Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1445781
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 2 5 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Shelton," Carr said. "His footwork looked raw, and he looked undersized com- pared to his counterparts. This information is not surprising, but it is informative that he'll have a good ways to go before he's ready to contribute at Penn State. "He still looked ultra-athletic and held his own during the game but did not look like a player destined to contribute in September." ALL-AMERICAN BOWL JAN. 8 | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS It was the All-American Bowl that featured the most Penn State prospects, with four seeing action. Among that quartet were the Nittany Lions' three highest-ranked players in the 2022 class: quarterback Drew Allar of Medina, Ohio, running back Nick Singleton of Shillington, Pa., and defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton of Millsboro, Del. Linebacker Keon Wylie of Philadelphia also participated in the game. As is often the case, Penn State fans had much of their focus on the signal- caller throughout the week. Allar, the nation's top-ranked quarterback ac- cording to On3, didn't disappoint. "Drew Allar was the top-performing quarterback during All-American Bowl practices, showcasing his advanced passing talent and skill," Power said. "The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder has the best arm talent in the 2022 cycle. He has plus arm strength with the ability to easily drive the ball to all levels. Allar delivers from multiple arm slots and can layer the football, resulting in easily catchable passes. There were multiple occasions throughout the week where Allar would throw prior to a receiver showing himself to be open. "While he didn't stuff the stat sheet in the game, we saw Allar make some high-level throws over the course of the afternoon. Foot quickness is the primary area where Allar will need to show improvement to hit his ceiling. The Cleveland area standout has shown the field vision and ability to make second-reaction plays at the high school level. Increased quickness will go a long way in seeing those skills transfer over to the college level." Power also praised Singleton following the game. The former Governor Mifflin running back is rated by On3 as the nation's best running back in the 2022 class, and he did nothing in San Antonio to cast doubt on that assessment. "Nick Singleton is the lone five-star back in the On300 and continues to look like the cream of the crop. The 6-foot, 215-pounder pairs an ideal build with one of the best bursts in the 2022 cycle," Power said. "Singleton thoroughly impressed at the All-American Bowl, despite the limitations of the practice setting. "He also showed soft hands and some natural receiving ability out of the backfield. This supplements his sterling on-field resume, which saw him named the Gatorade National Player of the Year as a senior. There looks to be a decent gap between Singleton and the next running back in the cycle." Still, of all the Penn State signees who participated in this year's all-star games, many would argue that Dennis-Sutton had the best overall perfor- mance, both in practice and in game action. Not only did the McDonogh High prospect have a sack in the All-American Bowl, he also added multiple quarterback hurries. During practice throughout the week, he was one of the most consistent players during one-on-one drills between offensive and defensive linemen. "Dani Dennis-Sutton had a strong week of work at the All-American Bowl," Power said. "The 6-foot-5, 255-pounder was a standout in one-on-one [sessions], giving the East offensive tackles issues. … Dennis-Sutton made a handful of additional flash plays throughout the game, as well. He set the edge against the run and had a big quarterback hit. "The Maryland native showed a well-rounded pass-rushing skill set with the ability to win with speed-to-power, active hands and a good first step. He's a high-energy player who looked to be all business in San Antonio. In fact, he was spotted working out in the hotel gym after a two-a-day prac- tice." Wylie, who attends Imhotep Charter, played defensive end throughout his high school career, so the week leading up to the All-American Bowl was his first real opportunity to focus exclusively on playing linebacker. Throughout the week, the Philadelphia native was actually coached by an Eagles legend, four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. "Man, he's doing a great job, especially for a guy who played defensive end his whole high school career," said Trotter, an assistant coach for the East team. "He's very intelligent, asks all the right questions and has a high football IQ. "I couldn't tell that he hadn't played linebacker before. They're two totally different positions, and the way you attack is different, so he has impressed. He'll do great at Penn State. He's physical, smart and has a good feel for the position." POLYNESIAN BOWL JAN. 22 | HONOLULU, HAWAII The Polynesian Bowl was the last of the all-star games in which Penn State-bound prospects saw action. It was Dennis-Sutton's second all-star appearance, and he was joined by cornerback Cam Miller of Jacksonville, Fla., and wide receiver Anthony Ivy of Lancaster, Pa. Prior to the game, Dennis-Sutton and Miller said they were enjoying their time in Hawaii. "It's amazing, man," Dennis-Sutton told On3. "I'm going to go against the top athletes across the country. Hawaii too, they have some amazing athletes down here. They're really big guys and skill guys as well. It's just really cool to get the culture and see Hawaii for what it is. Just to play a football game again, it's just another opportunity to step on the field and show what I've got." Added Miller, "It's a pleasure to be here in Hawaii. It's my first time visiting here. I'm very excited to learn about the culture and everything." — Ryan Snyder Quarterback Drew Allar had a strong showing in the practice sessions leading up to the All-American Bowl. On3 analyst Charles Power noted that Allar "has the best arm talent in the 2022 cycle." PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER