WR Jamir Dean commits to Penn State: 'It’s a special place'

Penn State picked up its second wide receiver commitment on Friday with the addition of Tennessee native and three-star prospect Jamir Dean. Listed at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, Dean was one of the first players that position coach Kashif Moore targeted when he joined Matt Campbell’s staff in February.

Within days of earning an offer from the Nittany Lions, Dean’s interest became clear, locking in an official visit to Penn State almost immediately. Then, last week, when the Alcoa prospect visited State College for the first time, that’s when it became clear that a commitment this spring was a real possibility.

“I didn’t expect to commit this soon, but Penn State is a great place for me,” Dean told Rivals national recruiting analyst Chad Simmons.

“It’s a special place. They develop guys and get them where they want to be. They give their young players a chance to go ball and shine, too.”

Link: The ‘S’ Zone – What’s the latest with Penn State football recruiting?

This spring, Dean also checked out Arkansas, Connecticut, Michigan State and Wake Forest. Moore, who previously coached at UConn, didn’t start recruiting Dean until he arrived in State College, but it didn’t take long for the two to build a bond.

“What stands out about him is how real he is,” Dean said, referring to Moore. “He’s not just telling you what you want to hear. He’s upfront about where you stand and what you need to improve. I respect that. He also really knows the position and breaks things down in a way that makes sense, so you can actually see how you’d develop in his system.”

Dean is a high three-star prospect by Rivals, coming in at No. 45 nationally at the wide receiver position and No. 16 overall in Tennessee for his class. This past season, he totaled 53 receptions for 1,141 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also led Alcoa to a state championship in both football and basketball. Now, he’s shifting his focus to track, where he set a personal best 10.9-second 100-meter time in mid-April.

The Nittany Lions now have 14 players committed to their Class of 2027. Dean is the third player to commit in the past week after offensive tackle Ryan Robbins committed last Saturday, April 25, followed by four-star defensive tackle Stanley Montgomery’s commitment on Thursday. He joins four-star prospect Landon Blum from Iowa as the second receiver in the class.

Penn State remains at No. 14 nationally in Rivals’ Team Recruiting Rankings.