Penn State Football Recruiting: Tracking Targets for the 2013 Class

With everything that happened to Penn State last season, the program lost several top recruits to other top programs. Now that things have dies down a little bit and the Nittany Lions have a new head coach in Bill O'Brien, this program looks to turn things around with this year's recruiting class.

While Penn State only landed 19 recruits in 2012, it has already picked up eight early commitments for the 2013 class. Four of those players are at least 4-stars, including 5-star tight end Adam Breneman.

Penn State will always be a program that recruits well regardless, but it can always improve. Here are the latest updates on some of the top recruits that the Nittany Lions hope to land for the 2013 recruiting class.

Zayd Issah

Latest Status: Considering Penn State, Arizona State, Iowa and Maryland, among others.

Issah is an athletic player at 6'4", 210 pounds. What stands out the most is his versatility as he can play linebacker, running back, wide receiver or in the secondary. He covers a lot of ground on the football field and has solid ball skills.

The 4-star recruit has already visited Penn State, but says you won't get a decision from him until after his senior season.

“It'll depend on how I can fit into the program, what positions they need filled, and I'd like to go somewhere I can get on the field early,” Issah said.

Issah will participate in the Oregon NIKE camp and will check out a few schools out west while he is out there.

Dajaun Drennon

Latest Status: Considering Penn State, Notre Dame and Kentucky, among others.

Drennon is a long and rangy player at 6'3", 225 pounds and has the ability to play tight end or line up on the defensive line. He uses his hands well, has shown a solid pass rush and tackles well. He will likely play the defensive end position at the next level.

The 4-star prospect has already named the Nittany Lions the top school so far in the recruiting process.

“Penn State is No. 1, Notre Dame is No. 2 and Kentucky is No. 3,” said Drennon. “Of all the schools I visited, those are my top three.”

Drennon has also recently picked up offers from West Virginia and USC, so this race is still far from over.

Tyler Boyd

Latest Status: Considering Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Penn State and Ohio State, among others.

Boyd is the ultimate utility player, he is capable of playing both running back and wide receiver, and he can make plays for you on special teams as well. At 6'1", 175 pounds, he has great speed and terrific ball skills. Did I mention he can play in the secondary as well?

Being from Clairton, PA, Boyd has the Nittany Lions very high on his list at the moment.

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"I really liked the campus and the facilities. I have been there a few times and I like what I see there. I really like Coach (Stan) Hixon a lot. We stay in touch a lot and he is a real cool dude. They are recruiting me as a wide receiver and athlete."

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There is no timetable for his decision, but you have to think the home school has more than a punchers chance to land the 4-star player.

David Williams

Latest Status: Considering Penn State, Tennessee, South Carolina and West Virginia, among others.

Williams is a long running back at 6'1", 191 pounds and is more of a downhill runner. He still has the great speed as he runs a 4.4, but you won't see him dance around much in the backfield. He has a great combination of speed and power and is a solid receiving threat as well.

Considering Williams is from Philadelphia, he is not sure when he will check out Penn State since he is already familiar with the campus.

“I'm not sure yet if I'm going to visit Penn State in the summer, or wait until the fall,” said Williams.

The 4-star back is set to take a trip down south and check out teams like Tennessee and South Carolina.

Alex Anzalone

Latest Status: Considering Stanford, Notre Dame, Penn State, Florida and Ohio State, among others.

Alex Anzalone is one of the top linebackers in the 2013 class and originally committed to Ohio State. That was, until a sex offender had taken a picture with the 4-star recruit and posted it all over the Internet, which caused unwanted attention and led Anzalone to decommit.

While he is still considering the Buckeyes, he has reopened the recruiting process and the Nittany Lions are one of the teams he is now considering. Anzalone's brother attends Penn State and he is very interested in the honors program State College has to offer.

“They’re trying to get me into the MBA BS five-year program, which is pretty good,” Anzalone said. “I think only 12 kids get into it every year.”

Derwin Gray

Latest Status: Considering Maryland, Auburn, Florida State and Florida, among others.

Gray has a solid frame at 6'5", 280 pounds, long arms and quick feet. He's still a little raw at the offensive tackle position, but is athletic enough and has the tools to become a good player over time. The schools listed above are the front-runners, but Penn State has recently received a visit from the 4-star player.

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"The best thing about PSU was the fans. It was crazy down there. Their spring game ran differently than others. An explosive play would get points. At the end of the game, there was a lot of explosive plays. That's different than others. And the fans got really into it."

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While Gray may have enjoyed him in Happy Valley, there are no signs of them joining those four schools as the favorites for his services. But still, checking out Penn State has to give Nittany Lion fans some type of hope that they didn't have before.

Maurice Hurst Jr.

Latest Status: Considering Penn State, Missouri, Michigan and Nebraska, among others.

Hurst will have to bulk up his 6'2", 275-pound frame before he can see the field at a BCS school, but the defensive tackle has a lot of upside. He isn't the fastest or strongest lineman, but has a high motor and great pursuit. He is a solid tackler and has the ability to get in the backfield in a hurry if he gets off the ball quick enough.

The 4-star prospect has yet to receive an offer from Penn State, but has recently visited the campus and was told an offer may be extended soon.

“They said they may offer me later if they find out they have one available,” Hurst said.

Meanwhile, he continues to look at schools such as Virginia, North Carolina and Michigan State.