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Philadelphia Standout Keon Wylie Commits to Penn State

The defensive star from Imhotep Charter joins Penn State's 2022 recruiting class.

Mark Wogenrich

Philadelphia defensive standout Keon Wylie committed to Penn State's 2022 recruiting class on Saturday, adding an important defensive presence to the class. Wylie announced his commitment live on CBS Sports HQ.

Wylie seeks to become Penn State's next great defensive player from Philadelphia's Imhotep Charter, which is the alma mater of former defensive end Shaka Toney. Washington selected Toney in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Wylie (6-2, 220 pounds) chose Penn State over Kentucky and Pitt, among other schools.  He was impressive in Imhotep's five-game spring season, making five sacks in one game against Northeast High. Wylie plays defensive end for Imhotep and projects as an end or outside linebacker in college.

During his interview with CBS Sports HQ, Wylie credited Penn State graduate assistant Deion Barnes for making the big push to recruit him. Wylie spoke with head coach James Franklin and fellow staff members but said that he "connected very well" with Barnes, who has made a significant impact on Penn State's recruiting in Philadelphia.

Wylie also noted that Penn State outlined a plan for him to play linebacker and that he was the only linebacker prospect on campus during his recent official visit.

"During the meeting, they told me exactly where they could see me playing and how they can help develop me and help get me to the NFL, where I can hopefully go," Wylie said. "... That actually went into the decision I made. I didn't want to go to a program that wasn't developing people and taking them to the next level."

Check out Wylie's Hudl clips, which lead off with a sack-fumble, scoop-and-score.

Wylie's commitment continued what is expected to be a July flurry for Penn State, whose 2022 recruiting class is ranked fourth nationally by SI All-American. Lackawanna College offensive lineman JB Nelson began the anticipated run by announcing his commitment July 2.

Among the scheduled announcements to watch are three on July 4: Pittsburgh defensive end Tyreese Fearbry, New York defensive lineman Kaleb Artis and Florida defensive lineman Zane Durant. Nicholas Singleton, a running back from Reading, Pa., has scheduled his announcement for July 6.

Wylie is the 14th player to commit to Penn State's 2022 recruiting class.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.

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