Penn State Football Recruiting: First 2022 Big Board

8. Jaishawn Barham

Another uphill recruiting battle will be the one for Barham. The highly ranked 4-star linebacker is probably the top linebacker on Penn State’s board.

He’s big, 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, and is quick and physical. He may eventually draw comparisons to Micah Parsons from Penn State fans due to his size and talent.

Despite being from one of Penn State’s better recruiting regions, Maryland, the Nittany Lions will have a tough time with Barham due to his school. Barham attends St. Frances Academy, the one Maryland high school power house that James Franklin hasn’t been able to crack into yet.

St. Frances Kids often head to the SEC, and now Franklin has to worry about the hometown Maryland, who has some momentum in recruiting thanks to their win over the Nittany Lions this season.

If there’s a prospect Franklin would like to reverse that trend for, it’s Barham. This one won’t be easy, but a successful 2021 season, and a win over Maryland, should give the Nittany Lions a swinging chance, especially if Micah Parsons is drafted high and it gives them some credibility at the position. We are talking about Linebacker U, after all …