, which shifted their focus elsewhere, so we believe his decision truly came down to the Nittany Lions and Cardinals.

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Allen hasn't opened up since committing, but this quote that he gave us just 10 days ago kind of says it all when it comes to his relationship with Terry Smith and the rest of Penn State's coaching staff. They won this recruitment because of how they approached the recruiting process with him.

“Coach Smith keeps telling me that I’m their number one guy and that they need me to bring the defense together because I’m a very versatile guy,” Allen said.

“He said that he can see me playing a couple different positions. Coach Franklin calls me all the time and we talk about all the different things he thinks I can accomplish when I get there. He’s been showing me different videos and stuff like that to get me more comfortable with the school.”

Smith has always been one of Penn State's best recruiters, and this year is shaping up to be one of his best yet. Think about this for a second: Jordan Allen is the first cornerback to commit to the Nittany Lions this year, yet he's the eighth player to commit who's had close ties with Smith throughout the process.

With Smith now overseeing efforts in both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, that's a major reason why. Graduate assistant Deion Barnes has also had a big role in Philadelphia, but Smith is the one overseeing everything in that city now. He's the one that mended a few relationships that went south a few years ago.

Add in Tyrece Mills and JB Nelson, who are both from Pittsburgh, and Ohio native Kaden Saunders, who really bonded with Smith before anyone else, and you can absolutely make the case that Smith has been Penn State's top recruiter to this point.

"Allen is a versatile defensive back with a game driven by physicality. He plays cornerback for four-time state champions Lafayette Christian and was a major part of the team’s run toward a title in 2020, which included his most notable efforts slowing down four-star WR AJ Johnson by pressing him at the line of scrimmage and shadowing him all over the field.

"Allen could be a zone corner at Penn State or find a fit at safety. He isn’t shy about lowering his shoulder and punishing receivers in the middle of the field or those who catch passes in front of him. He’s diligent against the run and could thrive as a freelancer on the back end of the defense in the Big Ten." - Sam Spiegelman - National Recruiting Analyst

Let's be honest, you all already know who's next. Or, at least, who's scheduled to next make a commitment decision.

Penn State's top overall prospect in the class, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, is set to announce his commitment on Thursday, July 22. I logged a FutureCast for the Nittany Lions on Friday, so I feel good about Franklin and his staff locking down the five-star from Baltimore.

One player I'll be watching closely moving forward is cornerback Cam Miller. With Allen now on board, Penn State can crank up the heat on the Florida standout, so keep an eye on him in the days ahead. We know he wants to commit next month, but I wouldn't be surprised if that changed now that scholarships are getting tight.

We also know that athlete Cristian Driver is set to announce July 29, while safety KJ Winston has decided to move up his commitment date to July 31. I have FutureCasts in for both Driver and Winston.

Here is Penn State's 2022 class sorted by commitment timeline:

July 25, 2020 - Four-star WR Kaden Saunders, Westerville (Ohio) Westerville South

July 28, 2020 - Four-star TE Jerry Cross, Milwaukee (Wisc.) Rufus King

Aug. 3, 2020 - Four-star QB Beau Pribula, York (Pa.) Central York

Sept. 4, 2020 - Four-star OL Drew Shelton, Downingtown (Pa.) Downingtown West

Sept. 8, 2020 - Four-star DE Ken Talley, Philadelphia (Pa.) Northeast High

Nov. 29, 2020 - Four-star WR Anthony Ivey, Manheim (Pa.) Manheim Township

Jan. 1, 2021 - Four-star ATH. Mehki Flowers, Harrisburg (Pa.) Central Dauphin East

March 8, 2021 - Three-star QB Drew Allar, Medina (Ohio) Medina High

May 1, 2021 - Three-star OL Maleek McNeil, Easthampton (Mass.) Williston Northampton

May 5, 2021 - Three-star S Tyrece Mills, Scranton (Pa.) Lackawanna College

May 25, 2021 - Two-star K Alex Bacchetta, Atlanta (Ga.) Westminster

June 21, 2021 - Three-star WR Tyler Johnson, Ridgeway (Va.) Magna Vista

July 2, 2021 - Three-star OL JB Nelson, Scranton (Pa.) Lackawanna College

July 3, 2021 - Three-star DE Keon Wylie, Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Charter

July 4, 2021 - Four-star DE Tyreese Fearbry, Pittsburgh (Pa.) Perry Traditional Academy

July 4, 2021 - Four-star DE Zane Durant, Orlando (Fla.) Lake Nona

July 4, 2021 - Four-star DT Kaleb Artis, Queens (N.Y.) St. Francis Prep

July 6, 2021 - Four-star RB Nicholas Singleton, Shillington (Pa.) Governor Mifflin

July 16, 2021 - Four-star RB Kaytron Allen, Bradenton, Fla., IMG Academy via Norfolk, Va.

July 17, 2021 - Three-star CB Jordan Allen, Lafayette, La., Lafayette Christian Academy

Here are Penn State's 2022 commits by position:

2 — Quarterback

2 — Running Back

3 — Wide Receiver

1 — Tight End

3 — Offensive Line

4 — Defensive Line

1 — Linebacker

2 — Defensive Back

1 — Athlete

1 — Kicker

10. Here is a breakdown of the Nittany Lions commits by state (based on where they play today):

9 - Pennsylvania

3 - Florida

2 - Ohio

1 - Georgia

1 - Louisiana

1 - Massachusetts

1 - New York

1 - Virginia

1 - Wisconsin

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