2022 Penn State CB target Oliver Bridges updates recruitment
A native of Potomac, Md., 2022 cornerback prospect Oliver Bridges was always aware of Penn State.
That's only grown as of late thanks to some personal connections. Christian Veilleux, his teammate at Bullis School, was an early enrollee with the Nittany Lions in January. Bridges mentioned recent Penn State grad Cam Brown, too, who also played his high school football at Bullis.
Additionally, Bridges has had conversations with former Nittany Lion defensive backs Jordan Smith and Stephon Morris, who both also come from the DMV area.
They aren't trying to sway Bridges one way or the other, he said in a recent phone interview. They're simply trying to prepare him for his next step.
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It's safe to say Bridges is on Penn State's radar, too.
Rated as a three-star prospect and the No. 9 prospect in the state of Maryland, he received an offer last December and has been in communication with the Nittany Lions' coaching staff since.
"I feel like my recruitment is going well so far," he said. "In terms of Penn State, I've been talking to [cornerbacks coach Terry] Smith. We've had a couple conversations. I'd usually talk to [former tight ends coach Tyler] Bowen before he left to go to the Jaguars. But I've been talking to [tight ends coach Ty] Howle now."
"Coach Howle has introduced himself, you know, let me know who he is, that type of deal. In terms of Coach Bowen, that was a great opportunity for him, and me and Coach Howle have gotten to know each other because of that."
Penn State is one of nine schools to extend an offer to Bridges, and he says the Nittany Lions are among the programs recruiting him the hardest, alongside Rutgers, Virginia, Pitt, Cincinnati and Maryland.
Bridges visited Penn State before the pandemic caused the present recruiting shutdown, watching the Nittany Lions beat Rutgers in November 2019.
He said he'd like to visit a handful of schools once the dead period is lifted to get a better feel for everything they offer.
"I've been to Penn State on game day," he said. "I was looking forward to just visiting the campus, getting that feel again. And same with other schools, just trying to figure out what feels like home."
Bridges' frame suits his style of play.
At 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, he's the type of physically gifted corner that we've often seen line up for the Nittany Lions on Saturdays.
"I'm a longer, taller guy," he said. "I'm physical at the line of scrimmage. I will come up there and make a tackle, also. I'm not afraid to make a tackle or anything like that.
"You can put me on an island. I'm a man-to-man guy, can go with smaller, bigger receivers, quicker stronger — doesn't matter. In terms of zone and stuff, I feel like I have great instincts at cornerback, in terms of knowing just where to be in the zone to react and be able to make a play."
When it comes time for Bridges to make the next step, he's confident he'll have what it takes.
"I feel like I'm gonna be ready," he said.
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