Justin Shorter to Penn State: Nittany Lions Land 4-Star WR Prospect

Penn State football is anxiously awaiting the upcoming season, but 4-star wide receiver Justin Shorter is giving the Nittany Lions a reason to be excited for 2018. 

Shorter announced Saturday he intends to play football at Penn State when he graduates from high school in two years (h/t 247Sports' Sean Fitz).

A New Jersey native, Shorter is regarded as one of the best wide receiver prospects in the 2018 class. He's the No. 3 player from his home state, the No. 8 player at his position and the No. 69 player overall, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin, who's about to enter his third season with the program, has been compiling a solid group of young talent to build around. Penn State finished 20th in 247Sports' team rankings for 2016 with two 5-star commits and five 4-star commits. 

Penn State is becoming a go-to program for wide receivers. Despite some questions at quarterback in recent years with Christian Hackenberg leading the offense, Chris Godwin had 1,101 yards last season, and Saeed Blacknall is poised for a breakout year after averaging 31 yards per reception in 2015. 

Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports broke down what Shorter will bring to Penn State's offense when he arrives in two years: "He can stretch the field, and he can also take that 12-yard out, make a man miss and go the distance. In addition to his speed and catch radius, the thing that makes Shorter an elite prospect is his ability to go get the football."

Franklin did not immediately turn Penn State into a national power the way Jim Harbaugh appears to have done at Michigan. The Nittany Lions have gone 7-6 in each of his first two seasons, but being able to add elite talent consistently will bring the program back into the Big Ten's top tier. 

There's a long wait before Shorter arrives on campus, but his commitment is a sign of bigger things to come at Penn State. 

Recruiting info per 247Sports.