Tight end Adam Breneman, out of Cedar Cliff High School in Camp Hill, Pa., has already enrolled and will be participating in spring camp for Bill O’Brien’s Penn State football squad. Breneman is a skilled receiver and looks to make an impact in a passing offense where tight ends caught 30 percent of the passes in 2012.
Adam Breneman enrolled at Penn State
The Nittany Lions have one of the top tight ends in the 2013 class already on campus.
Bud Elliot, SB Nation
O'Brien's staff showed their recruiting prowess by keeping one of their home state's top prospects close to home amid NCAA sanctions. Breneman held offers from top SEC schools like Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, as well as Big Ten powers Ohio State, Michigan, and Nebraska. He also isn't likely to be much trouble in the classroom, as schools seeking his talents included Duke, Northwestern, and Stanford.
Breneman is ranked in the top three at his position by all major recruiting services, with ESPN pegging him as the top tight end in the 2013 class. He is pegged as the 44th-best player overall in the composite rankings compiled by 247 Sports.
Standing at 6’5 and weighing 230 pounds, Breneman already has the body of a pass-catching tight end. In high school, he would run routes out of a three-point stance and split out as a wide receiver. He has tremendous speed for his size, and is an adept route runner.
Unfortunately, Breneman suffered a torn ACL injury in a 2012 summer 7-on-7 camp, and was unable to play his senior year. With the nature of the injury, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him redshirt in 2013 and come back at full strength in 2014.
As a top target on his team, he didn’t need to block much, so that will likely be a good spot to work on in that extra year of practice. Whenever he returns to action, Breneman looks to be a terror for Big Ten defenses over the middle and could quickly blossom into a favorite target among Penn State’s stable of young, inexperienced quarterbacks.
Ratings: Breneman gets a 5-star rating from Scout, and a 4-star from Rivals, 247 Sports, and ESPN.
Vitals: As mentioned, Breneman stands at 6’5 and weighs in at 230 pounds.
Other offers: Breneman was among the most sought-after players in the country, with offers from the top programs in the SEC and Big Ten, including Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, and Nebraska.
Twitter: @AdamBreneman81
Recruitment timeline: Breneman committed to Penn State on March 9, 2012 and enrolled on Jan. 7.
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