By Philip Cmor, pcmor@altoonamirror.com
UNIVERSITY PARK - Penn State might be on the verge of its fourth football commitment for 2010.
Stamford, Conn., King and Low Heywood-Thomas High School running back Silas Redd is expected to announce his college choice this morning. The word going round the ESPN Rise Nike Training Camp Saturday at Holuba Hall was that it would be an upset if Redd picked anyone other than the Nittany Lions.
Article Photos
Photo for the Mirror by Mark Brennan, fightonstate.com
Adrian Coxson makes a catch Saturday during the Nike Training Camp at PSU.
A lifelong Penn State fan, Redd has been believed to have Penn State in the driver's seat for some time now. However, he held off committing in his last two visits to University Park - including on his trip to the Blue-White Game - and he and his parents were coy about what he would do on Saturday.
Asked if a decision could be imminent, Redd's father, also named Silas, said "One never knows. One never knows'' and smiled.
Penn State has already gotten positive news from two other blue-chip offensive skill players in the last eight days. After wavering slightly from his January verbal, Sto-Rox quarterback Paul Jones reaffirmed his commitment at the Blue-White Game, and Baltimore wide receiver Adrian Coxson announced for the Lions on Thursday.
Both Jones and Coxson were at the Nike Camp. After things wrapped up, Redd spent a few minutes talking to Coxson.
Redd (5-foot-10, 195) is rated the No. 14 running back in the nation by Scout.com. He was selected the top running back at Saturday's camp.
A number of other players to whom Penn State is also strongly involved were also in action at Saturday's camp, including Stamford, Conn., linebacker Khairi Fortt, State College receiver Alex Kenney, Manheim Central linebacker/defensive end Dakota Royer, Philadelphia George Washington defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, Frederick, Md., Linganore teammates Zach Zwinak (fullback) and Robby Havenstein (offensive lineman) and Baltimore DeMatha offensive tackle Arie Kouandjio.
Annandale, N.J., tight end Kevin Haplea was slated to attend but pulled out because of a make-up baseball game, and Johnson City, N.Y., defensive tackle DaQuan Jones reportedly missed the camp because of an injury he sustained in track earlier in the week.
No other Nittany Lion commitments were expected to be immediately forthcoming, although there have been rumors that Kenney or Royer might commit in the near future.
Kenney said Saturday he doesn't have a timetable for a decision and doesn't really have a favorites list yet. Asked if he could see himself landing at Penn State, he said he could.
"I feel very comfortable with Penn State,'' Kenney said.
Kenney also had a chance to speak with Coxson.
"He was in my group of receivers,'' Kenney said. "He seemed pretty excited.''
Approximately 250 high school football players from the Northeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic region attended the camp. Penn Cambria running back/safety Zak Newton was believed to be the only player from the Mirror coverage area that worked out.
