Blue White Illustrated

WHO OPENED THE DOOR Ted Roof was Robinson���s primary recruiter, but the safety prospect remained firm in his commitment to the Nittany Lions even after Roof left for Georgia Tech. John Butler made a quick in-home visit following Roof���s departure, helping to stabilize the situation. QUOTABLE Robinson: ���[The coaches] want me to come in and compete. They think I could play cornerback or safety, so they just want me to come in and work hard. I���ll end up playing wherever they need me.��� PHIL���S TAKE Robinson is the most underrated member of this class. I believe he will be able to help Penn State immediately on special teams as a punt and/or kickoff returner. Moreover, he has all the athletic attributes needed to play as a freshman at the free safety position. Those attributes include legit 4.5-second 40-yard speed, a 37-inch vertical leap and tremendous ball reactions. Robinson is superb against the run and hits like a linebacker. I fully expect him to play this coming fall. He should have been a consensus four-star recruit. GARRETT SICKELS DE, 6-4, 238 Little Silver, N.J. Red Bank Regional HS WHAT HE DID Sickels began to see varsity playing time toward the end of his freshman year. He started as a sophomore, and during his junior and senior seasons, Sickels combined for 151 total tackles, 21 sacks and 20 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles. He reportedly runs a 4.68-second 40-yard dash. WHAT HE WON Sickels was ranked a fourstar prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com. Rivals ranked him No. 101 overall nationally, calling him the fourth-best weakside defensive end and the No. 3 overall prospect in New Jersey. He earned All-State Group 3 and All-State All-Groups honors from The (Newark) Star-Ledger. He was a first-round selection for the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. WHERE HE VISITED Sickels received 22 offers before committing to Penn State in March. Other schools that extended offers include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Stanford. Florida was always thought to be one of Penn State���s main competitors, but he committed in early March and has been solid throughout. WHO OPENED THE DOOR Larry Johnson led the way, but Sickels said his relationships with Ron Vanderlinden and Bill Kavanaugh also contributed to his decision to choose Penn State. QUOTABLE Sickels: ���I strongly believe in the values that Coach Paterno set forth ��� winning games with great studentathletes, competing in all the different ways they do. I really love that, and I love that Coach O���Brien is going to keep that going. I really want to be a part of the new era of Penn State football.��� PHIL���S TAKE Sickels performed extremely well at the U.S. Army High School AllAmerican Game in January. He���s listed at 238 pounds but is much more physical than you might think given his weight. He appears to have the type of frame that could carry 265 pounds or more at Penn State. As if to prove it, he saw action at the three-technique defensive tackle position in the U.S. Army game. He has the athleticism to play at either defensive end position and uses his hands exceptionally well to slip blocks. It���s likely he will begin his Penn State career at the strongside defensive end position. He might even see action as a backup during his freshman season. ANTHONY SMITH DB, 6-0, 184 Randolf, N.J. Pope John Paul XXIII/ Valley Forge Military Academy WHAT HE DID Smith started two seasons at Pope John XXIII, where he nabbed seven career interceptions, before heading to Valley Forge Military Academy for a postgraduate season. He played both quarterback and cornerback at Valley Forge. He reportedly runs a 4.55-second 40-yard dash and has a vertical leap of 32 inches. Smith enrolled at Penn State in January. WHAT HE WON Smith was a two-star prospect according to Rivals.com, ESPN.com and Scout.com. In 2011 at Pope John XXIII, he was a secondteam All-West Jersey selection by the Newark Star Ledger and a first-team All-Area choice by the New Jersey Herald. At Valley Forge in 2012, he was named team MVP. WHERE HE VISITED Smith���s only visit was to Penn State. His other offers were from Gardner-Webb and Rhode Island. WHO OPENED THE DOOR Ron Vanderlinden and John Butler both played significant roles in what Smith described as a ���real short��� recruitment. QUOTABLE Smith: ���The coaches at Penn State are great. They���ve been really welcoming, and so have the fans. I just appreciate the opportunity, and I���m going to do everything I can to live up to the standards players have set before me.��� PHIL���S TAKE Smith really benefited from his decision to attend prep school after graduating from Pope John XXIII following the 2011 season. While playing quarterback and cornerback at Valley Forge Military Academy, he grew an inch and added about 15 pounds. While he appears capable of playing free safety, it���s likely he will start out at cornerback at Penn State. His solid 4.55-second 40-yard speed will help him make the transition to the college game. JORDAN SMITH DB, 5-11, 178 Washington, D.C. H.D. Woodson/Archbishop Carroll WHAT HE DID Smith was one of five early enrollees and has already garnered positive reviews from his winter workout sessions. He has not played football since his 2011 season at Carroll, where he tallied back-to-back 60-plustackle seasons. Ruled ineligible by the District of Columbia Interscholastic Athletic Association after transferring to H.D. Woodson, Smith made the

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