Black Shoe Diaries

Ed. It's a sad day in Nittany Nation, but the news must go on. The last thing that Joe Paterno would have wanted would be to have everyone fuss over him for an extended period of time. As we lose a legend, we add three (for now, stay tuned as we wait for a fourth confirmation) new members to the family, including the 27th father-son tandem to have played at Penn State since Paterno took over in 1966.

Jonathan Warner, Da'Quan Davis, and Trevor Williams, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Stats

Starz 'n Sheetz

Cinema

Jonathan Warner - Early 2011 highlights

Da'Quan Davis - Senior highlights

Trevor Williams - Senior highlights

The Tale

On Jonathan:

The pedigree is obviously there, so you know he bleeds blue and white already. This is certainly a legacy offer, which is nothing to be ashamed of. Normally I would take a look at his stars and offer sheet and hesitate, but something about this kid has me moderately excited. After reading interviews with Jonathan, both free and paid, he seems like a well rounded young man with something to prove.

He realized he was a bit small for the position and has been working diligently with a personal trainer to bulk up to 6'1" 200 pounds. He doesn't appear to be the "go" route kind of guy (as you can see in the video, his team likes to run that wide receiver flare out), but appears to be quick in space and reportedly has great hands.

On Da'Quan:

The highest rated of the three, Da'Quan was familiar with Penn State, and they with he, but wasn't extended a scholarship until recently. Originally a West Virginia commit, Davis was recruited by Larry Johnson, and the big man, as per usual, was difficult to say no to. Davis fills a position of immediate need, and will have the opportunity to contend right away for a cornerback spot. Don't be surprised to see two Calvert Hall College alums in the secondary sometime in the near future.

Davis was in State College for last year's Blue-White Game, and returned this weekend with his teammate, Trevor Williams.

On Trevor:

Originally a West Virginia commit, Williams showed up on Penn State's radar after Larry Johnson went back on the trail in the Bill O'Brien Era. Johnson swung by a familiar place and former home of defensive back Adrian Amos, Calvert Hall College High School. There he found a wide receiver in Williams that Johnson felt would fit in at Penn State. Seeing as how Williams recently described the situation with the phrase "Penn State is my dream school", I'd say the fit is perfect.

Outlook

On Jonathan:

There isn't much to go on here except for the above video. Warner's father is handling his recruitment, and got his son's tape to Penn State late in the game. I'm not sure if he wanted to see if his kid could make a name for himself in camps and workouts or what, but once the tape arrived at Penn State, it didn't take long for Larry Johnson to extend an offer.

Expect Warner to occupy some sort of possession receiver role, a guy that can run the wide receiver screen or drag route and pick up those extra yards. He has outside speed, but also reportedly has terrific hands and can be a reliable outlet for any quarterback. For comparison's sake, Justin Brown was officially listed on the 2011 roster as 6'3", 214 pounds, while Shawney Kersey came in at 6'1", 198 pounds.

Warner is almost certainly a redshirt candidate, and could possibly be in line for a grayshirt if the commits pile up at the end of the Class of 2012. Welcome (back) to Penn State, Jonathan!

On Da'Quan:

Davis is the athletic type of cornerback that Penn State will need in the future defensive schemes to which Coach Roof and Coach Butler have alluded. He has the quickness to stay with the deep guys, the footwork to follow the slant patterns, and the physicality to get in the receivers face off the line.

One thing that should be noted about Davis is his dedication and work ethic. A smaller kid earlier in his playing days, Davis put on upwards of 40 pounds in high school to ensure that he had the muscle and mass to keep up with the stronger, faster players in the talent-rich Maryland area. Once he gets to Penn State and can begin a collegiate weight/conditioning program, it'll be interesting to see how much he continues to grow.

Welcome to Penn State, Da'Quan!

On Trevor:

Williams is being recruited as a wide receiver at Penn State, now the third wide receiver in the Class of 2012. Given his ability to play on both sides of the ball, however, Williams may be in line for a position change down the line. With the depth the way it is in the secondary, at least one of the Class of 2012 receivers will likely end up in the defensive backfield.

Trevor is not a speedster, like Jonathan Warner. But he's got good hands and can run the necessary routes to utilize his possession skills. Unfortunately, there isn't much more on Trevor. All we have are his junior highlights and his love for Penn State. For now, that will have to do. Welcome to Penn State, Trevor!