Penn State picked up a huge commitment Wednesday from Virginia quarterback Christian Hackenberg. But the folks in Happy Valley weren't done, as Avon (Ohio) High School cornerback Ross Douglas also jumped on board. Douglas' offer sheet (Boston College, UConn, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee and Toledo) isn't exactly the sort of company Penn State aspires to keep, but the recruiting experts at Black Shoe Diaries have seen him and believe he is underrated:
Coach O'Brien has gotten the commitment of another Rivals 4-star football player, Ross Douglas of Avon, Ohio. Douglas stands 5'10" and weighs 180 lbs. He runs a 4.41 40 yard dash. However, and perhaps most importantly, Douglas currently maintains a 3.3 grade point average.
In high school, Douglas plays both RB and DB, but is projected to play corner in college. He is a cover corner, who likes to play about 7-10 yards off the ball. He does seem to have some challenges in jamming receivers coming off the line, which could cause problems with some of the bigger Big 10 receivers. However, Douglas has the speed to make up the difference and seems to be able to read the quarterback well enough to disrupt pass plays. In addition, and somewhat surprisingly, he is more than adequate at playing the run. He also could play some on the offensive side of the ball, as a 3rd down/wildcat type back, and potentially in the return game. No matter where he lines up, Douglas should prove to be an exciting playmaker who, based on his speed and playmaking ability, has the potential to change the game every time he is on the field.
Overall, today was a great day for Coach O'Brien. He managed to get a great QB and a playmaking cornerback. Add to that the fact that he beat out Nick Saban and Urban Meyer for two highly touted recruits on the same day and this does bode well for Coach O'Brien. If O'Brien is half as good on game day as he appears to be in the living room, the Valley should be Happy indeed.
Remember that it's still very early in the recruiting process. Douglas may very well be much better than his offer list.
For more on Nittany Lions football, visit Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries, plus Big Ten blog Off Tackle Empire, SB Nation Pittsburgh and SB Nation Philly.