2023 DE Ronel Nukah looking forward to Saturday's trip to Penn State
Penn State will host one of Philadelphia’s top up-and-coming prospects this weekend in defensive end Ronel Nukah.
Listed at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Nukah earned an offer from the Nittany Lions back in May 2020. Tennessee offered the Northeast prospect just a day later, while both Akron and Temple have also made the move. Since the start of September, which is when schools can initiate conversations, a handful of other programs have started contacting him.
“I’m getting to know West Virginia, Boston College and Miami more. Penn State has been hitting me up more, too,” Nukah said. “Coastal Carolina and Temple have also been reaching out. There are a couple other schools, but I’d say those are the ones contacting me the most over the past week.”
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With Penn State holding a commitment from Class of 2022 teammate Ken Talley, Nukah has gotten the opportunity to get to know a handful of coaches on PSU’s staff over the past six months.
“There are a lot of coaches there I’ve been getting to know,” he said. “Deion Barnes, of course. Coach AZ, Alan Zemaitis. That’s my guy right there. We talk on a daily basis. I like Coach Kenny Sanders a lot, too. When I first stepped foot on campus up there, those guys really welcomed me in there. Now that I have their contact info in my phone, I feel like we’ve become real close. They’re fun. Their energy is just different.”
So far, Nukah has taken two visits to Penn State, one in June and then again for the Lasch Bash Barbecue at the end of July.
“When we were up there for the Lasch Bash, I had already done a tour, so I knew some things, but they made sure to take my guests everywhere,” Nukah said. “I remember being up in the game room, playing all these games with the coaches and stuff like that. It was a fun day overall.”
As of now, Penn State remains the only school he’s visited.
He said he’s looking into trips to Duke and Notre Dame at some point this season, but nothing is set currently. His trip to State College Saturday will actually be the first of two visits this month, as he plans to return Sept. 18 for the game against Auburn. He’ll be joined by 2023 teammate Kion Wright next weekend. Talley will attend both games with Nukah.
“I’ve heard all about their atmosphere,” he said. “It’s not the same of any other game. I’ve heard a lot about 107k. It’s just different there. I’m looking forward to seeing it for myself.”
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