PSU's Franklin cites pros and cons of college recruiting

Published May. 24, 2015 6:32 p.m. ET

Marcus Hartman

James Franklin's recruiting has been causing a buzz since he arrived at Penn State last year, but does he see the practice as a necessary evil?

"Yes, I enjoy recruiting, because I enjoy people and I love getting to know people and building relationships," he said during a coaches caravan stop in Allentown, Pa., per the Allentown Morning Call. "I enjoy all that, but it's because I want to see Penn State be successful."

Given the time commitment and the fickle nature of teenagers, it is hard to blame Franklin or any other college football coach for having mixed feelings.

However, he pointed out there is a benefit to having to convince talented players to join your team rather than merely picking them out of a pool of names, a la the NFL draft.

"Someone said to me a long time ago, which made sense, that in the NFL, you have the ability to get typically one first-round pick per year," Franklin said. "In college, we can have as many first-round draft choices as we are willing to get."

So far Franklin has eight players committed for his 2016 class at Penn State, including four-stars Miles Sanders, Shane Simmons, Lavert Hill and Connor McGovern.

(H/T Allentown Morning Call)