Saquon Barkley
Projected position: RB
Height: 6-0 Weight: 210
School: Whitehall HS
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Barkley looks like the total package on film, a back who has the size to get the tough yards, the moves to break big runs, and the ability to catch the ball. Looks like a future starter who can contribute early.
Ryan Bates
Projected position: OT
Height: 6-5 Weight: 285
School: Archbishop Wood
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Offensive linemen typically redshirt, and Bates needs to work on his strength. That said, he’s tough and aggressive and plays hard. PSU will try him at tackle, but future might look brighter with a move to guard.
Manny Bowen
Projected position: OLB
Height: 6-2 Weight: 206
School: Barnegat HS (N.J.)
Rating: Four stars
Projection: PSU is hardly deep at OLB, and though he needs to add strength, Bowen should play right out of the chute. He is a strong tackler, a three-down player strong in pass coverage. The type of freakish athlete PSU needs.
Nick Bowers
Projected position: TE
Height: 6-4 Weight: 244
School: Kittanning HS
Rating: Three stars
Projection: Bowers is a good project at a position of depth. He has terrific hands, is a good route runner. But, he can get faster, stronger and improve his blocking.
Ryan Buchholz
Projected position: DE
Height: 6-6 Weight: 240
School: Great Valley HS
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Buchholz is a solid, not spectacular, prospect. His strengths lie in his tenacity and instincts. Not the quickest pass rusher. How he takes to coaching can make him a dependable player at DE or DT down the road.
Kamonte Carter
Projected position: DE
Height: 6-4 Weight: 230
School: Gaithersburg (Md.)
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Carter might be the best athlete in this class. But he’s a high school LB who, in PSU’s system, fits in more as a DE. He’ll have to redshirt and learn a new position. Could be backup down the road, or dominant.
Irvin Charles
Projected position: WR
Height: 6-4 Weight: 210
School: Paul VI HS (Haddonfield, N.J.)
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Charles looks a lot like a high school version of Michael Irvin. He’s big, physical, catches the ball well and can dwarf even the bigger corners. But does he have the speed to be more than a possession receiver? Should play in 2015.
Jake Cooper
Projected position: MLB
Height: 6-2 Weight: 234
School: Archbishop Wood
Rating: Three stars
Projection: Cooper is a true middle linebacker, one who understands how to read plays and has the instincts to blow them up. He needs to work on pass coverage to play anytime soon. He’s a physical presence at a not-so-deep position, though.
Kevin Givens
Projected position: OLB
Height: 6-3 Weight: 230
School: Altoona Area HS
Rating: Three stars
Projection: Givens was a standup OLB in high school who had enough speed to rush past tackles. He has the size that, with some work, could lend well to a move to DE. But he projects as a big, fast linebacker in the Nyeem Wartman mold.
Steven Gonzalez
Projected position: OG
Height: 6-4 Weight: 310
School: Union City HS (N.J.)
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Gonzalez has the size to stay at OT. But he has the look of a classic Big Ten guard. He is a tenacious blocker with great strength who plays mean. Just has to work on his technique to contribute by 2017.
Jonathan Holland
Projected position: TE
Height: 6-5 Weight: 225
School: Bullis School (Potomac, Md.)
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Plenty of schools liked Holland most as a DE, and he has the tools to play it for PSU. But the staff seems to like him at tight end, where they’ll be able to redshirt him and help translate his athleticism to the position.
Sterling Jenkins
Projected position: OT
Height: 6-8 Weight: 308
School: Baldwin (Pittsburgh)
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Jenkins enrolled in January, which might give him a shot to compete for playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2016. Athletically, he’s everything coaches want in a tackle. But there is plenty of technique to work on.
Juwan Johnson
Projected position: WR
Height: 6-4 Weight: 212
School: Glassboro (N.J.)
Rating: Four stars
Projection: What makes Johnson maybe the best prospect in the class is his speed. And at his size, that says something. He has drawn physical comparisons to Lions star Calvin Johnson. Needs polish. But no way he doesn’t contribute early.
Daiquan Kelly
Projected position: S
Height: 6-3 Weight: 207
School: Union City HS (N.J.)
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Kelly has an Adrian Amos look to him, in that he’s a tall, fast athlete who can add size. His athleticism makes it difficult to project his position. The guess here is he redshirts, then settles in at Bob Shoop’s “Star” spot.
Jarvis Miller
Projected position: Safety
Height: 6-2 Weight: 195
School: Suffield Academy (Conn.)
Rating: Three stars
Projection: Miller got lost in the prospect shuffle because he didn’t run a great 40 time. But athletically, he’s very quick. He has terrific size for a defensive back, and he’s a solid tackler. Projects at safety, but don’t count out cornerback.
Shareef Miller
Projected position: DE
Height: 6-5 Weight: 220
School: George Washington
Rating: Three stars
Projection: Miller is exactly what Penn State needs in this class at DE — a pure speed rusher with room to grow. He’s more athlete that football player right now, but college coaching should help turn him into an impact player by 2017.
Ayron Monroe
Projected position: S
Height: 6-2 Weight: 197
School: St. John’s College HS
Rating: Three stars
Projection: Monroe is not the best prospect in this class, but he might be the surest bet to have a good career. He’s a traditional safety with speed who can stop the run and plays the game right. Can help early on special teams.
Paris Palmer
Projected position: OT
Height: 6-8 Weight: 300
School: Lackawanna College
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Linemen typically don’t play early, but because of his time with the Falcons, Palmer will. He’s tall, has long arms and is already a solid pass protector. Will only get better once he adds more size and strength.
John Petrishen
Projected position: S
Height: 6-2 Weight: 200
School: Pittsburgh C.C.
Rating: Three stars
Projection: Petrishen is a good ballplayer who plays a physical game, but who also has enough raw athletic ability to match up with bigger, faster receivers. Likely fits in by 2017 as a the big Star safety who can play closer to the line.
Brandon Polk
Projected position: WR
Height: 5-9 Weight: 155
School: Briar Woods HS (Ashburn, Va.)
Rating: Four stars.
Projection: Polk is quick and explosive. Likely going to be used as a utility player, out of the backfield on pass downs and in the slot, perhaps by 2017. Earlier, perhaps, if he can return kicks. Good hands and provides a different dimension.
John Reid
Projected position: CB
Height: 5-10 Weight: 190
School: St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia)
Rating: Four stars
Projection: James Franklin’s staff has brought in top defensive backfield talent the last few years, and Reid might be the best prospect yet. Good cover man who can also stop the run. Tenacious attitude could get him on the field in 2015.
Andre Robinson
Projected position: RB
Height: 5-10 Weight: 210
School: Bishop McDevitt
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Robinson is a solid prospect, but he doesn’t have the breakaway speed to push him to elite status. He likely will redshirt this season to work on catching the ball. But he has a future as a tough, inside runner by 2017.
Tommy Stevens
Projected position: QB
Height: 6-4 Weight: 200
School: Decatur Cent. (Ind.)
Rating: Three stars
Projection: Stevens has all the tools, including running ability. Problem is, there’s very little video of him dropping back in the pocket, making reads and firing passes. Has to learn the system before he competes for a starting spot in 2018.
Garrett Taylor
Projected position: CB
Height: 6-1 Weight: 190
School: St. Christopher’s HS (Richmond, Va.)
Rating: Four stars
Projection: Taylor is arguably the best prospect in the class at corner, but he is coming off an ACL injury. He is an instinctual player with terrific size and speed for his position. He should be a star by the time he fully recovers in 2016.
Robert Windsor
Projected position: DT
Height: 6-5 Weight: 260
School: Fond Du Lac (Wis.)
Rating: Three stars
Projection: PSU needed a DT in this class but kept getting turned away until Windsor’s late commitment. He’s not a can’t-miss prospect, as he needs to add size. But he has been tough and productive in high school. Could provide solid depth by 2016.