The diamond hand symbol of Roc-A-Fella Records could prove to be the enduring image of Penn State's 2006 recruiting class.

The gesture started as a celebration of on-field success by some players during Penn State's 11-1 2005 season, but it also came to be an expression of hope for the future. Some of the Nittany Lions talked of building Penn State into a dynasty that would last forever and never lose its luster -- like a diamond.

Many of Penn State's 2006 recruits made it clear that they chose the Nittany Lions to be part of something big -- to join that dynasty, which, they believe, started with this past 11-1 season.

"We want to win three or four national championships -- that's our goal," Antonio Logan-El, an enormous offensive lineman from Forestville, Md., told Rivals.com.

While it may take a couple more stellar recruiting classes for that to happen, the Lions got off to a good start with this talented and deep class.

When Maryland cornerback A.J. Wallace and New York defensive end Maurice Evans threw their diamond hand signals in the sky and verbally committed to Penn State on Jan. 7, it started an amazing run of recruiting success for the Lions. They nabbed eight elite prospects between then and today, including three of the top players from Maryland and the top in-state quarterback, Pat Devlin.

Suddenly, with the talk of dynasties, championships and diamonds, Penn State had more than just an image of tradition and class. It was hip, too.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno, however, said he hasn't changed a thing about recruiting message, giving most of the credit to his staff.

The 79-year-old coach was so excited about the class his staff cooked up, he met with media members in the Lasch Building yesterday and served them four loaves of garlic bread. So then does he explain why this recruiting season has been so successful, why the school is suddenly so fashionable?

"Well, I think always when you win, it helps, I don't think there's any question about that," Paterno said.

Chris Bell  5 Stars
WR -- 6-3 -- 205
Norfolk, Va. -- Granby HS
Bell has the rare combination of size and speed. His physical features allow him to shield off defenders in red-zone type, jump-ball situations. Considering his size, Bell could be a nice complement to last year's top receiving recruit, Derrick Williams. He is one of a couple Virginia-area recruits Penn State was able to snatch from such a fertile recruiting land.

Antonio Logan-El  5 Stars
OL -- 6-4 -- 307
Forestville, Md. -- Forestville HS
This signing shows Penn State is focused on winning battles at the line of scrimmage. Logan-El told ESPN that it was the player-coach relationship that ultimately reeled him in to Penn State. He earned first-team All-Met honors, played offensive and defensive tackle and middle linebacker as a senior. He recorded 89 tackles and 6.5 sacks and only allowed one sack.

Navorro Bowman  4 Stars
LB/S -- 6-0 -- 218
Suitland, Md. -- Suitland HS
This full-speed ahead linebacker has made a career on instincts. The scouts say he loves to guess on plays, and when he gets it right, he causes damage. Bowman probably doesn't have an immediate future at the linebacker position, as Penn State is well stocked there. But don't be surprised if he ends up being a hard-hitting safety in the future. He is already enrolled for the spring semester.

Pat Devlin  4 Stars
QB -- 6-3 -- 200
Exton -- Downingtown East HS
Rumor has it that Devlin entered the Bryce Jordan Center to see a men's basketball game against Ohio State with his mind set on attending Miami, but wanted to experience the full recruiting process anyway. But when he heard a savvy group of Nittany Lion fans chanting his name throughout a lengthy portion of the contest, shortly thereafter he changed his mind and decided to come to Happy Valley. He is regarded to be one of the more highly touted QB prospects in the country, and has the physical features that could add up to something special down the road.

Maurice Evans  4 Stars
DE -- 6-3 -- 245
Middle Village, N.Y. -- Christ The King Regional HS
Regarded by many as the best defensive end in the nation, Evans is an impressive grab for the Lions. He is quick off the edge and possesses a raw ability to find the quarterback. Defensive end is certainly a need for the Lions after losing both starting ends from 2005. And peep this: the guy scored a 1370 on his SATs. Not bad for a jock.

Aaron Maybin  4 Stars
DE -- 6-3 -- 211
Ellicot City, Md. -- Mt Hebron HS
As a senior, Maybin had 79 tackles (26 for a loss) and nine sacks at Mt. Hebron high school. He is very aggressive off the ball and some scouts say he'll have to learn better patience at the next level. Maybin uses leverage to his advantage, as he won the county and regional championships and placed 4th in the state in wrestling.

Jared Odrick  4 Stars
DT/OL -- 6-5 -- 303
Lebanon -- Lebanon SHS
Was credited with 70 tackles (40 solo), 10 tackles for a loss, 19 quarterback hurries, five sacks, five fumble recoveries and three blocked kicks this season. Odrick, a U.S. Army All-American, also earned first-team Associated Press Class AAA All-State. Odrick was selected to the Pennsylvania Big 33 team.

Phillip Taylor  4 Stars
DT -- 6-3 -- 346
Clinton, Md. -- Gwynn Park HS
Size matters. And with this signee, truer words have never been spoken. Taylor is a mountain of a man and usually requires continual double-teams throughout a game. His sheer strength can fill any gap on the line of scrimmage. This recruit could turn out to be a true gem.

A.J. Wallace  4 Stars
DB -- 6-1 -- 195
Pomfret, Md. -- Maurice J McDonough HS
As a senior, Wallace earned All-Met honors, gaining 2,090 yards and 35 touchdowns for Maurice J McDonough. He is said to have great closing speed and cover awareness, vital for a defensive back. Look for him to see time sooner rather than later in a revamped Lions' secondary, which graduated all its starters from 2005, and even on the offensive side of the ball, a la Justin King.