Joe Paterno will begin his 45th season as Penn State head coach in September with the Big Ten's top-ranked recruiting class on board.

The Nittany Lions signed 20 prospects, seven of whom enrolled in classes in January after graduating from high school early. Quarterbacks Paul Jones and Robert Bolden added talent and intrigue to the most scrutinized position on the field, linebackers Mike Hull and Khairi Fortt joined the next wave of players at Penn State's signature position and Pennsylvania offensive linemen Tom Ricketts and Miles Dieffenbach added some depth to what has been an often shaky line.

Penn State saw two blue-chip prospects—Staten Island, N.Y., defensive lineman Dominique Easley and Baltimore wide receiver Adrian Coxson—break their commitments ...More