McDonogh School Football Star Commits To Penn State

OWINGS MILLS, MD —Baltimore-native and McDonogh School senior-to-be Dani Dennis-Sutton announced his commitment to Penn State last week. Dennis-Sutton, a defensive end and one of the most sought after recruits in the nation, announced his decision at a press conference at his high school.

Dennis-Sutton selected Penn State over powerhouses Georgia and Alabama. Recruiting website Rivals.com rated the 6-foot-5, 253-pound Dennis-Sutton as a five-star recruit and ranked him as the No. 11 player in the class of 2022, the No. 1 defensive end in the country and the No. 1 player in Maryland.

"It's a blessing," Dennis-Sutton told the Centre (PA) Daily Times on the day of his commitment. "I feel like I deserve it, I've worked for it. Nobody really gave me this opportunity. Every day I was grinding for this opportunity since freshman year, where not a lot of people knew who I was as a freshman. So, I feel like I deserve it, but I'm blessed and humbled about it as well."

Adam Friedman, Rivals.com's national analyst called Dennis-Sutton a special prospect.

"We've seen him have a lot of success as a big, bulky defensive linemen, and that's how he was built as a sophomore," Friedman said. "Now that he's much older, he's matured so much more physically. He has a lot of lean muscle mass on his frame and he can win with both speed and power now. That's what makes him special.

"He also has a great understanding of technique. He has a game plan in his head before each play and he oftentimes executes it well. He's also versatile. That athleticism that he's shown on the basketball court has translated to the football field. I see him being used in space at times, which will make him difficult to handle against opposing quarterbacks."

Dennis-Sutton also gets the job done off the field, and according to Rivals, he is an honor roll student with a 3.2 GPA.

"Dennis-Sutton is the complete package," wrote Ryan Snyder of Blue White Illustrated. "On and off the field, Penn State fans are going to love this young man. He cares about the little things and is an excellent role model for any young high school player coming through the ranks.

"To me, it's about more than just what he brings athletically. He's a leader, a role model and is beyond mature for his age."

Blue White Illustrated's Thomas Frank Carr said Dennis-Sutton is Penn State's highest ranked recruit since Micah Parsons, who was a first-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys (No. 12 overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Though recruiting service 247Sports only has Dennis-Sutton rated as a four-star recruit, the service does rank Penn State's 2022 recruiting class -which currently includes 22 players -No. 2 in the nation behind Ohio State.