Get to Know: German DT Joseph Darkwa
Penn State’s search for more defensive lineman has officially gone international.
On Wednesday, the Nittany Lions offered Joseph Darkwa, a 6-foot-5, 260 pound defensive tackle who was born and raised in Dusseldorf, Germany. Following another impressive season at one of Germany’s top programs for American football, plus the assistance of PPI Recruits, a European based group of trainers that work with players hoping to play collegiately in the United States, Darkwa has grabbed the attention of over a dozen Division I programs.
“His parents are from Ghana, but Joseph was born in Germany,” said Brandon Collier, founder of PPI Recruits. “He plays for Dusseldorf’s youth team, the Dusseldorf Panthers. They’re one of the top two programs out here. He knows the game well. He’s been playing for about five years now and he’s been coached up pretty well, too. He’s a smart player and he loves the game.
“He’s a long kid and is a legit 6-5 and close to 270 pounds. He has great hips and great length. I really believe that he has the athleticism to play in the NFL one day. I really do. Of course, he has to get the coaching that he’ll get at one of these big programs and maybe even more important, he needs to get into a strength program. He still needs to add some upper-body strength, but once he gets into a weight program, he’s going to cause some problems for people. He can carry 290 pounds and still bring the athleticism that he has.”
Penn State may have offered earlier this week, but they’ve been in contact with Darkwa and his family for months now. While Sean Spencer has recently been in contact more and more, assistant recruiting coordinator Justin King has spoken with him the most dating back to November.
“He’s been talking to Penn State for probably two or three months now,” Collier said. “Coach Spencer has done a great job, but to be honest, Justin King has probably been the lead recruiter here. He told us early on that he graded Joseph out as someone who could potentially earn an offer, so when they did offer, I know that was big for Joseph. That’s a big offer for the kid.”
Darkwa has already set an official visit to Penn State, which will come in about two weeks from now, Jan. 25-27. He previously took an official visit to Rutgers at the end of November and is now taking a 14-hour flight from Dusseldorf to Los Angeles to take an official visit with Chip Kelly and his staff at UCLA this weekend. Virginia will also receive an official visit next weekend, Jan. 18-20.
Collier added that there are other programs interested in hosting Darkwa for his fifth and final visit, which would likely have to take place Jan. 30-Feb.2
“Mom and dad will be coming with him on all of these visits,” said Collier. “I think there’s a good chance he takes that fifth visit, too. Georgia Tech is right there with these other schools he’s seeing, especially because of their engineering program. Some other programs have reached out, too. I know Clemson and Oregon have both reached out. Texas has reached out, too. So, we’ll see what happens. I know he’s focused on these upcoming visits at the moment, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he takes that final trip.”
Darkwa is in no rush to make a commitment and will likely decide right before or during National Signing Day, Feb. 6. The visits to both UCLA and Virginia, as well as the previous trip to Rutgers, will have a major impact on where he ends up, but Collier believes that the Lions are off to a good start.
“Penn State is definitely a big offer for him. They’re a big offer for any kid, so I think the history of their program and having guys like Justin King and Sean Spencer there will make them a serious player," he said. "I think a coach like Sean Spencer would be great for Joseph. But also, just the program’s history and the brand, things like that. That’s all attractive. He’s going to do the right thing and see out this process and enjoy these visits, but Penn State has a lot that works for him.”
In recent years, PPI Recruits has sent players to Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Rutgers, Temple and Virginia.