Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
1 0 2 A U G U S T 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 W ide receiver Peter Gonzalez joined Penn State's 2024 recruiting class on June 23, but there was a time not so long ago when it had seemed as though the three-star prospect from Pittsburgh Central Catholic might not have an opportunity to play major-college football. Gonzalez suffered a torn anterior cru- ciate ligament during a seven-on-seven competition in January 2022. Penn State and other schools continued to pursue him even after his injury, but Gonzalez knew their offers would be contingent on how he recovered. He returned to the field a few games into the 2022 season and performed well, totaling 42 receptions for 737 yards and 7 touchdowns. But even then, with limited testing numbers to study, schools wanted to see more. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Gonzalez ran track for the first time this past spring to help showcase his skills, turning in a personal-best time of 10.86 seconds in the 100-meter dash. He then followed in late April with his most impressive work- out yet, running a 4.49-second 40-yard dash in rainy conditions at the UC Report camp in New Jersey. And yet, despite all of those promising signs, it was Gonzalez's decision to camp with James Franklin and his staff at Penn State in June that officially put him over the line. In addition to backing up his 40 time, he ran a 4.2-second shuttle and had a broad jump of over 10 feet. "When I ran my 40, Franklin came up to me and said that's all they needed," Gon- zalez said. "He basically said that's what we really wanted to see, and we knew you could do it. Even before camp, he was tell- ing me, we know what you can do, which put my mind at ease. But it's definitely been all positive feedback since camp." Listed in the On3 Industry Ranking as the No. 130 receiver nationally and the No. 24 prospect in Pennsylvania, Gonza- lez took an official visit to Virginia Tech after checking out Penn State. The Hok- ies had recruited him as hard as anyone in recent months. But Franklin and as- sistant coach Terry Smith had been in steady contact from the beginning of his recruitment, and the allure of playing for a program of Penn State's caliber was too much for Virginia Tech to overcome. "Honestly, through the ups and downs, they've been pretty consistent. They were one of the first schools to offer me, and Coach Smith has been consistent the whole way," Gonzalez said. "They've been very honest with my family, which we value a lot. After everything I've been through and everything I've done, I feel like I've truly earned my spot there. I feel like I earned the respect of the people there, which makes it feel like home. "It's also close to home, which is a big deal for me and my family. I want them to be able to see me play." ■ Pittsburgh Receiver Regains His Stride With PSU Commitment 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 PETER GONZALEZ Gonzalez bounced back last year following a knee injury. He finished with 737 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns for Pittsburgh Central Catholic. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Penn State went into the 2024 recruiting cycle with the goal of getting bigger at wide receiver. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Peter Gonzalez fulfills that imperative. Here's a look at what the Lions see in the Pittsburgh Central Catholic star: STRENGTHS Size: Penn State hasn't had a receiver with Gonzalez's measurements in quite some time. Not only does he possess the desired height, but his frame has the necessary size in every vital area. He's got massive 10-inch hands, a commonly desired feature on NFL receivers, let alone college players. He also has a 32-inch reach to help with his catch radius. Explosiveness: Size is meaningless without the ability to separate from coverage. Even after his ACL injury last year, Gonzalez's explosiveness shines at times on film. When he gets the chance, he can find a second gear on vertical routes. Vertical/contested catches: Gonzalez has a big catch radius, and he's good at boxing out defenders and catching the ball away from his body with his hands. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Route running: Gonzalez has a good stutter-step on his vertical routes but has little nuance at the position. Also, he ran very few in- or out-breaking routes after his injury. Lateral agility: We're filing this one as an incomplete. He clearly couldn't cut hard and make transition changes with the force he needed, because of his knee. Big-bodied receivers are more apt to struggle with 90-degree cuts and create separation from their breaks. PROJECTION Z receiver: Thanks to the advantages of playing on the field (long) side of the formation, the Z receiver is the focal point of most college offenses. Gonzalez will need to improve his route running and understanding of the position, but he's got the skills to be the team's go-to target. X receiver: Conversely, Gonzalez can use his vertical leaping abilities and big-play skills at X receiver. If things don't work out right away on the field side, he's got the skills to transition to the boundary. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N