Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1488968
5 8 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M CAMERON WALLACE RB | 5-10 | 170 Wallace was the final addition to Penn State's class leading up to the early signing period, committing on Dec. 19. A late riser, the Mount Ver- non, Ga., native didn't pick up his first FBS offer until the end of September, when Washington State reached out to him. Even so, he totaled more than a dozen offers by the end of the recruit- ing cycle. In addition to Penn State, he was pursued by Georgia Tech, Indiana, Michigan State and West Virginia. Once he took an official visit to Penn State in November on the weekend of the Maryland game, the Nittany Lions were the team to beat. Florida State and Georgia both showed interest, and he took unofficial visits to both schools. In addition, Georgia Tech hosted him for an official visit a few days prior to the signing period. Wallace rushed for 1,221 yards as a senior at Montgomery County High, averaging 9.6 yards per carry and scor- ing 13 touchdowns. He earned a host of awards, including all-region player of the year. On3 ranks Wallace as a three-star prospect. He's the 44th-ranked run- ning back in the country. ELLIOT WASHINGTON CB | 6-0 | 195 Elliot Washington's flip from Ala- bama to Penn State in July didn't ex- actly come from nowhere, but plenty of people were surprised when the four-star prospect from Venice, Fla., changed from the Crimson Tide to the Nittany Lions. Washington visited State College the month prior, and the Penn State staff was dogged in its approach to landing Washington. "Penn State checked all the boxes for me and my family, on or off the field," Washington said. "The PSU staff has recruited me from Day 1. Coach Terry Smith has been in to visit me at Venice High School more than any col- lege coach. I was able to evaluate and compare during my time with college coaches. I felt most comfortable with the Penn State coaches. Their entire staff recruited me, not just a posi- tion coach. They're just real genuine people, and my family felt the same as well. Me and my family are on the same page, so the time is now. That's why we decided to be a part of the Penn State family." The Under Armour All-American came up one game short in a quest for a state title as a senior, but he finished the year with 56 tackles, 4 intercep- tions and 2 fumble recoveries. He will bring speed on the outside to Happy Valley, having finished third in the state in the 100-meter dash last spring with a 10.69-second effort. Washington is a four-star prospect according to On3. He's the No. 144 overall prospect and the No. 16 corner- back nationally. J'VEN WILLIAMS OL, 6-5, 290 Penn State has landed more than its share of top prospects over the decades. Last year, the Nittany Lions welcomed three five-star players, and James Franklin has signed plenty of ad- ditional top-100 recruits since taking over the PSU program. However, one area at which the Lions have had dif- ficulty landing elite talent is along the offensive line. That all changed this year. In addition to Alex Birchmeier and Anthony Donkoh, assistant coach Phil Trautwein picked up his highest- ranked prospect yet in Williams of Reading, Pa. Currently the sixth- ranked prospect in the nation ac- cording to On3, the Wyomissing High standout offers a rare combination of size and athleticism. That was evident on the gridiron, of course, but also in track and field. Williams won the PIAA shot put and discus state championships, breaking a state record in the first of those two events. As a football prospect, Williams earned offers from numerous top pro- grams, including Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee and USC. Rutgers and Virginia Tech were able to get him on campus in 2021, but Williams com- mitted to the Nittany Lions early in the process, ending his recruitment on Feb. 5, 2022. An Adidas All-American and a five-star prospect according to On3, he'll enroll at Penn State in January. ■ Sean Fitz contributed to this report. A five-star prospect according to On3, offensive lineman J'ven Williams is the highest-rated player, at No. 6 overall in the nation, in Penn State's 2023 recruiting class. PHOTO COURTESY WILLIAMS FAMILY