Blue White Illustrated

Penn State's 9nal addition to the Class of 2021 is a big one, both literally and 9guratively. Four-star defensive end Davon Townley Jr. of North Community High in Minneapolis joined the Nittany Lions on signing day, 9lling a gap in a small recruiting class. Listed at 6-foot- 6, 250 pounds, Townley is new to the game of football, but he's an athletically gi;ed player with great potential. STRENGTHS FRAME/TOOLS At 6-6, Townley has a massive frame that can easily add lean mass, but he's also an explosive athlete. That's a potent combination. Just a quick check of his basketball highlights con9rms that Townley has the necessary spring in his legs to get the jump on tackles at the next level. His 9rst two steps are impressive, and he shows early signs of being able to bull rush as well. Not only that, but he has impressive long speed when asked to open up and run. Whether chasing down a runner in the open 9eld or running vertically as a tight end, he's an impressive athlete to watch move. PHYSICALITY In general, Townley is al- ready a good run defender who plays to the ball instead of the blocker. He does a good job of keeping gap control and not focusing on the player blocking him, but rather keeping his eyes on the ball. This is a trait of the very best run defenders who treat blockers as obstacles instead of seeing them as their assignment. For a player just learning the sport, this is im- pressive. With his prototype size and appetite for contact, Townley projects as a stellar run defender. For a player who was focused mainly on basketball until a year ago, he's taken to football like a duck to water. HAND USAGE It's not that Townley is an expert tactician with a full arsenal of moves when it comes to hand 9ghting, because he's not. But he made massive strides his senior season and has shown on a regular basis that he's got a 9rm grasp of the basics. He still has a ways to go in consistency and translating these moves to his pass rush, but it's a fantas- tic sign that he approaches plays with an actual plan. AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT SECOND REACTION I think it's pretty clear that the Minnesota native under- stands his assignment on most plays. He shows a good understanding of gap in- tegrity and doesn't spend a lot of time chasing ghosts or trying to play out of his assignment. However, his newness to the game does show up on the second reaction to plays. Maybe it's his coaching, or maybe Townley is content to just guard the backside of plays. Either way, he doesn't consistently chase runners down from the backside. I don't think this is an ef- fort issue, but rather a lack of under- standing that he can make an impact while still holding his backside respon- sibility. Time and coaching will help him get a fuller understanding so that he's instinctive on the 9eld. TURNING THE CORNER Townley's bas- ketball skills show up as a pass rusher in a big way. He does a good job of creating space for himself and then getting an angle on the tackle to attack the quarter- back. The problem is that when he does get to the top of his rush, he has a hard time bending back to the QB. Most of the o:enses he faced in high school were run-heavy, so it stands to reason that he did not have the chance to practice his pass rush as much as he did his run de- fense. LEARNING CURVE Whether it's hand placement, wasted steps or some re9ne- ments in his fundamentals, there are areas where Townley can improve. To see the 9eld at Penn State, he'll need to take the next step and go from a gi;ed athlete who's 9guring it out to a smart player with an advanced understanding of the nuances of playing defense. POSIT IONAL PROJECTION EDGE DEFENDER Townley joins a small recruiting class full of high-upside play- ers. With his size and physical tools, he could have the highest ceiling of any of the players joining the Nittany Lions this cycle, and that's saying quite a bit. He also has the farthest to go of any of the players in this group. In some ways, he's comparable to for- mer Penn State running back Journey Brown. While Brown was seen as a track athlete during his recruitment, it be- came very clear that he had the right mentality to be a talented football player. All he needed was for the light to come on. While other players may see the 9eld earlier, Townley could eventu- ally develop in a similar way. He's not just a basketball player; he's a physical presence who has the chance to develop into the next great defensive end for Penn State. ■ end position. When you look at his up- dated highlight video, there are a lot of similarities to former Penn State All- American DE Carl Nassib, although he's already bigger than Nassib coming out of high school at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds. De- spite the size, Townley has an explosive outside pass rush, uses his hands su- perbly to shed blocks and is e:ective against the run. His 9rst step is very ex- plosive. Once he gets in Dwight Galt's strength and conditioning program, he should physically mature, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up playing at around 260-270 pounds. As a basketball player, he excels at dunking. There's a chance that Townley could be a three- year starter for the Lions. ■ S C O U T I N G R E P O R T B Y T H O M A S F R A N K C A R R S T R E N G T H S A R E A S O F D E V E L O P M E N T P O S I T I O N A L P R O J E C T I O N

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