Penn State is set to sign a top-10 football recruiting class next month, but it looks like Baltimore's Adrian Coxson will not be a part of it.
According to reports from both FightOnState.com and BlueWhiteIllustrated.com Monday afternoon, the Nittany Lions have cut ties with Coxson, the four-star wideout from City College High School.
Attempts to reach Coxson Monday night were unsuccessful. A message left for City College football coach and athletic director George Petrides was not immediately returned.
Coxson's recruitment has been up in the air for the last couple of months. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder from the alma mater of former Penn State receiving standout Bryant Johnson committed to the Lions in April, the third player to do so for the class of 2010.
However, he took official visits to Florida and Georgia late in the year, although he claimed he was still committed to Penn State or declining to clarify his status to the media. Shortly afterward, reports began to circulate that Lion coaches were encouraging Coxson, rated the ninth-best receiver in the class by Scout.com, to find another college and that there might not be enough scholarships available for Penn State to sign him.
Penn State was expected to have room for as many as 23 recruits in this class. Without Coxson and New York defensive end Dominique Easley, who reneged on his verbal commitment a couple of weeks ago to choose Florida instead, the Nittany Lions currently have 18 commitments.
The Lions are still pursuing South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, Georgia defensive tackle Mike Thornton and Cathedral Prep defensive back Shyquawn Pullium. Penn State is believed to be a clear leader for Pullium and is well-positioned to sign the other two, according to some sources.
Lattimore, rated as a consensus top-three running back prospect, played on the East team with five Penn State recruits at Saturday's U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. Three of those players - quarterback Paul Jones, running back Silas Redd and linebacker Khairi Fortt - are among seven members of the Lions' 2010 class that were expected to enroll in college this week.
Pitt and West Virginia are believed to be among the schools Coxson is still considering attending.
