Penn State running back commitment Ricky Slade was presented with an Under Armour All America jersey on Thursday at C.D. Hylton High (Woodbridge, Va.).

“Today means a lot,” said Slade. “Not every player gets this opportunity. I’m blessed to get to play in the game, and play against the best players.”

The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Slade is one of the bell cows for Penn State’s No. 3-ranked recruiting class and is impressed with head coach James Franklin.

“It’s amazing. I think we have one of the best classes ever at Penn State,” Slade said. “At first I was shaky on Penn State, but Coach [James] Franklin has kept his word. He told me he would rebuild the program, and he has. The football part is great and the academics a great. That made it a good pick for me.”

Four questions with Ricky Slade:

What player are you looking forward to competing with or against in the Under Armour All-America Game?

I want to team up with Justin Shorter again. That’s my bro. We play really well together, and have a great relationship.

If you could start a team with any player in your class, who would it be and why?

Justin Fields. It all start’s with the quarterback, and he has all the intangibles a QB needs. He has it all.

What is your earliest football memory?

That is when I was four. My first play was a touchdown run. I’ll never forget that play. We also won the game!

What number do your wear, and why?

I wear 3. I played a lot of different sports growing up, and I always wore 3. I have always kept it, and plan to keep wearing the 3.