Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1169916
F O O T B A L L R E C R U I T I N G IN A RUSH New Jersey offensive lineman Devin Willock is eager to get to work at Penn State | P enn State added its 02h o1ensive lineman to the Class of 2020 when Devin Willock of Paramus, N.J., announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions on Sept. 1. Although it was known that James Franklin and his sta1 were interested in the 6-foot-7, 350-pound tackle prospect from Paramus Catholic, the timing of his decision came as a surprise to many. BWI's Ryan Snyder re- cently caught up with Willock to learn about his recruitment and why he decided to end it a bit earlier than originally expected. BWI When did you really start talking to Penn State? Were you talking to them much before they extended that verbal o1er at the end of June? WILLOCK I started talking to them more at the end of May. It was still pretty ca- sual then. They always told me that they had a lot of interest in me but wanted to see more 0lm or have me come to their camp. They really wanted to get an eye on me and see what I could do. Coach [Gerad] Parker did come to my school at the end of May. He saw me work out then, but they really wanted to see how I move. That was the main thing. But yeah, it was around that time that Coach [Matt] Limegrover and the other coaches who recruit New Jersey started coming around more and con- tacting me more. They were getting to know me for like a whole month before they o1ered me. BWI The o1er came in late June. How big was that for you? What do you re- member from that talk with the sta1? WILLOCK Penn State is a big-time school, so if I'm being honest, I was a little shocked. I was also real hyped, too. To get an o1er from Penn State is a big deal. But I did kind of get a feeling that they were considering it. In the days leading up to that, I was talking to all of their coaches. They had all of their For daily and breaking news updates on Penn State football recruiting, visit bwi.rivals.com. NEW LINEMAN Willock said he came away im- pressed with Penn State after visiting for the Lasch Bash in July. Photo cour- tesy of Rivals.com