Virginia wide receiver KeAndre Lambert will be back in Happy Valley this weekend.
Back in January, the Norfolk native announced that Penn State was one of 11 schools standing out. Since then, some other programs have come into the mix - notably Miami and Ohio State - but his interest in the Nittany Lions hasn’t changed. Now, James Franklin and his staff will host he and his mother for their first official visit, with the goal of setting the bar high.
“I just want to see if I get that feeling,” Lambert said, when asked what he’s looking forward to the most this weekend. “I’m looking for a place to spend the next three or four years at. I want a place that feels like home, so I want to see how I feel. Is it a place I feel like I have that connection at? That’s big, but also, what are the guys like on the team? That kind of stuff. I just want to get a better vibe for the place.”
Over the past year, Lambert has taken two other visits to University Park, the first of which was last September for the game against Ohio State. It left a lasting impression.
“The crowd was in the game from warmups to the finish, literally,” he said. “The energy, the music, everything was great…That atmosphere is somewhere I can see myself playing at on Saturdays.”
Lambert was then back on campus in February for a junior day. That was his first opportunity to really get to know new receivers coach Gerad Parker. Since then, the two have been in contact regularly, especially in the weeks leading up to this visit.
“Coach Parker has been hitting me up a lot. We’ve been talking probably every other day or two,” said Lambert. “We have a great relationship. I always feel comfortable talking to him about whatever. I know he’s super-hyped. He keeps telling me about how he wants to show me everywhere this weekend.
"There’s a lot that I still have to see, too, so I’m excited. He said he’s going to spend most of the weekend with me and we’ll go over everything that the school has to offer and talk some football, too. It should be a great time.”
But Penn State has plenty of competition, too.
Clemson, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia Tech have all not only offered, but have also hosted him for at least one visit. He also mentioned Virginia and Maryland as two schools that have been pushing hard throughout the spring. But Ohio State has also become a serious player after offering Lambert in the beginning of May. Now, he’s planning to visit Columbus for the first time next weekend, June 14.
At the end of April, Lambert said at the Baltimore Under Armour Camp that he was planning to hold off and not make a commitment until the fall. A four-star prospect, he currently sits at No. 55 overall at wide receiver and No. 7 overall in Virginia.
