Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1516624
M A R C H 2 0 2 4 2 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P L A Y E R B I O S / / / / / / / B y the time Pennsylvania lineman Ca- leb Brewer made it to the Blue-White Game last spring, he'd seen enough. Fol- lowing in the footsteps of fellow Berks County players who had landed at Penn State, including current redshirt fresh- man offensive lineman J'ven Williams, redshirt freshman tight end Joey Schlaffer and junior running back Nicholas Single- ton, Brewer had made his decision. Enough, in this case, was an apprecia- tion for what Penn State could offer as an academic institution, not just as the home of a high-level football program. "I learned how much Coach [James] Franklin is invested in academics and players succeeding in life, not just in foot- ball. I really liked that," Brewer told BWI. "He was basically saying that kids will get their master's degree before they [leave Penn State]. He said that if you come here, then you are getting your degree. I really liked that, because education is important to me." Wyomissing High assistant coach Ste- ven O'Neil said the sentiment resonated with Brewer throughout his recruitment. He was initially focused on Duke, Michi- gan and Notre Dame, a sign that academ- ics were a high priority. But an unoffi- cial visit to check out the Nittany Lions in January of his junior year altered the course of his recruitment. "It changed everything for him. I don't think he realized how important academ- ics were to Coach Franklin. That made a huge impact on him and his recruitment," O'Neil said. "I don't think he realized that Penn State had similar standards to Mich- igan and Notre Dame. It really did change everything." Described as "a bull" on the field, or in any competition, Brewer is also an excel- lent wrestler at Wyomissing. In fact, he opted not to enroll at Penn State in Janu- ary because he didn't want to pass up his senior wrestling season. When he does arrive in State College, he will bring a level of competitiveness and athleticism that will help him fit in at an interior offensive line position. "I could see him as a guard or as a defensive tackle. He plays with such physicality and a nastiness," O'Neil said. "One thing I love is that he always finishes. Sometimes he'll play through the whis- tle. As long as he doesn't get called for it, I love it. When you watch his highlights, he also does a great job blocking one guy and then transition- ing to the next." Set to join the Penn State program later in the spring, the 6-foot-4, 270-pound Brewer will soon bring those qualities to the Nittany Lions. He's the nation's No. No. 72 offensive tackle and the No. 17 prospect in Pennsylvania, per On3's scouts. — Nate Bauer IOL | 6-4 | 270 Wyomissing Reading, Pa. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Industry ★★★ 579 53 13 On3 ★★★ — 72 17 ESPN ★★★ — 39 11 Rivals ★★★ — 27 15 247Sports ★★★ — 41 13 Statistics • Helped Wyomissing amass a 15-1 record with a district crown during his junior season, and fol- lowed it last fall by paving the way for a second consecutive title and a 14-1 record Notable • Pennsylvania Class 3A all-state selection • Three-year letter winner at Wyomissing, with all-conference honors on both the offensive and defensive lines • Was an all-state selection as a heavyweight wrestler, notching a school record for pins (16) in one season • Finished 24-2 in wrestling as a junior but missed the postseason with a broken wrist Recruitment • Committed to Penn State on April 15, 2023 • Recruited by offensive line coach Phil Trautwein • Picked the Nittany Lions over Michigan and Notre Dame, with other offers from NC State, Syracuse, Rutgers, Maryland, Duke, Tennes- see, Wisconsin and Nebraska, among others 2024 Projection Like most offensive linemen at Penn State and elsewhere, Brewer is likely headed for at least a year of development in the weight room before an opportunity will arise for him to make an on-field contribution. Although he was pegged initially as a player who could be versatile enough to play at defensive tackle at the college level, the expectation is for him to play offensive line with the Nittany Lions. They Said It BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "Brewer is a rare player who falls into the 'all of it' category for movement skills. Speed? Brewer is one of the fastest linemen Penn State has recruited in some time. Agility? Acceleration? Brewer shows all of those skills from the first snap you watch on film. He has a great frame to add more weight and play at a Big Ten level. Brewer delivers some highlight-level blocks thanks to his great combination of size and speed. There isn't an apparent reason pre- venting him from playing around 310 pounds (minimum) at Penn State." Brewer helped the Spartans compile a 29-2 record and win two district championships the past two seasons. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER CALEB BREWER Academics play key role in Wyomissing lineman's decision T H E B R E W E R F I L E