PSU Nittany Lions: Pittsburgh Panthers
It was a Thursday night in late April and Alex Bookser (Pittsburgh/Mount Lebanon) was watching the NFL draft. A 6-foot-6, 295-pound prospect, Bookser is being recruited as a lineman on both sides of the ball.
Bookser was an offensive lineman by the end of the night Thursday.
“Ever since I saw the draft I decided to go O-line,” said Bookser, referring to the run on tackles in the first round, including three among the first five picks. “That was the biggest draft I’ve ever seen, so I was like if I can get that far it’ll definitely pay off.”
With more than 20 offers to his name, Bookser was already being recruited mostly as an offensive tackle, where he is ranked No. 14 nationally. As a two-way player for Mount Lebanon, Bookser likes defense a little more because he can play with a little more emotion on the defensive line. He understands why coaches project him best on offense, though.
Bookser was an offensive lineman by the end of the night Thursday.
“Ever since I saw the draft I decided to go O-line,” said Bookser, referring to the run on tackles in the first round, including three among the first five picks. “That was the biggest draft I’ve ever seen, so I was like if I can get that far it’ll definitely pay off.”
With more than 20 offers to his name, Bookser was already being recruited mostly as an offensive tackle, where he is ranked No. 14 nationally. As a two-way player for Mount Lebanon, Bookser likes defense a little more because he can play with a little more emotion on the defensive line. He understands why coaches project him best on offense, though.
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Quips go to Pitt.
That is the expression in Western Pennsylvania. The elite prospects from talent-rich Aliquippa (Pa.) High almost exclusively go to nearby Pittsburgh to star for the Panthers. Jonathan Baldwin, Tommie Campbell and Darrelle Revis are all NFL players who came through Aliquippa and then Pitt.
So four-star athlete and ESPN 150 member Dravon Henry feels the pressure to stay close to home. In fact, Henry is related to Revis and former NFL lineman Sean Gilbert, who also went the route of Aliquippa to Pitt.
That is the expression in Western Pennsylvania. The elite prospects from talent-rich Aliquippa (Pa.) High almost exclusively go to nearby Pittsburgh to star for the Panthers. Jonathan Baldwin, Tommie Campbell and Darrelle Revis are all NFL players who came through Aliquippa and then Pitt.
So four-star athlete and ESPN 150 member Dravon Henry feels the pressure to stay close to home. In fact, Henry is related to Revis and former NFL lineman Sean Gilbert, who also went the route of Aliquippa to Pitt.
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ESPN 150 athlete Dravon Henry (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa) listed his top four schools about two months ago with the understanding it would slow down his recruitment.
With the mailbox now stuffed with 50 letters by the middle of the week, it's safe to say the four-star athlete understood incorrectly.
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Heading into summer, NittanyNation will look closer at the 2014 recruits who claim offers from Penn State. Today we examine cornerback Daquan Worley, who plans to announce his commitment Tuesday.
Vitals: CB Daquan Worley, Coatesville (Pa.) High School, 5-foot-10, 171 pounds
Offers: He holds five FBS offers, from Georgia Tech, UMass, Penn State, Pitt and Rutgers. He also has an offer from Old Dominion.
Numbers game: Worley excelled on both sides of the ball. On defense, he finished with 40-plus tackles and three interceptions. And, on offense, he wound up with 1,779 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. He helped lead his team to the state title game last season.
Vitals: CB Daquan Worley, Coatesville (Pa.) High School, 5-foot-10, 171 pounds
Offers: He holds five FBS offers, from Georgia Tech, UMass, Penn State, Pitt and Rutgers. He also has an offer from Old Dominion.
Numbers game: Worley excelled on both sides of the ball. On defense, he finished with 40-plus tackles and three interceptions. And, on offense, he wound up with 1,779 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. He helped lead his team to the state title game last season.
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Big Ten endearing itself to RB Ollison 
April, 26, 2013
Apr 26
4:09
PM ET
By
Jared Shanker | ESPN.com
One of the fastest-rising prospects in the East is Buffalo (N.Y.) Canisius running back Qadree Ollison, who has seen several Big Ten teams come for him the last few weeks.
The latest is Penn State, and while the Nittany Lions have not offered, Ollison says the PSU coaching staff is very interested following a visit for the spring game.
The latest is Penn State, and while the Nittany Lions have not offered, Ollison says the PSU coaching staff is very interested following a visit for the spring game.
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The RN Top 10 will appear throughout the camp and combine season and rank prospects based strictly on their on-field performance at that particular event. It does not reflect their overall prospect ranking.
ASHBURN, Va. – The East Coast and mid-Atlantic states represented well on Sunday as eight players earned invites to The Opening at the Nike Football Training Camp outside of Washington, D.C. Defense ruled the day, led by two five-star prospects from Virginia.
10. Nick Scott
Fairfax (Va.) Fairfax |RB| 5-11, 180
Scott stood out among a field of backs who were overshadowed by the prospects at nearly every other position. He earned the attention of coaches for his strong play and versatility but missed the MVP award, which went to Vincent Lowe (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield), who also posted the top SPARQ score.
Scott committed to Penn State in February over an offer from Boston College.
ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert’s take: “He’s got a great frame, and what I like about him as a Penn State verbal, he’s a versatile player. He may not run by you, but he does a good job in route-running.”
ASHBURN, Va. – The East Coast and mid-Atlantic states represented well on Sunday as eight players earned invites to The Opening at the Nike Football Training Camp outside of Washington, D.C. Defense ruled the day, led by two five-star prospects from Virginia.
10. Nick Scott
Fairfax (Va.) Fairfax |RB| 5-11, 180
Scott stood out among a field of backs who were overshadowed by the prospects at nearly every other position. He earned the attention of coaches for his strong play and versatility but missed the MVP award, which went to Vincent Lowe (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield), who also posted the top SPARQ score.
Scott committed to Penn State in February over an offer from Boston College.
ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert’s take: “He’s got a great frame, and what I like about him as a Penn State verbal, he’s a versatile player. He may not run by you, but he does a good job in route-running.”
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Joe Cowart sat behind his desk last spring and watched as students filed into his classroom. And every day he spotted a certain basketball player, the teacher/football coach always had a comment waiting.
"You look like an athlete who'd make the NFL," Cowart said one day.
That athlete, New Castle (Pa.) High School's Malik Hooker, would just smile and deflect that football talk. Playing on the hardwood was his first love, and how did Cowart know that he would succeed anyway? He hadn't even played football since eighth grade, and he was doing just fine at basketball. (He even made one of Sportscenter's top 10 plays for a dunk last month.)
But Cowart didn't relent and, soon, Hooker's friends joined in the chorus. So, Hooker figured, what did he have to lose? He expected to compete, expected to flash his athleticism -- but he never thought he'd be where is now, holding five offers from as close as in-state schools Penn State and Pittsburgh, with another 2,000 miles away in Arizona.
"You look like an athlete who'd make the NFL," Cowart said one day.
That athlete, New Castle (Pa.) High School's Malik Hooker, would just smile and deflect that football talk. Playing on the hardwood was his first love, and how did Cowart know that he would succeed anyway? He hadn't even played football since eighth grade, and he was doing just fine at basketball. (He even made one of Sportscenter's top 10 plays for a dunk last month.)
But Cowart didn't relent and, soon, Hooker's friends joined in the chorus. So, Hooker figured, what did he have to lose? He expected to compete, expected to flash his athleticism -- but he never thought he'd be where is now, holding five offers from as close as in-state schools Penn State and Pittsburgh, with another 2,000 miles away in Arizona.
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PSU high on CB Worley's list after offer
April, 15, 2013
Apr 15
11:00
AM ET
By
Josh Moyer | ESPN.com
Daquan Worley's father turned to him as they wandered the halls to Bill O'Brien's office during Friday's unofficial visit.
"You think it's going to happen?" the elder Worley asked, referring to a scholarship.
"I don't know," said Daquan, a cornerback out of Coatesville (Pa.) High School.
Worley found himself in this same spot two months before, a day before Penn State's junior day. O'Brien invited the 5-foot-10 cornerback inside his office that first time. Worley thought an offer would come, but O'Brien instead steered clear of scholarship talk. Worley worried this would be more of the same.
"You think it's going to happen?" the elder Worley asked, referring to a scholarship.
"I don't know," said Daquan, a cornerback out of Coatesville (Pa.) High School.
Worley found himself in this same spot two months before, a day before Penn State's junior day. O'Brien invited the 5-foot-10 cornerback inside his office that first time. Worley thought an offer would come, but O'Brien instead steered clear of scholarship talk. Worley worried this would be more of the same.
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Wide receiver Troy Apke (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) became Penn State's fourth commitment of the 2014 class Saturday.
He chose the school over Pitt, a short drive from his home and despite his father playing linebacker for the Panthers in the 1980s. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound recruit said there were two reasons the Nittany Lions are on top.
"I like the atmosphere of their games, and it's like a family up there," Apke said Saturday afternoon.
PSU offered the in-state receiver on junior day in February, and Apke said then it was too early to really gauge his interest in Penn State. Despite his recruitment picking up over the next two months, the Nittany Lions still managed to come out on top.
He held offers from a half-dozen other schools, including Bowling Green, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Minnesota, Pitt and Toledo.
Despite his size, he said he's been timed as fast as 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash -- and that speed really helps him gain yards after the catch. He caught 54 passes for 1,058 yards and 13 touchdowns in his junior season. He accounted for about a quarter of the offense at Mount Lebanon.
Apke is the first wide receiver in Penn State's 2014 class.
Linebacker Tyler Burke knows it's time to start taking a closer look at colleges.
Two weeks ago, the prospect out of Coatesville, Pa., focused on basketball. He'd wake up at 8 a.m. Saturday for a shootaround, take a nap, play a game and then stay up late to catch up with coaches on Facebook or reporters on the phone. But since basketball ended last week, the stressed-out rising senior has started scheduling visits.
Two weeks ago, the prospect out of Coatesville, Pa., focused on basketball. He'd wake up at 8 a.m. Saturday for a shootaround, take a nap, play a game and then stay up late to catch up with coaches on Facebook or reporters on the phone. But since basketball ended last week, the stressed-out rising senior has started scheduling visits.
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Marcus Allen walked briskly through the hallways of Upper Marlboro (Md.) Wise on his way to the varsity coach's classroom.
He didn't know he was just minutes away from a conversation that would set his football future into motion, that would allow him to gain nearly 20 scholarship offers before the end of his junior year. For now, near the end of his freshman season, he just knew coach DaLawn Parrish wanted to chat with him.
He could feel his heart thumping in his chest, and he wondered what Parrish could possibly have to say. Was it good? Was it bad? Was it about an injury that allowed him to play just four JV games? Was it about a teammate?
"Everybody gets nervous when Coach Parrish wants to talk to you," Allen said. "Everybody."
The coach motioned the freshman linebacker inside, and the two stood across from one another. Parrish, a former defensive back at Wake Forest, told Allen -- who had undergone a four-inch growth spurt, from 5-foot-8 to 6-1 -- that he wanted him to move up to varsity.
Allen shook his head. He was hesitant. He had played in just four games, and scholarships weren't on his mind at that point; playing with his friends was. And when Parrish mentioned moving to safety, Allen couldn't believe it. He had no experience with that position at all.
"A lot of times, young men are apprehensive," Parrish said. "They don't know just how good they really are. And I knew he was going to be special."
Parrish began sketching out Cover-2 diagrams on the dry eraseboard behind him. It might as well have been advanced algebra because, Allen admitted, he had no idea what he was looking at. He wasn't even sure what a safety's role was.
The coach, a man with closely cropped hair and a thin goatee, then asked Allen to backpedal right there in the classroom. He laughed slightly when Allen clumsily tried to run backward. Allen didn't agree to move up right then, but it was a start.
He didn't know he was just minutes away from a conversation that would set his football future into motion, that would allow him to gain nearly 20 scholarship offers before the end of his junior year. For now, near the end of his freshman season, he just knew coach DaLawn Parrish wanted to chat with him.
He could feel his heart thumping in his chest, and he wondered what Parrish could possibly have to say. Was it good? Was it bad? Was it about an injury that allowed him to play just four JV games? Was it about a teammate?
"Everybody gets nervous when Coach Parrish wants to talk to you," Allen said. "Everybody."
The coach motioned the freshman linebacker inside, and the two stood across from one another. Parrish, a former defensive back at Wake Forest, told Allen -- who had undergone a four-inch growth spurt, from 5-foot-8 to 6-1 -- that he wanted him to move up to varsity.
Allen shook his head. He was hesitant. He had played in just four games, and scholarships weren't on his mind at that point; playing with his friends was. And when Parrish mentioned moving to safety, Allen couldn't believe it. He had no experience with that position at all.
"A lot of times, young men are apprehensive," Parrish said. "They don't know just how good they really are. And I knew he was going to be special."
Parrish began sketching out Cover-2 diagrams on the dry eraseboard behind him. It might as well have been advanced algebra because, Allen admitted, he had no idea what he was looking at. He wasn't even sure what a safety's role was.
The coach, a man with closely cropped hair and a thin goatee, then asked Allen to backpedal right there in the classroom. He laughed slightly when Allen clumsily tried to run backward. Allen didn't agree to move up right then, but it was a start.
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Marcus Allen (Upper Marlboro, Md./Wise) stood off to the side in Holuba Hall, his eyes focused on the action in front of him, while Penn State players darted from side to side on the first day of spring practice.
His teammate, cornerback Joe Shelton, sat on a bench while Allen -- a 2014 safety -- chatted with departing defensive tackle Jordan Hill, a projected second- or third-round draft pick. On a chilly Monday, beneath a gray beanie and a jacket zipped up to his chin, Allen just smiled.
"That was my favorite part, the practice, to be honest," he said Tuesday evening. "It was just the intensity there, especially the one-on-ones. The competition level was just very high. I liked it there a lot."
His teammate, cornerback Joe Shelton, sat on a bench while Allen -- a 2014 safety -- chatted with departing defensive tackle Jordan Hill, a projected second- or third-round draft pick. On a chilly Monday, beneath a gray beanie and a jacket zipped up to his chin, Allen just smiled.
"That was my favorite part, the practice, to be honest," he said Tuesday evening. "It was just the intensity there, especially the one-on-ones. The competition level was just very high. I liked it there a lot."
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Pittsburgh fans can temper their excitement just a little, and Ohio State, Penn State and West Virginia fans can feel a little better about where they stand with Dravon Henry now.
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CB Davis plans to leave Pittsburgh area
March, 19, 2013
Mar 19
5:17
PM ET
By
Jared Shanker | ESPN.com
Anthony Davis (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) has more than a dozen offers, and he has not started naming favorites yet. He does know one thing about his future school, however: It will not be close to home.
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Linebacker Zaire Franklin (Philadelphia/La Salle) stifled a laugh when asked if he could vividly remember Bill O'Brien's visit to his school earlier this year.
"How could I forget? Come on now, it was Coach O'Brien," he said. "When Coach O'Brien showed up, my school -- it almost stopped."
"How could I forget? Come on now, it was Coach O'Brien," he said. "When Coach O'Brien showed up, my school -- it almost stopped."
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ABOUT NITTANY NATION
Josh Moyer
Josh Moyer joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering Penn State football for recruiting website Nittany Network and City Hall for The Citizens' Voice in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Moyer graduated from Penn State and earned his graduate degree at Columbia. Email him at espnjoshmoyer@gmail.com.