With seniors ready to graduate, fresh bodies are required to keep the Penn State football juggernaut moving.

And next fall, a new crop of freshmen will be arriving in Happy Valley from across the Midwest and up and down the Eastern seaboard with one thing in common: they are all premier recruits. Combined they form ESPN.com's twelfth best recruiting class.

Brian Borgoyn, offensive lineman, Pittsburgh

Considered one of the top offensive tackles in Pennsylvania, the Woodland Hills product had to decide whether to play in his hometown or to make his collegiate name in a different city. When it came down to it, Borgoyn wanted to stay close to home. . .but not too close.

"Penn State is a campus you can really fall in love with," Brian's mother Colleen said. "It is both close enough and far enough."

Borgoyn decided that it was in his best interest to travel the two-and-a-half hours to play football for the blue and white instead of the few minutes to play for Pittsburgh. Borgoyn's decision was based on academics as well as the proximity to home. It also helps that he loves the outdoors.

"He loves to fish and hunt," Colleen said. "He is also a good skier."

Mark Farris, offensive lineman, Pittsburgh

Another Steel-City product, Farris will follow in the footsteps of some great North Hills-Penn State players. It was only three years ago that North Hills alumnus LaVar Arrington left the Nittany Lions to become the No. 2 selection in the NFL draft.

North Hills grad and current Lions freshman Andrew Richardson was Farris' host when he came to Penn State for his official visit. Indians head coach Jack McCurry said that his school has had a good relationship with Penn State over the years.

"I think we've sent seven or eight players to Penn State during my tenure," McCurry said. "You can really get the ins and outs of a program by talking to its players."

Farris' parents have had the chance to meet the cross-town Borgoyn's parents. Mark's dad Tom said he was impressed with Brian and looks forward to getting reacquainted with his parents.

Tamba Hali, Teaneck, N.J.

Hali was one of a few Garden State recruits the Lions bagged this season. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive end from Teaneck H.S. combines his size with speed. He has been clocked at 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard-dash.

Hali has drawn comparisons to Courtney Brown and his Teaneck football coach, Dennis Heck, believes he can excel in college.

"He is an awesome athlete off the ball," Heck said. "The sky is the limit I'm sure."

Patrick Hall, linebacker, Canton, Ga.

Hall comes to Penn State after a Sequoyah H.S. career in which he was Mr. Everything. Not only was Hall the quarterback for three seasons, he was also a linebacker and played on the kickoff team.

What is astonishing is that Hall has never been coached as a linebacker. During practice he ran the offense and only played defense in games.

The Lions liked what they saw enough to recruit him solely as a linebacker.

"Everything he has ever done he has excelled at," Patrick's father Tim said. "He was never coached at that position and I can't wait to see what he can do with a coach."

Donnie Johnson, Defensive Back/Running Back, Cincinnati, Oh.

After verbally committing to attend Illinois last summer, Johnson changed his mind after making a visit to Happy Valley.

Johnson excelled from his first game as a freshman at North College Hill H.S., when he had rushing touchdowns of 60 and 55 yards. His coach, Bruce Boarendse, said he led the city in "Oh my God, Did you see that?" plays.

"We have some good athletes in our league but his size and the speed he possessed set him apart," Boarendse said.

Jim Kanuch, Safety, Johnstown, Pa.

After spending the last ten years watching the Nittany Lions from afar, Kanuch will bring his versatile abilities to Penn State.

Heavily recruited from UCLA, BYU, LSU and Notre Dame, Kanuch made a name for himself at Westmont Hilltop H.S. by playing both sides of the ball, not to mention returning kicks and punts.

The National Honor Society member spent the last summer bulking up to 220 pounds as part of his commitment to football, along with never missing practice in four years, according to assistant coach Darren McClurin.

Robert Price, Defensive Line, Shaker Heights, Oh.

Coming out of Shaker Heights H.S., Price was concerned that schools might overlook him, thinking he was a little short at 6-2.

However, his 20 tackles for loss last season plus four quarterback sacks, assuaged any fears recruiters might have.

"He's so powerful, pretty quick off the ball, he uses his hands and arms real well plus he has long arms," Price's high school coach Dave Sedmak said.

Steve Roach, Offensive Line, Martinsburg, W.Va.

A devotion to the weightroom brought recruiters from far and wide to visit Roach at Martinsburg-senior, H.S.

Roach choose Penn State after a visit from Joe Paterno himself just before the Feb. 6 signing deadline. While Roach will be playing offense at Happy Valley, he only spent time on the sidelines during his junior and senior years.

"We haven't had a guy come here with his work ethic and leadership in the weightroom and offseaoson conditioning," Martinsburg assistant coach Brian Sine said.

Brandon Snow, Running Back/Linebacker, Newark, Del.

Despite having to bus his way from Wilmington to Newark everyday as part of the state's desegregation policy, Snow succeeded enough to win 25 scholarship offers.

Perhaps the 40 minutes on the school bus each way helped Snow develop the unselfish attitude that allowed him to be a lead blocker rather than a ball carrier on the majority of Newark High's downs. While he only rushed for 400 yards last season, coach Butch Simpson said Snow could have easily been a 2,000-yard rusher had he been given the touches.

"I thing the greatest thing about Brandon is how unselfish he is in a world of 'what can you do for me'," Simpson said.

In addition to dedicating himself to football, Snow also worked in his grandfathers' store throughout his high school career, making what Simpson called "the best chicken wings in Wilmington."

J.R. Zwierzynski, Running Back/Linebacker, Joliet, Ill.

The Joliet-Catholic Academy star is following in the line of great running backs to emerge from the school, starting with Tampa Bay Buccaneers tailback Mike Alstott, who attended Joliet-Catholic a decade earlier. What's more, Zwierzynski's coach Brian Sharp thinks he can outpace even Alstott's accomplishments.

"J.R. has more size than Alstott had at this time," Sharp said. "J.R. can shake and bake and make people miss, which is something Mike didn't do. . . He broke all Mike's records."

Zwierzynski wanted to play in the Big Ten, thinking it best complimented his hard-hitting style of play. If he lives up to his rating as USA Today's No. 1 high school back, he might take his place as one of the conference's smash-mouth greats.