5-star DeMatha defensive end Shane Simmons commits to Penn State

The top player in the state of Maryland for the class of 2016 is now off the board.

Five-star DeMatha Catholic defensive end Shane Simmons announced his commitment to Penn State Wednesday afternoon, ending his recruitment considerably early in the process. Simmons announced his decision live on ESPN.com, picking the Nittany Lions over fellow finalists Maryland, Florida State, Ohio State and Alabama.

Simmons was expected to commit to Florida State, with more than half of predictions on the 247sports Crystal Ball pointing in that direction, but Penn State made a late run and was able to snag the big-time prospect. His last reported visit was to Ohio State, with a visit to Maryland taking place way back in March. Simmons is rated as the second-best strong-side defensive end in the nation and the best player in the state.

While no one expected Simmons to commit to Maryland, this continues the Terps' struggles securing talent from local powerhouse DeMatha. The program has not landed a single player from the school in Randy Edsall's tenure. Making matters worse is where Simmons ended up, as Penn State continues to dominate the recruiting battle between the two schools.