Although it's not completely written in stone just yet, it looks like Penn State is firmly in the driver's seat for one of the best prospects in the Class of 2012.
Jarron Jones, a 6-foot-6, 300-pound defensive tackle from Thomas Aquinas High School in Rochester, N.Y., has given the Nittany Lions what he told Lions247.com was a soft verbal commitment. Essentially, Jones is planning to sign with Penn State, but he is leaving the door open to check on other colleges to be sure of his choice.
Jones is ranked the No. 12 high school junior in the country by Scout.com and its No. 2 defensive tackle. His list of scholarship offers is a who's who of colleges east of the Mississippi, including Florida State, Notre Dame, Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Boston College and Tennessee.
Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers and North Carolina joined Penn State in Jones' top five. He made 68 tackles and 10 sacks, had 14 tackles for loss, picked off a pass recovered a fumble and scored a touchdown in the 2010 season.
Jones is Penn State's sixth commitment for a class expected to number 20-23 players.
