National Signing Day 2011: Penn State's Top Recruits

The Penn State Nittany Lions are led by their ageless leader, Coach Joe Paterno. 

Year in and year out, Paterno hits the recruiting trail hard and brings great players into the Penn State program.

Over the years, Paterno has lost a step and maybe has lost some of his luster in swaying players to come to his school. 

With that said, he is still bringing in top recruits and has a hold on Pennsylvania and a lot of New Jersey. Joe Pa knows how to win and he recruited hard that way again. 

It all starts in the trenches.

Shawn Oakman, DE

Of all the prospects that Penn State went after this offseason, Shawn Oakman could have the most upside.

Oakman is 6’8" and has a massive wingspan.

He can be explosive off the ball and his size lends to his ability to play offensive line as well as defensive line.

With the strength training program in Penn State, Oakman will bulk up and become a huge threat wherever he plays.

Deion Barnes, DE

Deion Barnes looks like he has the prototypical defensive end mold of NFL players. He is 6’4” and 225 lbs and has plenty of room to bulk up and become a strong lineman. 

Penn State will give him the opportunity to gain size and skills through their amazing fitness programs.

Barnes is fast off the ball and can get around the edge to make a play. He is raw but his upside is great.

Anthony Zettel, OG

Penn State has gotten a real "diamond in the rough"-type with Anthony Zettel. 

Zettel is super aggressive and takes pride in his play. Joe Paterno loves players who love to play hard.

In high school, Zettel played tackle and defensive end and showed high energy ability. His size shows him as an offensive lineman and he would seriously bolster Penn State’s offensive line

Bill Belton, ATH

Bill Belton is a 4-star recruit and how the Nittany Lions use him will be one of the most intriguing things to watch next season.

Penn State knows Belton is undersized at 5’9” but he has a speed and build comparable to Percy Harvin.

When it comes to open-field elusiveness, he has it. 

Belton can make people miss in space and his main points of emphasis are improving his bulk and breaking tackles to get into open space.

Angelo Mangiro, OG

Penn State didn’t have many top-tier recruits, but Angelo Mangiro was their biggest.

Mangiro is No. 54 on ESPN U’s Top 150 High School Prospects and is one of the best offensive line prospects in the country.

He is a born run blocker but has some work to do in order to become a better pass blocker. 

Mangiro has good footwork and the ability to drive defenders back, so when he hones his pass blocking skills, he could be a top lineman in the NCAA.