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Penn State loses top Public League recruit Ken Talley

Talley was among three top Public League recruits who committed to Penn State since 2016.

Northeasts Ken Talley stops Centrals Dante Johnson during the 1st quarter in Northeast Philadelphia, Thursday, November 25, 2021. The Northeast and Central High football rivalry started in 1892, and traditionally they play in one of the oldest Thanksgiving games in the country. The game is back this year after not happening last year due to COVID. Northeast beats Central 62-22.
Northeasts Ken Talley stops Centrals Dante Johnson during the 1st quarter in Northeast Philadelphia, Thursday, November 25, 2021. The Northeast and Central High football rivalry started in 1892, and traditionally they play in one of the oldest Thanksgiving games in the country. The game is back this year after not happening last year due to COVID. Northeast beats Central 62-22.Read moreSTEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer

Ken Talley, a four-star football recruit from Northeast High who signed with Penn State, has chosen to enter the transfer portal, leaving the program just weeks before the season.

The news, first reported by On3 and 24/7 Sports, has found Talley remaining cagey on his decision, only retweeting this post from recruiting site Mike Farrell Sports. As of Monday morning, Talley’s bio page had been removed from Penn State’s roster.

Penn State was one of several suitors from Power 5 conferences for Talley, a 6-foot-3, 238-pound defensive end. He received offers from Pittsburgh, Texas A&M, and Michigan, among others. Talley was consistently ranked as a top-25 edge rusher and listed as one of the 10 best players in the state.

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According to Penn State’s student newspaper, The Daily Collegian, Talley is the second player in three days to leave the program ahead of the season after Caziah Holmes, a four-star running back from the Nittany Lions’ 2020 recruiting class, also left the team over the weekend.

Penn State’s lack of recruiting from Public and Catholic League schools had been a sticking point among city prep programs. Before the inclusion of Talley alongside two other Public League standout recruits, the Lions hadn’t pulled in a Public League recruit since 2016 and a top player from the Catholic League since 2017.

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