Penn State Football: Four underrated 2023 recruiting targets to watch

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Apr 23, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Manny Diaz on the field during a warmup prior to the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /

LB Corey Lucius

Penn State’s linebacker target board is at a crossroads.

In-state guys like Josiah Trotter and Phil Picciotti are off the board and top target Ta’Mere Robinson may be a defensive end in the long term.

That leaves 4-star Tony Rojas as the only true linebacker at the top of board. There are obviously others on the board, but it’s Rojas and then a bunch of question marks.

One of the guys who may be under Rojas on that board is Corey Lucius, a 3-star from Tampa, FL. As we know, Penn State does well in Florida thanks to Ja’Juan Seider, but there’s another element to this recruitment that helps the Nittany Lions.

That is defensive coordinator Manny Diaz.

Lucius’ first major offer was from Miami, and who was the head coach at Miami at that time? It was Diaz. Now, Penn State offered Lucius before Diaz got to Happy Valley, but the two schools are arguably his biggest offers.

If Penn State hits on Rojas and Robinson (and if he stays at LB) then it’s unlikely Lucius ends up at Penn State, but don’t rule out the Diaz connection.

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