Penn State coach Bill O'Brien's 2013 recruiting class got another big boost on Saturday with news that offensive tackle prospect Brendan Mahon has committed to the Nittany Lions, according to BWI's Ryan Snyder.
Mahon, a Randolph, N.J. native, is rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and a three-star prospect by Scout.com and 247 Sports. Rivals says he is the No. 190 overall prospect nationally and 247 ranks him as its No. 14 prospect in the state of New Jersey.
The 6-foot-5, 302-pounder chose Penn State over a number of big name programs, with his Rivals profile listing offers from Florida, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Tennessee and West Virginia, among others. It looks like new offensive line coach John Strollo, who 247 Sports lists as the lead recruiter, was able to close the deal, however, and secure the verbal of Penn State's first offensive lineman of this 2013 class.
The Lions now have pledges from four prospects rated four stars and one rated five stars by at least one recruiting service after picking up just two commitments from four-star-or-better recruits in the 2012 class. Of course, stars are no promise of success at the college level by any stretch, but at the very least, these early recruiting victories are a sign top prospects are still interested in hearing what Penn State has to say, even in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
Here are some of Mahon's highlights from his junior season in 2011.
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