Signed: OL Bryce Effner
WHAT HE DID: Despite the fact that he weighed just 215 pounds at the time, Effner earned a spot on Metea Valley’s offensive line his sophomore season. His senior season didn’t get off to a great start, as he suffered a lacerated spleen during the preseason. Metea Valley finished 2017 with a 1-8 record. They were 8-19 during his three years on varsity.
WHAT HE WON: Effner earned first-team all-conference honors his junior and senior season. Rivals.com ranked him as a three-star prospect. He’s the 10th-ranked player in Illinois and the 46th-ranked offensive tackle in the Class of 2018.
WHERE HE VISITED: Effner earned an offer from Penn State in March 2016. It came just two days after his visited campus for the first time. Effner also visited Duke, Illinois, Northwestern, North Carolina and Iowa State before committing to Penn State in May 2016. He then camped with the staff in July, the day before PSU’s annual Lasch Bash barbecue. He returned for the game against Nebraska in November, then for his official visit, Dec. 8-10.
QUOTABLE: Effner - "The first Big Ten school to offer me was Penn State, which, you know, is arguably the best in the Big Ten. That was super exciting. I just really, really loved Penn State, but I kind of put my emotions aside and was like, Bryce, I know you love this school but you can’t just go with the first one you see and say, yep, this one. I took a step back and was like, I have to (consider) other schools even if I love Penn State this much. I let that take its course and when I felt comfortable that I talked with enough Big Ten schools or other schools in other conferences, I was comfortable with committing to Penn State."
PHIL’S TAKE: Effner is quite possibly the most underrated member of Penn State’s Class of 2018. I personally believe that he’s the top offensive line prospect in the greater-Chicago area and quite possibly the number one offensive lineman in all of Illinois in 2018. At 6-foot-5, 282 pounds, Effner has the frame to play between 300 and 310 pounds, but his development in the weight room may depend on where he plays, as he’s versatile enough to play either tackle or guard at the college level. Effner has an excellent punch and keeps his feet moving to sustain his blocks. He senior season film showed a lot of improvement with his pass-blocking technique, which is essential in Penn State’s offense. I expect him to redshirt his freshman year.
