Penn State Football Recruiting: What Does Adam Breneman Bring to Happy Valley?

Adam Breneman announced his commitment to Penn State Friday evening. Breneman chose the Nittany Lions over Big Ten rival Ohio State. 

Breneman is the No. 22 recruit in the nation, according to Rivals.com. Scout.com lists Breneman as a 5-star prospect, and also slots him in at No. 22 nationally.

He caught 72 passes for 1,000-plus yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior last season. He is expected to have a monster senior season and possibly further climb the national recruiting ranks. 

Penn State needed a marquee signing in 2013 after a dismal 2012 recruiting haul. The Nittany Lions already had commitments from two 4-star prospects for 2013, but Breneman is the cream of the crop.

Here is what Breneman will bring to Happy Valley in 2013.

Major Target

Adam Breneman has dominated the high school level because of his elite size and athleticism for his position.

Breneman stands 6'5'' and uses this to an almost-unfair advantage. He understands how to pin defenders and shield for an easy catch. 

He has great hands, attacks the ball at its highest point, and is great in traffic.

Breneman also has above-average speed. This allows him to stretch the field and put a ton of pressure on opposing secondaries. He runs great routes and knows how to find the soft spots in coverage. 

If you want a player to pass the eye test, Breneman passes with flying colors. His combination of size, speed and athleticism will translate to the college level, early and often.

Hype

Penn State failed to land impact recruits in 2012 outside of 4-star wide receiver Eugene Lewis. Recruits without hype fail to excite a Penn State fanbase starving for optimism.

That changed with Adam Breneman's commitment on Friday, and even before that with 4-star quarterback Christian Hackenberg committing to the Nittany Lions.

The only thing that could provide any more hype would be an impossible early enrollment from either of these two players. But, waiting one year is worth it. 

Major recruits, like Breneman, can change the culture of a program. Bill O'Brien has already implemented several things to change Penn State's program, but chasing blue-chip talent is the most important thing thus far. 

Breneman enters Happy Valley as a ballyhooed pass catcher—Penn State's first since Derrick Williams decided to bring his talents to State College.

Local Ties

Penn State struggled to lock down top in-state talent in 2012. Bill O'Brien has made a major movement to correct that mistake in 2013.

According to 247sports.com, Adam Breneman is Pennsylvania's No. 2 prospect behind 5-star wide receiver Robert Foster.

The Nittany Lions managed to keep a blue-chip recruit within Pennsylvania's borders despite heavy pursuit from Ohio State. This is a major confidence boost for Penn State, considering the damage Ohio State inflicted on Penn State's 2012 recruiting class.

Breneman grew up watching Penn State. He played his high school football 90 minutes from Happy Valley, and is truly excited about restoring Penn State's longstanding football tradition.

Losing Breneman to an out-of-state school would have been a decimating blow to morale, but O'Brien made signing the electric tight end a priority.

Potential

Adam Breneman has maxed out his potential at the high school level. Once he enters Happy Valley, he can scratch the surface for the rest of his career.

Breneman's 6'5'', 220-pound frame is mostly ready to go. However, he will want to add strength once he blocks a few college lineman. If he bulks up, Breneman will improve his stock as a two-way tight end. This makes him more valuable and allows him to stay on the field for different sets. 

High school players were much smaller than Breneman, and he was able to use his size to box out defenders for easy catches. Breneman will still hold a size advantage, but he will no longer be a man among boys. 

Penn State fans can expect Breneman to take his lumps, like any other player, early in his career. Fans can also expect Breneman to improve as each week passes. 

He is entering Happy Valley as a very polished tight end. It is scary to think about what he could become.

Perfect Fit for Penn State Offense

Bill O'Brien was privileged as the New England Patriots offensive coordinator. O'Brien's system places emphasis on tight ends in the passing game, and the Patriots boasted two of the best tight ends in the NFL.

Penn State does not have much to support O'Brien's tight end philosophy in 2012, but Adam Breneman will change things in a hurry.

Breneman is essentially an over-sized wide receiver. He has an excellent catch radius and stretches the field with his speed. Breneman's ability to run the seams will split opposing safeties and create mismatches on the perimeter for Penn State receivers.

The Nittany Lion passing attack will take on a new look in 2013, and Breneman will be given every chance to start in Week 1.

Breneman and O'Brien's scheme are a match made in heaven. Fans can expect Rob Gronkowski-esque performances before too long from this elite pass-catching target.