Penn State football: 2021 Decommitted WR returned to Happy Valley last week
2021 wide receiver Dont’e Thornton might’ve decomitted from Penn State football, but they still remain in the equation.
Decommitments were coming at a premium over the summer for Penn State football. It felt like every time we got over one loss; another rolled in. Mostly, it was 2020 recruits who were changing pace, but eventually, the 2021 class began to get affected by it as well.
Back in February, the Nittany Lions landed their first commitment for the 2021 recruiting class. It happened to be a four-star wide receiver, Dont’e Thornton. While not much action has taken place beyond Thornton’s commitment, it wouldn’t be long before he pulled back.
To join a handful of other prospects, Thornton decided it would be best to open his recruitment back up again as more offers began to fly in. Understandably, he felt regretful for giving James Franklin his word so early without really testing the waters — but the loss was still significant.
However, just because Thornton decided to withdrawal from the class, doesn’t mean he’s entirely out on Penn State. In fact, the Mount Saint Joseph Junior took a trip from Baltimore to Happy Valley just this past weekend to check out the Nittany Lions in action against the Buffalo Bulls.
Is the door still open for Thornton?
Making a promise to a program then pulling back from it can be frustrating for scouts and the coaching staff. At the end of the day, though, the situation is always understandable. And for Penn State, they don’t have any hard feelings toward Thornton.
As Thornton arrived on campus this past Saturday, Penn State was just as welcoming to him as any other time. “They said that nothing changed with the relationship we have,” Thornton told Lions247’s, Brian Dohn. Along with the welcoming vibe, Thornton was impressed with the team’s big win over Buffalo.
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With nearly two years left in his recruitment, Thornton has plenty of time to change his mind. He could continue to reel in interest from other schools, adding to his 14 offers. And he could grow to become very familiar with another program over time. Only time will tell what his final decision will be — but at least Penn State still remains in the race right now.