For the second consecutive recruiting class, the Central Dauphin Rams have one of its players bound for Happy Valley.
Zayd Issah, a 6’4, 210-pound running back/linebacker for the defending PIAA AAAA champs, issued a verbal declaration to Penn State Friday, according to national recruiting services Scout.com and Rivals.com.
Issah becomes the Nittany Lions’ 14th recruit to issue a verbal declaration in the 2013 class, and the 13th recruit with at least a three-star rating or higher. Before Issah’s declaration, PSU’s 2013 recruiting class was already rated as one of the top-10 classes in the nation.
In addition to the Nittany Lions, Issah held more than a dozen offers, including Akron, Arizona State, Boston College, Bowling Green, Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, North Carolina State, Old Dominion, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, Temple and Virginia, and had generated interest from programs like Georgia Tech, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame and West Virginia, among others.
Issah was ranked by Scout.com as the No. 20 outside linebacker prospect in the nation for the 2013 class and rated as a four-star prospect, ranking as the state’s No. 2 outside linebacker, trailing only fellow District 3 athlete Alex Anzalone (Wyomissing), who is Scout’s No. 4 OLB prospect in the nation.
A key two-way presence for the Rams in 2011, Issah ran for 1,345 yards on 235 carries and caught another 29 passes for 672 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per carry and 23.2 yards per reception while scoring 31 total touchdowns (21 rushing, 10 receiving). He also was a defensive stalwart, recording 123 tackles (69 solo), 14 sacks, an interception, four deflected passes, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, averaging 7.7 tackles per game.
Central Dauphin finished 15-1 overall in 2011, claiming the school’s first-ever PIAA football championship (and District 3’s first AAAA state title since 1992) with a 14-7 victory over District 1 champion North Penn.
