4-Star 2016 PF Commits to Penn State

Just one month and a day after landing his most recent 2015 recruit, Pat Chambers has done it again. On Saturday, DeMatha Catholic power forward Joe Hampton (No. 16 PF, No. 102 National) took to Twitter to announce his commitment to Penn State.

I am truly blessed and honored to say I am committing to penn state university ⚪️ ⚪️ #PSU #WeAre

— Royal J (@JoeH_25) August 2, 2014

Hampton becomes the first member of Penn State's 2016 recruiting class, and only the second 2016 commit in the entire conference. The early pledge vaults the Nittany Lions to No. 7 in 247's early team rankings.

The 6'7" junior boasts a diverse skill set. At 235 pounds, Hampton has not just the size to battle for rebounds in the paint, but also the agility to play around the perimeter and drive to the basket. Occasionally, he can knock down a three-pointer to stretch the defense.

Hampton had additional offers from DePaul and Xavier, and was drawing interest from numerous others.

Although he visited Penn State multiple times previously, his commitment comes as something as a surprise.  DeMatha Catholic, only 3 miles from the University of Maryland, practically plays in the Terps' backyard. Though Maryland had not yet offered, they did have early interest, and most predictions were in Maryland's favor. Hampton is yet another major out-of-state pull that keeps the ball rolling for PSU.