The Penn State Nittany Lions are one of the best and most historic programs in college football history. They have brought in, developed, and produced some elite talent over the years.
While high-level recruits don’t always pan out in college, most of the time, the best of the best turn out to be very good. With that in mind, here are the ten best recruits in program history for the Nittany Lions.
10 Best Recruits in Penn State History
Precursor: This list comes from 247Sports’ rankings.
1) Derrick Williams, WR, 2005
Derrick Williams committed to Penn State as a five-star recruit and a member of the Nittany Lions’ 2005 class. Williams was ranked as the fourth player in the nation and the number two overall wide receiver.
Williams’ career at Penn State was solid as he racked up 161 catches, 1,743 yards, and nine touchdowns. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft and only had a two-year pro career.
2) Micah Parsons, DE, 2018
Micah Parsons was ranked as the No. 5 overall player in the 2018 recruiting class and the No. 2 player at his position. He was a consensus five-star, and the Pennsylvania native decided to stay local by committing to the Nittany Lions.
Parsons was elite at Penn State, eventually moving from off-ball linebacker to EDGE. He had 192 tackles and 6.5 sacks in two seasons at Penn State. He opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, where he is now one of the best players in the entire NFL.
3) Justin Shorter, WR, 2018
Justin Shorter was a five-star recruit in the 2018 class. He was ranked as the seventh-best player in the country and the number-one wide receiver. Shorter had big expectations, but did not live up to them.
Shorter only played two seasons for Penn State, catching 14 passes for 157 yards before transferring to the Florida Gators. He was eventually moved to tight end by the Gators and was selected in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
4) Dan Connor, LB, 2004
Dan Connor was a five-star recruit in the 2004 recruiting class. He came in as the 13th-best player in the entire country and the number two player at his position.
Connor finished his four-year career at PSU with 344 total tackles, 13.5 sacks, and four interceptions. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft and had a six-year career in the league.
5) Justin King, CB, 2005
Justin King was the best player in the entire state of Pennsylvania in the 2005 recruiting class and a consensus five-star. He was rated as the 15th player in the country and the number two cornerback.
King was solid at Penn State, but overall underwhelming for his recruitment status. He played three years for the Nittany Lions, totaling 90 tackles and three interceptions, before declaring for the 2008 NFL Draft. King was drafted in the fourth round and played four seasons in the NFL.
6) Anthony Morelli, QB, 2004
Anthony Morelli is the highest rated quarterback commit in Penn State’s history. He was a five-star in the 2004 class and came in as the 15th best player in the country and the number two pro-style quarterback.
Morelli was a pretty big miss for the Lions, considering his rating as a recruit. In two seasons as the Nittany Lions’ starter, he threw for 5,275 yards, 31 TDs, and 19 interceptions. He was eventually signed as an undrafted free agent in 2008, but never played in the NFL.
7) Christian Hackenberg, QB, 2013
Christian Hackenberg was a five-star quarterback in the 2013 recruiting class and committed to Penn State over programs like Alabama, Florida, and Miami. He was the 7th-best player in the country and the number one quarterback.
Hackenberg was solid at Penn State, throwing for 8,457 yards, 48 touchdowns, and 31 interceptions in three seasons. He was drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft but never started a game in the league.
8) Brandon Smith, LB, 2018
Brandon Smith was the third five-star recruit who was a member of the Nittany Lions’ 2018 recruiting class. He was ranked as the 12th-best player in the country and the number-one linebacker.
Smith had a good career at Penn State, totaling 132 tackles, 19 TFLs, and two sacks. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers, where he still plays today.
9) Kemon Smell, RB, 2027
Kemon Smell is the ninth highest rated recruit in program history and has yet to take a snap for the Nittany Lions yet as he’s only a sophomore in high school.
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As of right now he’s a four-star recruit, but likely will become a five star. He’s rated as the 14th-best player in the class of 2027 and the number-one running back in the country. While this ranking is subject to change, it’s crazy that a 2027 player is rated this high.
10) Dani Dennis-Sutton, DL, 2022
Dennis-Sutton was a five-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class and was ranked as the 28th best player in the country and the 7th best defensive lineman.
Dennis Sutton just enjoyed his breakout season for the Nittany Lions in 2024, racking up 8.5 sacks and 13 TFLs. He’s coming back to Penn State in 2025 and could be drafted very high in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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