Penn State Football Recruiting: Nittany Lions Land First Two Recruits For 2013

Penn State picked up its first verbal commitment in the class of 2013, and naturally, Bill O’Brien’s first recruit is a quarterback.

Christian Hackenberg, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound four-star quarterback out of Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia, made the decision Tuesday night, Hackenberg confirmed to StateCollege.com.

‘What Coach O’Brien did with Tom Brady, it’s definitely a great opportunity for me,” Hackenberg said earlier this month in an interview with StateCollege.com. “It’s a great school. I like their system. And I am originally from [Pottstown] Pa.”

Hackenberg’s father, Erick, played in the Big 33 all-star game in 1988 before playing at Virginia.

On Wednesday night, Penn State picked up a second verbal commitment in less than 24 hours in cornerback Ross Douglas from Avon High in Ohio, according to Lions247.com.

Like Hackenberg, Douglas is rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com.

Hackenberg and Douglas are the first two verbal commitments in O’Brien’s first full recruiting class since he was hired Jan. 6. They can officially sign a binding national letter of intent on Feb. 6, 2013.

Related coverage:

• StateCollege.com’s Penn State football page

• Penn State Football Recruiting: Quarterback Christian Hackenberg Won’t Make Snap Decision

• Penn State Football’s ‘Name Popping Up Everywhere,’ Says Recruiting Guru Lemming