UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – With the start of the spring semester Jan. 12, Penn State head football coach James Franklin welcomed five new student-athletes, who are enrolled in classes and eligible to participate in spring practice.
The list includes two high school standouts who graduated early to enroll at Penn State, another 2014 high school graduate, one junior college signee and one player who most recently was a college soccer player. The Nittany Lions welcomed two offensive linemen, a quarterback, a linebacker and a placekicker for the start of the spring semester.
The January enrollees are defensive end Colin Castagna (Barrington, Illinois), placekicker Tyler Davis (St. Charles, Illinois), offensive tackle Sterling Jenkins (Pittsburgh), offensive tackle Paris Palmer (Plymouth, North Carolina) and quarterback Tommy Stevens (Indianapolis). Jenkins, Palmer and Stevens signed grant in aid agreements in December to attend Penn State.
The five early enrollees will join the returning Nittany Lions on campus for the winter strength and conditioning program. National Letter of Intent Day is Feb. 4 and spring practice will culminate with the Blue-White Game on April 18 in Beaver Stadium.
Penn State returns 15 starters (seven offense, seven defense, one specialist), and 14 additional players who have started, for the 2015 season. The Nittany Lions capped the 2014 season with a 31-30 overtime win over Boston College in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Penn State and Wisconsin are the only Big Ten teams to earn at least 10 consecutive on-field winning seasons.
The January enrollees are:
Colin Castagna, DE, Fr./Fr., 6-4, 236, Barrington, Ill./Barrington High School
Castagna was a student at Loyola (Illinois) University during the fall semester but did not participate in athletics. During his senior season, he led Barrington High School to a 10-2 record and the Class 8A state quarterfinals, earning IFCA and Chicago Tribune first-team all-state honors. Playing defensive end for coach Joe Sanchez, he was selected the Mid-Suburban League West Defensive Player of the Year. Castagna recorded 120 tackles, with 16 sacks among his 20 tackles for loss, forced four fumbles and blocked four punts as a senior. Named to the Pioneer Press first-team defense. He also was selected the Mid-Suburban League West Player of the Year in boys volleyball, helping the Broncos win the league title.
Tyler Davis, PK, So./So., 5-10, 186, St. Charles, Ill./ Bradley Univ./St. Charles High School
Davis attended Elgin (Illinois) Community College during the fall semester but did not participate in athletics. Played soccer at Bradley University in 2013. Started the 2013 season opener vs. Massachusetts as a freshman and scored the game-winning, golden goal. Named to the Bradley Athletic Director’s Honor Roll during both semesters in 2013-14. Broke the St. Charles North High School season record with 25 goals during his junior campaign. Was selected to the 2011 Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association all-state team.
Sterling Jenkins, T, Fr./Fr., 6-8, 307, Pittsburgh/Baldwin High School
A prep All-America offensive tackle, Jenkins was rated a four star prospect by all four of the major recruiting services: 247sports.com, ESPN.com, Rivals.com and Scout.com. He played in the Under Armour All-American Game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Jan. 2. Playing for head coach Pete Wagner at Baldwin High School, Jenkins was one of the top-ranked players in the nation. He was rated as the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania, according to Scout.com and ESPN.com, and ranked No. 4 and No. 9, respectively, among offensive line recruits nationally. Jenkins also was rated as the No. 57 player nationally by Scout.com and the No. 105 player nationally by ESPN.com.
Paris Palmer, T, Jr./Jr., 6-8, 288, Plymouth, N.C./Lackawanna (Pa.) College/Plymouth HS
Palmer comes to Penn State with two seasons of eligibility after playing two years at Lackawanna College. He played left tackle for coach Mark Duda and was ranked as the nation’s No. 9 overall junior college prospect by Rivals.com and 247sports.com. Palmer was ranked a four-star recruit by all four major recruiting services. He was tabbed the top junior college offensive tackle recruit in the nation by 247sports.com and Rivals.com ranked Palmer the No. 1 offensive lineman in the JUCO ranks. The No. 1 ranked junior college player in Pennsylvania, Scout.com rated Palmer the nation’s No. 3 JUCO offensive lineman and ESPN.com ranked him as the 25th overall recruit in its Junior College Top 50.
Tommy Stevens, QB, Fr./Fr., 6-4, 187, Indianapolis/Decatur Central High School
Stevens averaged 172 passing yards and completed 60 percent of his attempts, with 16 touchdown passes, during his senior season at Decatur Central High School. Playing for coach Justin Dixson, he also gained 842 yards on 172 carries (4.9), scoring 10 rushing touchdowns. He earned a three-star rating from the four major recruiting services. He was rated as the No. 17-ranked dual-threat quarterback nationally and the No. 7 overall recruit in Indiana by 247sports.com. Rivals.com tabbed Stevens as the No. 18 dual-threat quarterback and the No. 5 player in Indiana. He was a finalist for the Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year and was a two-time all-conference, all-area and all-county selection. Stevens also was a 2014 All-State 5A selection as a defensive back, making 25 tackles and grabbing two interceptions during his senior season.