Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1499919
4 8 J U N E / J U L 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 I t's no secret that offensive tackle is one of Penn State's most important positions in the 2024 recruiting cycle. With the Nittany Lions already hold- ing commitments from Cooper Cousins, Donovan Harbour and Caleb Brewer, all of whom will likely be interior linemen, assistant coach Phil Trautwein still had plenty of work to do coming out of spring practice. Trautwein got exactly what he was searching for on April 24 when On3 four- star prospect Garrett Sexton decided not to wait until his previously announced commitment date of May 1. After re- turning home from an unofficial visit to Oklahoma, he immediately reached out to the Nittany Lions' coaching staff. "Honestly, I just knew it was going to be Penn State," Sexton said. "I feel like I've known that for a few weeks now, so why wait?" Sexton, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound pros- pect from Hartland, Wis., talked it over with his parents after the trip to Norman, and everyone agreed that Penn State was the right choice. "We all just felt good about it, so I reached out to the coaches and asked to get on a group call with them all," Sexton recalled. "They hit me back a little bit later. When we got on the group call, I just let them know everything I love about Penn State and committed right there. They were all super hyped for me. It was a great call." Sexton has followed an unusual career path, having started out as a quarterback at Arrowhead High before moving to the offensive line last year. He added more than 30 pounds after his sophomore sea- son, and his performance as a junior in 2022 was enough to convince Penn State of his collegiate potential. Sexton had made his first and only visit to PSU on March 30. He had good conversations with the coaching staff and current players, putting the Lions in good position to earn his commitment. "I love the staff. From Coach Traut- wein to Coach [James] Franklin and ev- eryone else there, I felt like we really con- nected," he said. "The players were great, too. Talking to the players, I thought they were all open and honest about what it's like at Penn State. But also, it's so professional there. When I was there, I just saw my- self playing there for my college career." Sexton is a three-star prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average of grades from the major recruiting sites. He's listed as the No. 27 offensive tackle and No. 435 overall prospect nationally, as well as the No. 4 player in Wisconsin. Sexton chose the Lions over Iowa, Minnesota and Oklahoma. Wisconsin was interested, too, but by the time the Badgers extended an offer, his mind was made up. "I've known for a while now that it was going to be Penn State," he said. "I'm excited about my future there." ■ Penn State made quick work of On3 four-star offensive tackle Garrett Sexton's commitment. The Nittany Lions extended their offer this past winter, and on April 24 he announced plans to sign with PSU. Here's what the Lions are getting: STRENGTHS Frame: There aren't many players who could be categorized as having a "perfect" frame, but the 6-foot-6, 250-pound Sexton is one of them. He's got the right height and has good weight distribution over his frame. In addition, he's got an impressive 85-inch wingspan and 34-inch arms. Athleticism: Sexton isn't simply fast for a tackle; he's fast, period. His ability to burst off the line of scrimmage and attack both laterally and vertically is impressive. Intelligence: A former quarterback, Sexton knows everyone's job on each play. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Size and strength: This deficiency is most noticeable in pass protection. Sexton couldn't anchor and keep players from collapsing the edge of the pocket last year, so he had to adapt. His solution was to redirect and use their mo- mentum against them. This approach won't cut it at PSU. He'll have to learn to play with more recovery strength and develop the lower-body mass to move op- ponents off the ball. Positional fundamentals: Sexton is patient and has a good kick slide, but other parts of his game need work. He holds his hands too low and wide in pass protection, and he needs to develop more intentional drive-blocking with coordinated hands and feet. PROJECTION Left tackle: Sexton has the potential to be- come a high-end player at this position. His ceil- ing is in the same ballpark as current PSU junior Olumuyiwa Fashanu, who was also considered a project player coming out of high school but is now regarded as a likely first-round draft pick. Sexton has the necessary mentality and work ethic, and he's already showing the right devel- opmental signs. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N Position Switch Puts Wisconsin Prospect On Fast Track RYA N S N Y D E R | R YA N. S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M COMMITMENT PROFILE GARRETT SEXTON Sexton started out his high school career at quarterback but impressed Penn State's staff after moving to offen- sive tackle last fall. PHOTO COURTESY SEXTON FAMILY