Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1430714
6 0 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M T ight end prospect Joey Schlaffer got to know Penn State well in recent years, thanks in large part to his half-brother, Michal Menet, who played on the Nittany Lions' offensive line from 2017-20. Now, Schlaffer will be following in Menet's footsteps. A 6-foot-5, 210-pound prospect in the class of 2023, Schlaffer committed to the Nittany Lions on Oct. 23 at Beaver Stadium, informing the coaches of his decision prior to PSU's game against Il- linois. He picked Penn State over 17 other schools that extended scholarship of- fers, including Arizona State, Maryland, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Those schools gave him a lot to think about, but when the three-star prospect from Exeter Township High in Reading, Pa., received an offer from Penn State in early September, the Lions instantly jumped to the top of his list. "It's something I thought about for a while. It just feels right," Schlaffer said. "As soon as they offered me, I felt like there was no other choice. I kind of felt that my path was set before it even started, if that makes sense. Between my brother's history there and how much I've followed them over the years, this is where I'm supposed to be." Schlaffer won't be able to sign for more than a year, but he was comfortable mak- ing an early decision, in part because of the relationship he built with tight ends coach Ty Howle. A former Penn State player himself, Howle connected with Schlaffer within weeks of taking over for Tyler Bowen, who left this past offsea- son to join the Jacksonville Jaguars' staff. Schlaffer said their bond was strong be- fore Howle even offered. "He's been on me a while. Basically, as soon as Coach Bowen left, Coach Howle started recruiting me," Schlaffer said. "I was one of the first guys that he started reaching out to. At first, I was kind of nervous. He was one of the first coaches I was talking with, and Penn State being the big program that it is, I was always so nervous talking to him. "But that's what's great about Coach Howle. He's a really cool guy. He's really down-to-earth. He's never one to act Hollywood or like some big-time guy. He played football there, he's been around my brother a lot. There's just a lot that fits for me with Coach Howle." Of course, feedback from his brother, who's currently with the Arizona Cardi- nals, also played a role. "There's a lot of things you have to think about when you're going to college, and Michal was great at helping me with that. He was the one always questioning me, making sure that I wasn't just go- ing to Penn State because of his history there," Schlaffer said. "He was always unbiased about it, but he also could never disagree with any- thing. He made the same choice, and he knows it's a great fit for me. I've been going up to Penn State all those years. I have such a love for that team, the en- vironment, the culture. It's infectious." In his first seven games this season, Schlaffer totaled 28 receptions for 533 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 19 yards per catch. ■ For Exeter Township Tight End, Penn State 'Just Feels Right' RYA N S N Y D E R | S N Y D E R 4 2 0 8 8 @ G M A I L . C O M COMMITMENT PROFILE JOEY SCHLAFFER The Nittany Lions quickly rose to the top of Schlaffer's list after they extended a scholarship offer in September. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Assistant coach Ty Howle made another addition to his tight ends room when Joey Schlaffer committed to Penn State in October. The three-star prospect has a unique role at Exeter High, lining up both as a wide receiver and in-line as a tight end. STRENGTHS Frame and tools: Standing 6-foot-5, Schlaf- fer has massive growth potential. Once fully developed, his ideal size could be 240 to 250 pounds. In addition, he has above-average movement skills for a player of his length. He's developing a good burst off the line of scrim- mage and has legit speed, running the 40-yard dash in the high 4.6s. Receiving skills: He developed in real-time throughout the 2021 season and showed vastly improved route-running skills as the year went on. Pad level: Schlaffer has very good pad level for a player of his size. He comes off the ball low with no upward movement and engages defenders with a low base to win the battle at the point of attack. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Strength: The flip side of Schlaffer's block- ing profile is that he simply does not have the meat on his bones to really make a difference at this stage in his development. On top of that, Schlaffer doesn't quite have the tenac- ity and nastiness present in above-average blockers. Agility: While Schlaffer's technique is good, he lacks the ability to make explosive cuts. That's all still in development. The good news is that his pop off the line of scrimmage has improved over time as he's gotten bigger, so his ability to change directions will likely im- prove naturally to a degree. PROJECTION Tight end: Schlaffer is an interesting case study, combining some of the traits of recent Penn State tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Mike Gesicki. He's a very good prospect who could develop into a truly well-rounded player, and it will be fascinating to see the path he takes once he gets to Penn State. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N