ALWAYS BREAKS OUT THE TY ON HOLIDAYS
Signed letters of intent are arriving at the Penn State football office as the Nittany Lions welcome members of the freshman Class of 2012.
As of noon Wednesday, Penn State has announced the names of 12 players who faxed their official letters of intent on national signing day.
In addition, recruiting web sites Fight On State and Blue White Illustrated have identified two more signees – defensive tackle Jamil Pollard from Westville, N.J., and wide receiver Eugene Lewis from Plymouth, Pa.
Those confirmed by Penn State as already being in the fold are: quarterback Steven Bench of Bainbridge, Ga.; defensive lineman Brian Gaia of Pasadena, Md.; wide receiver Malik Golden of Hartford, Conn.; defensive back Jake Kiley of Plymouth, N.H.; offensive lineman Wendy Laurent of Hamilton, N.J.; defensive back Jordan Lucas of New Rochelle, N.Y.; defensive lineman Evan Schwan of Harrisburg; offensive lineman Anthony Stanko of Howland, Ohio; wide receiver Jonathan Warner of Camas, Wash.; linebacker Nyeem Wartman of Jessup, Pa.; tight end Brent Wilkerson of Clinton, Md.; and wide receiver Trevor Williams of Nottingham, Md.
Penn State also announced the earlier signing of tight end Jesse James of Glassport, Pa., who enrolled last month at the university.
According to recruiting web sites Scout and Rivals, in addition to Pollard and Lewis, the Nittany Lions should be expecting four more letters to be coming in.
The release of signees as their letters of intent arrive is a new twist for Penn State. Former head coach Joe Paterno never commented on his new players on national signing day, and officials waited until late in the day before releasing the full list.
--Joe Juliano
Joe McIntyre is a senior at Penn State majoring in journalism. He covered the Penn State football beat in 2011 for the Daily Collegian. Follow him on Twitter here @JoeMcIntyre5.
