Time is winding down in the football recruiting season, and Penn State might have to wait until the very last minute to find out whether or not it will be able to reel in a couple of really big prospects to finish its class.
According to Internet reports, All-American linebacker Jelani Jenkins of Good Counsel High School in Maryland and Wilmington, Del., Concord wide receiver Justin Brown are likely to wait until signing day, Feb. 4, to reveal their college of choice.
Penn State is believed to be in the top two for both players.
Jenkins, rated the nations top weakside linebacker prospect by Scout.com and the No. 10 player in the country by Rivals.com, is also considering Florida, USC, Notre Dame and Stanford, but most that follow recruiting closely believe it will be either the Gators or Nittany Lions.
Jenkins made his official visit to Penn State last weekend. Florida coach Urban Meyer then made an in-home visit with Jenkins and his family during the week. Nittany Lion coach Joe Paterno did not make an in-home visit with Jenkins, and, according to FightonState.com recruiting reporter Cory James, Jenkins family will not be entertaining anymore coaches as he tries to come to a decision.
Penn State did get make a scholarship offer and get a verbal commitment from Jenkins best friend, Good Counsel cornerback Mike Wallace, last week. Wallaces announcement gave the Lions 26 commitments.
It is presumed Wallace will greyshirt -- enroll at Penn State for the next spring semester so he can count against next years scholarship limit -- if the Lions land a couple of other top prospects. If they do not, Wallace will count with the 2009 class.
A message left with Good Counsel coach Bob Milloy was not immediately returned Saturday.
Brown, meanwhile, also took his official visit to Penn State last weekend, moving it up a week from when it was originally scheduled. A 6-foot-3, 210-pounder ranked as the ninth-best receiver prospect in the country, Brown is speculated to be leaning toward signing with Penn State over Rutgers.
The Lions are also still involved with a couple of other highly-regarded prospects. Virginia defensive end Lanford Collins is believed to still be considering Penn State, although Virginia Tech is considered the favorite to land him. Massachusetts defensive back Jim Noel is also still on the Lions radar. He has verbally committed to Boston College, but a source close to the situation told the Mirror on Saturday night that Noel will visit Penn State next weekend.
The news isnt so bright for the Lions concerning Philadelphia receiver JeRon Stokes. Stokes committed to Tennessee but began looking at other schools when Phil Fulmer was replaced as Vols coach. Initially, it looked like Stokes would visit Penn State, but recent Internet reports make that now seem unlikely.
