Tag: J’ven Williams

2023 Penn State football snapshot profile: No. 70 J’ven Williams

Taking a look at five-star Penn State freshman O-lineman J’ven Williams ahead of the 2023 season.

Going into the 2023 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] this season.

Continuing this effort is looking at one of the best offensive lineman recruits the Nittany Lions have signed in some time. [autotag]J’ven Williams[/autotag] was a five-star high school recruit from Pennsylvania. He is projected to be a big time player in the future and someone who could play in the NFL. Here is a snapshot look at Williams ahead of the 2023 season.

Top five true freshman offensive tackles in the Big Ten for 2023

Top five true freshman offensive tackles in the Big Ten for 2023 #GoBucks #B1G

It is always fun to look at recruiting rankings. The recruiting landscape receives more coverage every year and is a very important aspect of building a program, but it is important to remember these players and prospects are not defined by these rankings.

I was diving into the most recent class and trying to figure out which future Buckeye is going to shine brightest and fastest but noticed that the Big Ten as a whole was pretty interesting recruiting-wise this cycle. We already dove into the quarterback position, running back position, wide receiver position, and tight end position and now we dive into the offensive tackles.

5 new faces to watch during Penn State spring football practices

Penn State’s spring football practices will begin soon. Here are five newcomers you should get to know.

Penn State coach James Franklin hasn’t always utilized the transfer portal the way most coaches do but that has changed and now we see more impact players coming in for the program.

He has always recruited well for the Nittany Lions and has had a great staff that attracts players to come in. This offseason he was able to attract several significant transfer players to pair with a strong 2023 recruiting class for the team.

Get to know just some of the new faces on campus that could be making plays in the Fall inside Beaver Stadium.

Penn State’s Class of 2023 recognized for offensive line strength

247Sports says Penn State’s offensive line effort paid off in the Class of 2023

Penn State made a concentrated effort to beef things up on the offensive line in the Class of 2023. After locking down commitments from three four-star linemen in the early signing period, the Nittany Lions capped the recruiting class with one more four-star player for the offensive line on the traditional national signing day this week with the addition of Chimdy Onoh. As the recruiting classes around the country settle as it looks like Penn State’s class is now complete barring any potential transfer portal adjustments moving forward, the effort made with the offensive line is being recognized in the recruiting roundup summaries.

247Sports took a look at a number of the recruiting classes that best improved their school’s rosters, with the idea that not every recruiting class needed to attack the same positions in order to improve the roster. For instance, Penn State got the help it needed at some skill positions in the Class of 2022 with players like running backs [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] and quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag], so the focus on those positions in 2023 was not nearly as pressing. Instead, Penn State worked on the offensive line that will allow those players to continue to shine in 2023 and beyond.

Penn State’s offensive line was the key area of improvement highlighted by 247Sports, and it is understandable why. With [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] deciding to return next season, along with [autotag]Hunter Nourzad[/autotag] and [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag], the Nittany Lions have the look of a solid offensive line going into the 2023 season, but the Class of 2023 will help keep things stabilized for big offensive line play after the 2023 season.

Here’s what 247Sports had to say about Penn State’s offensive line focus in the Class of 2023;

Penn State solidified its future along the offensive line with four bluechip signees, including two interior players and two offensive tackles. The Nittany Lions grabbed two of the top six tackles, with Alex Birchmeier (6-5, 285) leading the pack as the nation’s No. 2 player at the position. Fast riser Chimdy Onoh, a four-star tackle, picked Penn State over Michigan State on National Signing Day, providing yet another boost to an impressive class. Onoh’s meteoric rise through the 247Sports rankings in December was somewhat surprising. He went from an Old Dominion commitment in mid-December to garnering multiple Power Five offers in a matter of days as a four-star prospect. Most of the attention he generated was from the Big Ten and SEC. He entered National Signing Day as the nation’s No. 13 offensive tackle prospect.

The 247Sports summary goes on to highlight the idea that the new additions to the offensive line will not feel the pressure of being thrown into the mix right away. The returning linemen for Penn State will allow the Class of 2023 signees to take some time to develop and being fully prepared for their roles on the line, but knowing that any one of them could step in early if needed is a luxury as well.

Penn State signed the top-rated player in Pennsylvania with [autotag]J’ven Williams[/autotag] at offensive tackle, the top-rated player in Virginia with [autotag]Alex Birchmeier[/autotag], and another top 10 player from Virginia with [autotag]Anthony Donkoh[/autotag] in the early signing period. Onoh joined the class this week on the traditional signing day.

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Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

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Penn State’s 2023 football commitment tracker

The Penn State football Class of 2023 commitment tracker has been updated with the latest recruiting development

The Class of 2022 was great for Penn State, but it’s already time to turn the page toward the Class of 2023. And James Franklin and the Nittany Lions already had a few commitments on the board for the Class of 2023 as the signed letters of intent were coming in for the Class of 2022.

We’ll be keeping track of every commitment that goes on the board for Penn State in the Class of 2023. But knowing that odds are pretty good at least one player will have a change of heart somewhere along the recruiting process, we’ll keep tabs on what they are doing up until signing day.

This tracker will be updated accordingly when needed. It was last updated on February 1, 2023.

Penn State football locks in Class of 2023

Here is every player Penn State has announced in its Class of 2023.

Penn State’s start to the early signing period on Wednesday ended with the official signing of 22 members of its Class of 2023. The recruiting class is one balanced with offense and defense and will add some terrific quality and depth on the line of scrimmage a year after addressing some skill positions in the Class of 2022. And while the latest recruiting class didn’t necessarily go off without a mild bump in the road on the first day of the early signing period, it is getting head coach James Franklin excited about the program’s future.

Penn State made sure to sign some of the top players from in the state but also did some solid work beyond the state’s borders. This was especially true in Virginia as the Nittany Lions kicked the class off with the first commitment on the board from Virginia offensive lineman [autotag]Alex Birchmeier[/autotag] and continued to add help from the state right up until the final days of the recruiting efforts before the early signing period opened. In all, Penn State added players from nine different states ranging from Alabama to New York.

Here is the full rundown of the confirmed additions to the Penn State program in the Class of 2023.

247Sports bumps Penn State commit J’ven Williams to five-star

Penn State’s top commit in the Class of 2023 is now a five-star player according to 247Sports

With the start of the early signing period for the Class of 2023 coming up next week, it looks like Penn State will be signing a five-star offensive lineman. [autotag]J’ven Williams[/autotag] picked up a fifth star on his recruiting profile on Tuesday in the updated 247Sports player rankings.

Williams is the top-rated player in Pennsylvania in the Class of 2023, and he committed to Penn State in February. Since then, Williams has made a couple of visits to Penn State and remained a steady force in the recruiting class, which continues to come together leading up to the early signing period. Williams is also a five-star recruit according to On3.

Williams and [autotag]Alex Birchmeier[/autotag], a four-star offensive lineman, are considered the main anchors of the recruiting class for Penn State in the Class of 2023. After addressing some key skill positions in the Class of 2022, Birchmeier and Williams lead the way for the current recruiting cycle on the line of scrimmage and should be helping to pave running lanes for [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] and protecting [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] in the coming years.

Penn State’s Class of 2023 ranking has also been moved up one spot on the 247Sports composite rankings from No. 13 to No. 12 with Williams being bumped up the player rankings and Penn State adding a pair of defensive linemen in the past 48 hours.

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How are the Penn State recruits doing in their senior seasons?

This week, let’s check back in with some key 2023 recruits and how their senior seasons have been thus far.

Penn State is coming off a blowout win against Auburn. Not only that, but the Nittany Lions have had quite a few talented players on their radar for future recruiting classes.

We know all about the current Penn State roster and we took a thorough look at the 2022 recruits over the summer. But, what about the future Nittany Lions?

Last week, we took a look at some key recruits who have Penn State on their radar. There were some that even had them narrowed down into a final 10 to 12 teams. But there were others that were pretty far out in their recruiting process but still definitely worth keeping an eye on.

It’s worth noting that running back [autotag]London Montgomery[/autotag] is sitting out for the season due to a season-ending injury. Montgomery was a big get for Penn State’s recruiting class in 2023.

This week, let’s check back in with some key 2023 recruits and how their senior seasons have been thus far.

Penn State football’s top 10 NIL player values in 2022

How Penn State football players stack up in NIL value according to On3

The entire college football landscape has been changed by name, image, and likeness opportunities finally being granted to all student-athletes. While some of the NIL stories surfacing around the country have certainly raised some valid questions about the future of the sport and how the NCAA handled, or mishandled, the entire situation, the bridge to this new era of college sports has officially been crossed and there may be no turning back.

A number of Penn State student-athletes have already taken advantage of the NIL possibilities they have had presented to them, including national champion wrestler Roman Bravo-Young. But how much is each football player’s NIL value entering the 2022 season?

That is where On3 comes in handy. In addition to covering recruiting in the traditional sense, On3 specializes in monitoring NIL values for players around the country. These values can change at any point in time, but here are the top 10 NIL values for Penn State players currently on the roster or committed in the Class of 2023 heading into the 2022 season.

Noticeably absent from this current snapshot of NIL values is freshman running back [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag], who already has his first NIL deal in place. But it may be safe to imagine Singleton will pop up on this list once he gets rolling.

Penn State football commit J’ven Williams breaks state shot put record

Penn State football commit J’Ven Williams dominates at the Pennsylvania high school track and field championships

One of Penn State’s top recruits lined up in the Class of 2023 is making sure to leave his mark on his high school track and field career before he makes the jump to play offensive line for the Nittany Lions. [autotag]J’ven Williams[/autotag] set a new high school record in Pennsylvania at the PIAA Class 2A championships on Saturday by launching a shot 66 feet 7.75 inches.

Not only did Williams crush it in the shot put, but he also won the gold medal in the discus event held this weekend at Shippensburg University. Not a bad way to spend a Memorial Day weekend in the Cumberland Valley.

 

Ironically, Williams broke a state record that stood for an impressive 15 years. The record was previously set by [autotag]Joe Kovacs[/autotag], a Penn State track and field legend in his own right. Kovacs won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics last summer, earning his second career Olympic medal and adding to his medal collection.

Williams is a four-star offensive lineman recruit in Penn State’s Class of 2023. Williams has been ranked as the top recruit in the state of Pennsylvania, and he could arguably be the top offensive lineman in Penn State’s next recruiting class. Proving not to just be a shot put master, Williams was also named a First-Team All-County tackle and the offensive lineman of the year last season.

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