Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1492675
M A R C H 2 0 2 3 4 9 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 / / / / / / / J 'ven Williams wasn't immediately pegged to be among the nation's best offensive linemen in the class of 2023. Although he had garnered the attention of college coaches and recruiting ana- lysts, it wasn't until his junior season at Wyomissing (Pa.) High that the dots began to connect. From the start, Williams boasted unteachable qualities — size and ath- leticism. Then, as a junior, the other components necessary for elite status began to emerge on film. So much so that when Charles Power, On3's na- tional scouting director, picked his "surprises" in October 2021 for the 2023 recruiting class, Williams leaped to the forefront. "He has strong video as a drive blocker and puller at the second level," Power wrote. "Then it turns out he's an elite thrower in the shot put, has verified length (34-inch arms), and is young for the class. Things kept getting better the more and more we dug into Williams' athletic profile and background." Penn State's coaching staff saw the same, but not initially. When the staff welcomed Williams for a summer camp ahead of his junior season, his perfor- mance wasn't strong enough to earn a scholarship offer. Another few months passed before Williams picked up a coveted scholar- ship offer from the Nittany Lions. He nearly committed on the spot, but after a conversation with head coach James Franklin, he tamped the brakes on the process. Williams continued to progress throughout his junior season, and his accomplishments in another discipline unlocked the doors to future success. Training with throwing coach Dane Miller of Garage Strength in nearby Fleetwood, Pa., the same coach who helped develop future Penn State run- ning back Nicholas Singleton, Williams Williams' football career took off after he began a strength training program aimed at improving his distances as a thrower on the Wyomissing (Pa.) High track and field team. PHOTO COURTESY WILLIAMS FAMILY J'ven Williams Five-star lineman comes on strong in his last two high school seasons N AT E B A U E R | N A T E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M