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Penn State Football: Who are the Program’s Best Recruiters?

By Alec Whitaker

STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 20: Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium on November 20, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 20: Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium on November 20, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Oct 12, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Deion Barnes (18) during the first quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Michigan 43-40 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Deion Barnes (18) during the first quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Michigan 43-40 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports /

 HM: GA Deion Barnes

Former Penn State Football defensive end Deion Barnes is back in Happy Valley, this time as a grad assistant.

Because he is a grad assistant, Barnes is not allowed to go out and recruit, but he can contact recruits over the phone and interact with them when they visit campus.

Before coming to Penn State, Barnes was the defensive coordinator at Northeast High School in Philadelphia. This connection has helped the Nittany Lions get back into the recruiting scene in Philadelphia.

Barnes was key in the Nittany Lions landing three Philly area 4-stars in 2022 in defensive end Ken Talley, linebacker Keon Wylie and linebacker Abdul Carter. Talley played under Barnes at Northeast High School for a couple seasons, which certainly helped.

In the 2023 cycle, Barnes was a part of the recruiting team that helped land 4-star defensive end Jamiel Lyons earlier this year.

Defensive line coach John Scott Jr. has done a fantastic job on the recruiting trail, but his sidekick has been pretty good as well.

The city of Philadelphia is key to Penn State’s recruiting success, and they now have a big connection down there.

Grad assistants are only allowed to be with a school for two years before they have to find a new job. That sounds like bad news for the Nittany Lions, but there have been rumors that the NCAA is going to allow an unlimited number of assistant coaches for programs this upcoming year. That means Penn State can keep Barnes as an assistant defensive line coach and allow him to continue to recruit.

Barnes didn’t make our list because he’s technically not an assistant, but his efforts deserve a shoutout.

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