If new Penn State coach James Franklin wanted to make an early statement on the recruiting trail, he has done just that.
Wide receiver Saeed Blacknall has switched his commitment from Rutgers to Penn State, he announced Sunday night.
The Manapalan, N.J., native gives the Nittany Lions three ESPN 300 receivers in the 2014 class.
I have officially committed to THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY #WeARE....
— Saeed RaaShad (@RaaShad_TTG) January 27, 2014
Blacknalll is the No. 14-ranked wide receiver on the ESPN 300, and now the second highest ranked commit in Penn State's class. He visited Penn State on Jan. 17 and had been thinking about making the switch ever since.
Blacknall gives the Nittany Lions 23 commitments for 2014 and some outstanding options at receiver going forward.
At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Blacknall will complement De'Andre Thompkins and Chris Godwin, the two other ESPN 300 receiver commitments in this class. Both Godwin and Blacknall are bigger, physical receivers while Thompkins is a more athletic player who could even be a Wildcat quarterback in certain plays.
Blacknall's move came a day after Franklin and his staff flipped athlete Koa Farmer (Sherman Oaks, Calif./Notre Dame High School) from Cal while he visited Happy Valley on Saturday.