Our next Class of 2012 member was the fourth commitment for the Nittany Lions in the last recruiting class. Derek Dowrey, coming in at 6-3, 280 pounds, was invited to attend a Rising Senior Camp at Penn State last June, and must have been quite impressive. A day before the event, Dowrey had a scholarship offer from just one BCS school (West Virginia), but a day after the event, the Virginia native walked away a committed Nittany Lion.
At the time, there was little known about Dowrey, though his stats from his junior year were quite impressive.
"I was first-team all region on both sides of the ball, playing defensive tackle and offensive guard," said Dowrey on Thursday night. "I felt it was a pretty good season."
The junior racked up 145 tackles primarily playing nose guard, and 40 of those stops were recorded for a loss. He also had 10.5 sacks to go along with four forced and recovered fumbles over the 14-game season.
Gaia, center, at the Semper Fi game. Photo courtesy of BSD user NewJackCity
We're using the interminable off-season to take a closer look at the recruits who stood by Penn State in the face of, well, everything that happened since early November. Today, it's Brian Gaia's turn. He chose Penn State very early in the recruiting process (if you haven't noticed, we're running these profiles in the order they selected PSU):
Gaia’s first visit to Penn State came during the Nittany Lions’ 28-22 loss to Michigan State on Nov. 27. Despite the loss, Gaia said he was blown away by a packed Beaver Stadium. A return trip to State College for a spring practice gave him a more up-close look at the program.
"It was kind of cool to see Coach [Joe] Paterno in action," Gaia said. "He was a really fun guy. We had a little talk. He’s a real down-to-earth guy."
Gaia, who’s interested in studying either business or sports management, said Penn State’s academics and the Big Ten’s reputation for putting linemen in the NFL were two more factors that put the Nittany Lions "out front" for most of his recruitment.
"My family, coaches, teammates thought it was the best pick," Gaia said. "That weighed on me more than anything. It came down to an opportunity and it was the best decision for me."
Gaia was rated the #23 offensive guard in the country and #8 overall Maryland prospect by Rivals. His offer list included Boston College, Iowa, Maryland, Pitt, Rutgers, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia. Scout.com evaluated him as a defensive tackle prospect, complimenting his size and strength:
There was a lot of information flying around today, so here is some of it that we've either independently verified or have seen reported elsewhere and can share with you.
Though William Penn Charter offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey doesn't have an offer yet from either of the two major in-state schools, he is hearing from some top-end program outside the Keystone State.
"I have offers from Wisconsin, Michigan, Boston College, Virginia, Maryland, Duke, Rutgers."
The offer from Wisconsin is the one that most Penn State fans will appreciate, given the Badger coaching staff's ability to coach up an offensive lineman. Already a four-star lineman on some services, McGlinchey was impressed with Madison on his recent visit.
Not convinced yet?
"I'm 6-9, 280 pounds."
That seems like the appropriate size for Donovan Smith's counterpart.
Currently, millions of high school juniors are preparing to engage the monumental task of preparing for college next year. They will register and, hopefully, prepare for the SAT/ACT, plan visits to schools and begin working on their essays. For the several thousand high school football players across the United States, the experience is quite different. For many of these players, their springtime will be spent participating in what is called "Junior Days."
So what are "Junior Days?" I'm glad you asked. While they differ from campus to campus, generally Junior Days are a school's first opportunity to have recruits, be they actual juniors or even younger guests (Penn State will have some Class of 2014 visitors this weekend), visit their campuses to get a feel for the respective schools. It's also an opportunity for coaches, players and the general public (you and me) to figure out the standings of these athletes relative to one another. Usually the "unofficial visit" involves a campus tour, facilities tour, conversations with coaches and other activities, which gives the prospects a feel for the academic and athletic environment at the school.
It’s rare to speak with a 17 year-old as eloquent and insightful as Brookfield, Connecticut quarterback Boeing Brown. It’s even rarer to find someone with his character who can also easily pick apart opposing defenses with pinpoint accuracy. This combination held by high integrity student-athletes has long-given Penn State fans a great source of pride. Brown would fit in nicely with the next generation of players seeking to continue the long legacy of "The Grand Experiment."
Being named head coach at Penn State weeks before the end of the Class of 2012 recruiting cycle presented Bill O'Brien with many challenges. Along with his new staff, though, Coach O'Brien was able to close out a class that could have ended a lot worse, given the circumstances surrounding the past four months.
With his first full year upon us, Coach O'Brien's first major test of the Class of 2013 begins in earnest this weekend, with 50+ recruits set to attend the first Penn State Junior Day weekend of the year. You can view the continuously updated lists as compiled by Lions247 ($) and Fight On State ($) with subscriptions, but our friends at Victory Bell Rings have also compiled a list of visitors free of charge (Many of these visitors have been independently confirmed by Black Shoe Diaries). Listing everyone is very difficult, as there are always last minute additions and subtractions. But below is a sampling of confirmed guests at each position.
In Junior Day news. The list.
Born and raised in Huntingdon, PA, just outside of State College, John O'Korn moved to Florida to be closer to family at age 16. Despite the increased distance from the Penn State campus, O'Korn is looking for an offer from Penn State and a chance to possibly return to Pennsylvania to play college football.
The 6-3, 210-pound junior O'Korn currently plays for St. Thomas Aquinas, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where his sights are set on improving on his junior season.
"Last year we had a good season, but we didn't reach our goals and we have a lot to improve on this offseason. We are returning a lot of starters, including many on the offensive line. I'm excited to get back to work with all of my teammates and start working towards another state and national title run.
"Anything short of that would be a disappointment. There are expectations at St. Thomas Aquinas that no other high school in the country has."
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