Penn State Football Recruiting: First 2022 Big Board

7. Keenan Nelson Jr. 

The Nittany Lions took two cornerbacks in 2021, and they may add a third before February, so the position is not a major need in terms of numbers in 2022.

Regardless, Nelson Jr., a product of St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, should be near the top of the defensive board.

The 4-star is large for a corner, at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds as a junior in high school. He’s already collected offers from the likes of Georgia, Notre Dame and Oregon. That list should expand before his senior season.

Penn State has gotten by with good corner play over the years, with multiple getting drafted over the past couple of seasons. That seems fine, but with the talent that Ohio State continues to bring in at wide receiver, Penn State is going to have to start to get elite play from the corner position to keep up. A top 100 guy like Nelson Jr. is exactly what the Nittany Lions need to compete with Ohio State.

This one won’t be easy, St. Joe’s kids, like St. Frances, don’t exactly come banging on the doors of Beaver Stadium. The staff has made more of an effort to make an impact in Philadelphia, and getting Nelson Jr. would be worth the work.