Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1480138
4 2 O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M switched his allegiance to Penn State. The out-of-nowhere commitment, coupled with his size (6-1, 245 pounds) meant that Givens didn't receive much fanfare upon his arrival. Nevertheless, it turned out to be a great decision, both for the Altoona, Pa., native, and his future school. Givens wasted little time develop- ing into an impact player on the Lions' defensive front, making six starts at de- fensive tackle as a redshirt freshman and four more as a sophomore. By his junior season, he had added enough muscle to be a full-time starter. The 285-pounder shined for Penn State. In a 2018 victory over Pitt, the team to which he had long been committed, Givens was a disruptive force all night, setting career-highs with 7 tackles, including 2 for loss. "I think we all realize Kevin Givens is a difference-maker," Franklin said after the game. The San Francisco 49ers came to that realization, too. In 2019, they signed the seemingly undersized defensive tackle as an undrafted free agent. He made the team and is still on their 53-man roster in 2022. 5. Amani Oruwariye Class: 2014 Position: Cornerback On3 Consensus rating: H H H H H H What we said: "He should bring some versatility to the Nittany Lions' secondary in the coming years. He's got the neces- sary speed, quickness and ball reactions to excel at the boundary cornerback posi- tion, and he also has the size and physi- cal ability to play free safety. In addition, Oruwariye provides strong run support, has superb tackling technique and can play press man-to-man defense. I expect him to contribute as a freshman on special teams, and I believe he will start his college career at the boundary cornerback spot." — Phil Grosz What happened next: Some defen- sive players have an uncanny knack for coming up with turnovers. As Franklin has often said of such players, "The ball just seems to like them." Oruwariye was one of those guys for the Nittany Lions. After ranking 59th nationally at cor- nerback and 105th among Florida pros- pects in the On3 Consensus, the Tampa native came to Penn State just in time for the start of the Franklin era, switching his commitment from Vanderbilt to the Nit- tany Lions ahead of the February signing day. One of three cornerbacks in Penn State's class — Grant Haley and Daquan Worley were the others — Oruwariye didn't get a lot of attention prior to his arrival, but he has been one of the most successful defensive backs of the Franklin era, both at the college and pro levels. Oruwariye collected 8 interceptions from 2015-18 and earned All-Big Ten hon- ors following his junior and senior years, initially claiming second-team notice, then winning first-team recognition in his final season. In 2019, Oruwariye was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round, and he's now a starting cornerback for the NFC North team. As it turns out, the ball still likes him. Last season, he had 6 intercep- tions in 14 games for a Detroit defense on which no one else came up with more than 1 pick. 6. Will Levis Class: 2018 Position: Quarterback On3 Consensus rating: H H H H H H What we said: "He has a quick release and a powerful arm and is capable of mak- ing all the throws in Penn State's spread offense. When [Justin] Fields backed out of his commitment to the Lions and ended up at Georgia instead, Levis became one of the most important offensive signings in Penn State's Class of 2018." — Phil Grosz What happened next: This one hurts a little bit. Levis will very likely turn out to be the most undervalued player on this list. The reason he's rated sixth is because his mat- uration into a potential first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has happened in the 21 months since he left State College for Kentucky. Levis came to PSU from Xavier (Conn.) High, where he threw for 2,793 yards as a senior and won Walter Camp All-State recognition. He became a priority for the Lions after future Ohio State star Fields decommitted. Levis chose Penn State over Florida State, North Carolina and Iowa. Arriving on campus a year after Sean Clifford, Levis spent virtually his entire Penn State career playing behind the four- star Ohioan. He didn't have great success as a passer, throwing for 644 yards, with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, but the 6-3, 232-pounder did find a niche as a situational substitute, carrying the ball on sneaks in short-yardage situations. That wasn't enough to keep him at PSU, and after the 2020 season Levis headed to Kentucky. The move didn't elicit much national attention at the time, but he went on to enjoy a spectacular debut season with the Wildcats, completing 66 per- cent of his attempts for 2,827 yards and 24 touchdowns while also tying for the team high with 9 scores on the ground. In this year's season opener against Mi- ami (Ohio), he picked up where he left off, throwing for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 37-13 victory. Kentucky hasn't produced a draft- worthy quarterback since Andre Wood- son was chosen by the New York Giants in the sixth round in 2008. Levis is all but certain to end that drought next April. While his NFL selection will likely elicit some groans from PSU fans as they pon- der how history might have unfolded if he'd stuck around and been available at Iowa when Clifford got hurt last October, it's hard to fault anyone for the way the situation played out. Levis thought he had the potential to be starting quarterback at a Power Five school. Penn State already had a starter in whom it had made a considerable invest- ment of time and resources. A transfer was the inevitable result. It might seem in retrospect that Penn State failed to recognize Levis' potential, but that's the way it goes in the unpre- dictable world of college football talent evaluation. Sometimes you find that dia- mond in the rough, and sometimes an- other team finds him. All you can do is hope to scoop up a few more diamonds than your rivals. As the players above illustrate, Penn State has found its share. ■