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tiple Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference programs, including Florida, Florida State and Alabama. Before he committed to Penn State, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound prospect was scheduled to attend Florida State's camp in mid-June. He never made the trip, but he has never vis- ited Penn State either, and as of this writing he had no plans to do so before the season. Wide receiver William Fuller of Philadelphia is the only prospect this year to derive his offer from camp. Fuller picked up an offer from O'Brien immediately after camp end- ed. Four days later, on June 6, he informed Penn State's head coach of his decision. He had previously made statements indicat- ing that the Nittany Lions were at the top of his wish list. "Ever since I went to Penn State's Jun- ior Day, that was the school I wanted an offer from, like real bad," Fuller said. "I loved everything week," Fuller said in early June. "I was talking to him about Penn State. I told him a while back that if I get that offer, he has to come with me to Penn State. He knew that's where I wanted to go. I know he has some top schools after him, but I'm really [going to] do everything I can to get him to come there with me." Penn State's fourth verbal commit- ment was from linebacker Brandon Bell of Mays Landing, N.J. It was another big get for the coaches, as they had been trying to appeal to linebackers throughout the spring. With four total scholarships avail- able at the position, Penn State extended more than 20 offers to line- backers this year, making it clear that the staff wanted a few verbal commit- ments before the season started. Bell was happy to about Penn State when I was up there the first time – the team, the school, everything. I waited around to talk to the coaches after Junior Day, but the offer never came, so when I left and didn't have an offer, Coach [Stan] Hixon told me they really wanted to see me add some weight. "So I added about 8 pounds since WILLIAM FULLER the school I wanted an offer from, like real bad. "[Penn State] was " then, stayed in touch with them a bit, and knew that if I came out [at camp] and did well, I had a good chance of getting an offer." The commitment from Fuller may also help Penn State down the road, as the Roman Catholic prospect is close friends with running back David Williams, a player the Nittany Lions have targeted. Williams trans- ferred from Roman Catholic earlier this year. "I just worked out with him last oblige. "I always kind of knew Penn State was where I wanted to go, ever since they offered," he said. "I don't real- ly know why I was waiting, so once I started talking to [O'Brien] last night [June 13], I just did it." Bell had 12 offers from a list of schools that Boston included College, Connecticut, Mary- land, Northwestern, Purdue, Syracuse and West Virginia. Rivals ranks him 36th nationally at inside linebacker, which is the position he's expected to play at the college level. Penn State's reputation as Linebacker U played a part in Bell's choice, and there were other factors that, in the end, made it an easy decision. "Obviously, it's a great football team," he said. "They're pretty much always going to bowl games, com- peting against the best in the nation. But it also has great academics. … I know it's going to be a great place for me the next few years – not just for football but for everything." W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M C A M P N O T E B O O K Top prospects shine at June camps R Y A N S N Y D E R | B L U E W H I T E I L L U S T R A T E D The Penn State coaching staff hosted a football camp each weekend in June. While two of the camps played host only to kickers and kids in the fourth through seventh grades, the two Advanced Skills Camps, along with the three-day individual position camp, featured some of the North- east's most talented prospects. Though members of the 2013 class were spotlighted most prominently, the camps included more than just seniors-to-be. The Nittany Lion coach- ing staff worked hard to get as many talented prospects as possible to visit campus this past month. Below are five prospects who stood out in the two Advanced Skills Camps, including a few 2014 prospects who may receive four-star or bet- ter rankings next spring. William Fuller, WR, Philadelphia Roman Catholic High: Fuller was the only 2013 prospect to pick up a verbal offer during the Advanced Skills Camps. With the most impressive performance of any prospect at either camp, he showed great hands and ran precise routes. He will most likely redshirt his first year on campus to add more weight, but Fuller has big- play ability and most important, he truly wants to be a Nittany Lion. Quotable: "They seemed pretty high on me when I was at Junior Day. I talked to the head coach and the wide receivers coach that day, but I'm pretty sure the wide receivers coach wanted to see me put on some weight. Once I get a chance to show them what I can do, I think I'll be able to impress them. I plan on performing and getting an offer." Keith Watkins, Ath., Forest Park, Ohio, Moeller High: The Penn State staff took a hard look at Watkins during the second Advanced Skills Camp on June 16. A running back and defensive back, he actually had his own personal workout with assistants Charles London and John But- ler while the other campers filed in for lunch. He didn't walk away with a scholarship offer, but he's clearly one to watch from here on out. Watkins could be one of the next defensive backs to pick up an offer. Quotable: "They will definitely be one of the top schools that stand out if they do offer. I really don't have any favorites right now. I really am just kind of taking things slow, but Penn State will be up there for sure. So far, the only other schools I've been to are Cincinnati, Kentucky, Michi- gan State and West Virginia." Montae Nicholson, DB, Monroeville, Pa., Gateway High (2014): Nichol- son earned a verbal scholarship offer following a strong showing at the June 16 Advanced Skills Camp. At 6-1, 189 pounds, Nicholson looks like a safety at the next level, but he also showed the ability to play man-to- man coverage during one-on-one drills. He went to Michigan a few days after Penn State's camp and earned an offer from the Wolverines, too, so look for Nicholson to possibly be the next BCS-caliber player to come out of Gateway. Quotable: "Coach O'Brien was a really nice guy. He told me that he talked to my coach, [and] was very excited about me. He said that it was much more than just my athleticism that got me an offer. He said that SEE CAMP NEXT PAGE A U G U S T 2 1 , 2 0 1 2 11

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