Penn State Football Recruiting 2016: Recruits That Will Make Biggest Impact

Penn State signed several recruits on National Signing Day who cold have a big impact for the Nittany Lions. 

It was a crazy signing day for Penn State on Wednesday, with a few surprises both good and bad.  The Nitty Lions end up with a top 20 class according to the 247Sports team rankings.  It was a pretty good haul for James Franklin’s second full class of his tenure at Penn State.  Now let’s take a look at the recruits that will make the biggest impact during their time as a Nittany Lion.

RB Miles Sanders

I think it goes without question that Miles Sanders is Penn State’s biggest recruit of this class.  The 5-star product of Woodland Hills, PA is an absolute stud.  You name the attribute and he has it. Speed? Check.  Quickness? Check. Power? Check.  He is the real deal when it comes to running backs and, add in his ability to catch out of the backfield, it’s no wonder he was a top recruit on the board across the nation.

Now that Sanders is a Nittany Lion, every fan can start dreaming thoughts of he and Saquon Barkley running all over opposing defenses.  There is little chance he redshirts this year, as the staff can’t keep that kind of talent off the field.  He will have to earn it, however, as behind Barkley there’s Mark Allen and Johnathan Thomas. Plus, there is the talented Andre Robinson, who redshirted last fall.

The running back depth chart is just oozing with talent and makes me giddy thinking about it in Joe Moorhead’s new offensive system.

There is no doubt that Sanders will make an immediate impact this fall and has a very bright future ahead of him.

OG Michal Menet

Penn State’s offensive line woes are hopefully about to be a thing of the past.  Michal Menet is a big addition to this year’s class that should make an impact immediately.

Like Sanders, Menet is the top recruit at his position in the nation per 247Sports.com.  Despite getting offers from national powerhouses, it came down to Duke and Penn State, with Menet choosing to stay in Pennsylvania.  Some could say Menet is the most important signing of Franklin’s tenure here as he looks to rebuild an offensive line that has arguably been the team’s biggest weakness the past two seasons.

It is often the case with offensive linemen to take a couple years to put on weight and refine their game before seeing extended playing time.  With Menet’s skills and upside and Penn State’s lack of depth at the position, there’s a great chance Menet sees the field in 2016 and makes an immediate impact.

QB Jake Zembiec

One of Penn State’s four players that enrolled early, Jake Zembiec has the potential to be the Nittany Lion signal caller of the future.

Zembiec is ranked as the No. 18 pro-style quarterback in the country and the number-one overall player in the state of New York per 247Sports.com.  He seems to be a combination of a pocket and dual threat quarterback that could thrive in Penn State’s new offensive system.  He has a strong arm and, while not a running quarterback, has enough mobility to escape the pocket.

We should expect Zembiec to not make an immediate impact, but with enrolling early he will be given the chance to compete for the starting job in the spring.  However, a redshirt year would help him refine his skill set and he could be ready for the starting job within another year.  I expect Zembiec to have a great future as a Nittany Lion.

DE Shane Simmons

Penn State continued it’s tradition with getting highly-touted players out of Maryland with Shane Simmons.  The 4-star recruit out of Hyattsville, MD will look to help Penn State rebuild its defensive line after several departures.

Simmons had a great career at DeMatha Catholic and had several offers from national powerhouses, but stuck with his commitment to the Nittany Lions after committing to them in July 2014.  He’s one of the best defensive ends in the country from this year’s class.  From looking at his film it’s clear that he has a good first move and good speed. Though a bit undersized at 222 pounds for the position, Simmons could redshirt and bulk up a little or see time in 2016 because of his talent.

Simmons should be a force for the Nittany Lions for his entire career in blue and white.

P Blake Gillikin

Penn State’s special teams have not lived up to the name over the past couple seasons.  Punter Blake Gillikin will attempt to turn around the punting unit and perhaps it can be a strength in coming seasons.

Hailing from Atlanta, GA, Gillikin will be expected to make an immediate impact.  Field position is sometimes the difference in a game and Penn State knows this all too well the last couple seasons.  Putting the opposing offense in bad field position can lead to good things for Penn State and Gillikin will be expected to use his huge leg to flip the field.

Most people don’t get excited over a punter, but when the Nittany Lions have lost games because of poor special teams, I think we are all looking forward to getting help in that area and turning some of the close losses into close wins.  Gillikin, along with Daniel Pasquariello and Chris Gulla, will all be given the opportunity to win the starting job.  I think Gillikin has the natural talent to win the job and make a big impact with the Nittany Lions.