From the introductory news conference when James Franklin vowed to dominate the state to the pageantry surrounding Micah Parsons’ signing day ceremony, Penn State’s future is always as much about what happens on the recruiting trail as it is on fall Saturdays. It goes hand in hand.

Like with all teams, there have been some recruiting misses over the years, but there have been big-time hits during Franklin’s tenure, too. The list below highlights the most impactful and influential recruits during Franklin’s time at Penn State.

It wasn’t easy debating the merits of some of these careers over others. This list begins with the 2014 class, which was the group Franklin and staff quickly put together with players who followed them from Vanderbilt or were committed to Bill O’Brien. Don’t be stunned that nobody from the most recent classes made the cut. It’s too soon to know, and though the early returns on players like Parker Washington, Theo Johnson, Caedan Wallace and Curtis Jacobs have been positive, the sample is too small. Former five-star linebacker Brandon Smith could end up on this list in due time, too.

Remember, most influential doesn’t necessarily mean the 10 best, though many of these players would fit that billing too.

All recruiting ratings are via the 247Sports Composite.

1. Saquon Barkley, RB, 2015

Particulars: The four-star recruit, No. 13 running back in the cycle and No. 2 player in Pennsylvania committed to Penn State on Feb. 19, 2014.

Why he’s here: This was a no-brainer. It was a three-year show with everyone on the edge of their seats whenever Barkley touched the ball. It was hurdles, spin moves, jukes and nonstop excitement as Barkley helped propel Penn State from mediocrity to a Big Ten title, Rose Bowl berth and Fiesta Bowl win. The Nittany Lions knocked on the door of the program’s first College Football Playoff bid, too.

Barkley scored 53 touchdowns, surpassing Lydell Mitchell to become the Nittany Lions’ all-time touchdown leader. He finished his three-year career with 5,538 all-purpose yards. He was part of the first class Franklin fully recruited to Penn State. After the head coach vowed to dominate the state, he followed through, starting with Barkley. Pitt’s Jordan Whitehead was Pennsylvania’s top prospect in 2014, but Penn State cleaned up with the rest of the top seven players in Pennsylvania (Barkley, John Reid, Ryan Bates, Sterling Jenkins, Ryan Buchholz and Andre Robinson).

As the second pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Barkley’s impact, both on and off the field, makes him a relevant connecting point as Penn State tries to keep stockpiling running back talent.

2. Trace McSorley, QB, 2014

Particulars: The three-star recruit and No. 15 dual-threat quarterback from Ashburn, Va., committed to Penn State on Jan. 20, 2014.

Why he’s here: Nobody predicted the quarterback who many schools projected as a safety was someone Penn State had to sign. In fact, he was one of two quarterbacks in the 2014 class, as Michael O’Connor committed to Bill O’Brien. McSorley committed to Franklin at Vanderbilt and then followed him to Penn State. From McSorley’s meaningful game reps in the TaxSlayer Bowl filling in for an injured Christian Hackenberg to his final, tearful lap around Beaver Stadium, he put together a career that helped catapult Penn State back toward the top tier of college football.

If McSorley doesn’t lead Penn State back during an otherwise ugly win against Minnesota — which famously featured “Fire Frank-lin” chants from the Beaver Stadium crowd at halftime — there’s no telling how Franklin’s Penn State tenure goes and what could’ve happened to a team that was loaded with talent. Imagine if an offense with players like Barkley, McSorley, Chris Godwin, Mike Gesicki, DaeSean Hamilton and Miles Sanders never fully took off?

Though McSorley wasn’t a big-time prospect, the belief teammates had in him to find a way to win was remarkable. If he doesn’t make some of the plays he did, this team doesn’t win a Big Ten title, doesn’t go to the Rose Bowl and doesn’t win a Fiesta Bowl. Wins aren’t solely a quarterback stat and there was plenty of talent around him, but McSorley was a big-play machine and helped change the program’s trajectory.

3. Micah Parsons, LB, 2018

Particulars: The five-star recruit was ranked No. 5 nationally and No. 1 in Pennsylvania. He committed to Penn State on Dec. 20, 2017.

Why he’s here: What would’ve happened had there been a junior season for Parsons last fall? In the Class of 2018, Penn State secured an elite in-state player it needed to land, and he lived up to the hype in two seasons before opting out of the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. Parsons’ loss was felt last season, and while there’s no telling how much of a difference one player would’ve made on a 4-5 team, it’s easy envisioning him making at least a few plays that help improve that win total, especially in a season-opening loss that came down to inches.

Even in just two seasons, in which Parsons went from a high school defensive end to a linebacker with the most hype surrounding him since LaVar Arrington, he impressed, capped by an otherworldly performance in the Cotton Bowl. He finished the game with 14 tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry. A projected top-15 pick in this year’s NFL Draft, Parsons will be talked about for years to come at Penn State, even if the what-ifs about a missed junior season will forever linger in fans’ minds.

4. Connor McGovern, OL, 2016

Particulars: The four-star recruit was ranked No. 255 nationally, the No. 3 center and No. 7 in Pennsylvania. He committed to Penn State on March 20, 2015.

Why he’s here: This might be a surprising spot for an offensive lineman, especially because McGovern wasn’t even the highest-ranked lineman in Penn State’s class —Michal Menet was ranked 28th nationally. Sanders was also ranked ahead of McGovern in-state. However, McGovern is ranked this high on the list because he was versatile and reliable and made an instant impact for a program in desperate need of an influx of talent on the offensive line, a position group ravaged by NCAA sanctions.

It’s rare for a freshman offensive lineman to get on campus and start nine games his first season. McGovern did just that, as he was a freshman on that Big Ten title and Rose Bowl team. He blocked two seasons for Barkley and one for Sanders. He provided help at both guard and center. McGovern was a mainstay up front, starting nine games as a freshman, 13 games at center as a sophomore and then 13 as a junior, 12 of which were at right guard. He became a third-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2019.

5. Chris Godwin, WR, 2014

Particulars: The four-star recruit was the No. 26 wide receiver in the country, No. 168 nationally and the top player in Delaware. Godwin committed April 23, 2013.

Why he’s here: Where does the recruiting credit go for a player who committed to O’Brien but never wavered when Franklin was hired? Godwin and Mike Gesicki both fall into that category. Franklin and the new staff had to work to keep those pledges secure. Godwin scored 18 touchdowns in three seasons and finished fourth on Penn State’s career receiving yardage list with 2,404 yards. Godwin’s career began as a true freshman catching passes from Hackenberg in Ireland against UCF and ended with that 187-yard performance against USC in the Rose Bowl.

Godwin’s appearances in three bowl games — the Pinstripe Bowl, TaxSlayer Bowl and Rose Bowl — resulted in 22 receptions for 460 yards and three touchdowns. Godwin’s best season statistically was his sophomore year with Hackenberg, when he finished with 69 catches for 1,101 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 16 yards per reception in 2015 and 16.6 yards per reception in 2016 while playing with McSorley.

Don’t forget that the more relevant players are in the NFL, the more it can help with recruiting. That Super Bowl ring Godwin just won can serve as a reminder to prospects whom he developed at Penn State, along with an interesting group of receivers currently in the NFL, including Allen Robinson and KJ Hamer.

6. Miles Sanders, RB, 2016

Particulars: The five-star recruit was the top running back in the cycle, the top player in Pennsylvania and ranked No. 21 nationally. He committed July 19, 2014.

Why he’s here: As pressure mounted down the stretch of his recruitment, with a late push from Michigan State and Pitt never relenting, the Nittany Lions were along for the ride. By December 2015, Penn State had new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead and a special running back whom everyone was getting more familiar with in Barkley. While nothing is ever guaranteed in recruiting, in hindsight Sanders’ signing was almost a guarantee that this backfield would be loaded. Once Barkley left for the NFL, there’d be a blue-chip back ready to step in.

When Sanders verbally committed so early, in the summer before his junior year of high school, there was no telling how good Barkley would be. Once Barkley’s freshman season happened, with just a year separating the two, it would’ve been understandable had Sanders gone elsewhere. His sticking with Penn State, not just as a recruit but after his freshman season when was it was clear Barkley was one of the most electric players in the country, bolstered Penn State’s pitch as a top destination for running backs.

The success of Barkley and Sanders, with the latter needing just one year as starter to catapult himself into the second round of the NFL Draft, helped pave the way for blue-chip recruits Ricky Slade, Noah Cain, Devyn Ford, Caziah Holmes and Keyvone Lee to sign with Penn State, all from outside of Pennsylvania.

7. Michal Menet, OL, 2016

Particulars: The four-star recruit was the No. 28 prospect in the nation, the No. 1 guard and the No. 2 player in Pennsylvania. He committed May 29, 2015.

Why he’s here: Menet was one of three players ranked in the top 45 nationally in Penn State’s 2016 class, which signed before the breakthrough run to the Big Ten title. Sanders and defensive end Shane Simmons were the other two. It came down to Penn State and North Carolina for Menet, and by signing him, the Nittany Lions ended up getting a long-term investment whose longevity and versatility made him a mainstay up front. Menet, who Penn State felt could play anywhere on the O-line, is now training for the NFL Draft after five years at Penn State. He appeared in 12 games as a redshirt freshman and then started 34 games during the next three seasons, providing much-needed stability for a unit in turmoil when he arrived. Menet was a two-time team captain, and Penn State didn’t have to worry about turnover at center, whether Menet was helping to protect McSorley, Sean Clifford or Will Levis.

8. Pat Freiermuth, TE, 2018

Particulars: The four-star recruit from Massachusetts was ranked No. 224 nationally and was one of two tight ends in the Class of 2018 with Zack Kuntz, who was ranked No. 150. Freiermuth committed Aug. 16, 2016.

Why he’s ranked here: If Freiermuth doesn’t have as much success as he did at Penn State, then do the Nittany Lions sign Brenton Strange? Maybe they do, because Strange was viewed as a bit of a sleeper prospect because he was coming from such a small school. Do they sign Theo Johnson? Probably not. Freiermuth’s success was part of the pitch to both of those tight ends, and it will continue to be sold to others for years to come. He undoubtedly played a role in helping to recruit Johnson. There’s also a verbal commitment in the 2022 class from four-star prospect Jerry Cross, who resides in Milwaukee and never set foot on campus before delivering his verbal pledge last year. The success of Freiermuth makes that pitch easier to deliver.

Of course, an argument can be made that Mike Gesicki should be listed in place of Freiermuth. It’s a valid point:

• Gesicki appeared in 51 games and finished with 129 receptions, 1,481 yards and 15 touchdowns.

• Freiermuth played in 30 games and finished with 92 receptions for 1,185 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Freiermuth stuck around twice, as he reclassified in high school and could’ve left Penn State after his sophomore season. He also could’ve opted out ahead of his junior season as the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic would have made it understandable to follow Parsons’ lead. He didn’t. He played a few weeks with an injury during a season that was already well off course.

Gesicki deserves credit for sticking with Penn State after committing to O’Brien as a high-profile prospect and becoming a dynamic tight end. He could’ve gone to Ohio State, which was a massive win for O’Brien at a time when the program really needed him. It carried a lot of weight in New Jersey too. Freiermuth built on what Gesicki started and helped Penn State solidify the position for years to come. This spot very well could be split between the two.

9. KJ Hamler, WR, 2017

Particulars: The four-star recruit was ranked No. 323 nationally and suffered a season-ending knee injury at the start of his senior year at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The Pontiac, Mich., native committed to Penn State on Dec. 9, 2016.

Why he’s here: Penn State signed Hamler because it didn’t shy away from him after his knee injury. When many schools backed off, Josh Gattis, the receivers coach at the time, was the first person reaching out to Hamler’s family. That went a long way.

Hamler’s signing was a win for Penn State on two fronts. It helped having someone coming from IMG Academy, even if Hamler was only there for one season. Two cycles later, IMG product Noah Cain signed with Penn State. Getting a foot in the door there can only help. Hamler also helped Penn State stay in the mix in Michigan for top players, something that predates Franklin and staff. Allen Robinson, Rob Bolden and Hamler attended the same high school. Penn State succeeded in Michigan with this most recent class, and being able to point to someone recent and relevant from that area who succeeded at Penn State and is in the NFL absolutely helps.

And, if Hamler doesn’t take that kick out of the end zone against Appalachian State to jump-start his junior year, perhaps Penn State’s run to the Cotton Bowl never happens?

10. Grant Haley and Marcus Allen, DBs, 2014

Particulars: Haley was a three-star recruit and ranked No. 657 nationally. Allen was a three-star prospect and ranked No. 348 nationally. Haley committed to Franklin at Vanderbilt but ended up signing with his mother’s alma mater. He committed Jan. 20, 2014. Allen was an O’Brien recruit but stayed committed after the coaching change. He committed May 10, 2013.

Why they’re here and together: It’s a package deal because the two combined for two of the most important and memorable plays of the Franklin era. The field goal block against Ohio State was blocked by Allen and returned 60 yards for a touchdown by Haley. The fourth-down stop in the Big Ten title game to end any chance of a Wisconsin comeback was made by both.

Beyond those two key moments, Haley saw the field right away as a freshman, starting off as the kick returner during Franklin’s first game, the Croke Park Classic. By the end of his freshman season in the Pinstripe Bowl, he was a starter. He didn’t relinquish that role, starting 35 more games during his collegiate career. He’s the lone player in school history to return a blocked field goal for a touchdown.

Allen also never redshirted, which is an important detail to remember about this era as Penn State was working back from sanctions. Nine true freshmen played in the 2014 season, seven of whom started at least one game. Allen started seven games that year and 46 games during his collegiate career. Players like Allen, Haley, Troy Apke, Gesicki, Jason Cabinda and Godwin didn’t have the luxury of sitting, learning and waiting. The bowl ban was lifted in September of their freshman year. Allen finished with 321 tackles and was the defensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl.

Others to consider: TE Mike Gesicki (2014), LB Jason Cabinda (2014), CB John Reid (2015), DE Shareef Miller (2015), DE Shaka Toney (2016), DE Yetur Gross-Matos (2017), QB Sean Clifford (2017), CB Tariq Castro-Fields (2017), RB Journey Brown (2017), DT PJ Mustipher (2018), DE Jayson Oweh (2018), OT Rasheed Walker (2018), WR Jahan Dotson (2018), OL Caedan Wallace (2019), LB Brandon Smith (2019)

Players who could challenge for a spot on this list after next season: Walker, Dotson, Smith.

(Top photo: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images)