Penn State’s Class of 2019 picked up its biggest commitment to date Saturday, as Rivals100 offensive lineman Caedan Wallace officially joined the Nittany Lions.
The nation’s third-ranked offensive guard, Wallace emerged in the fall of 2016 as one of the mid-Atlantic region’s top up-and-coming lineman. Head coach James Franklin wasted little time extending a scholarship, offering Wallace in February 2017 during his first unofficial visit. He went on to visit University Park another half-dozen times, more than any other school.
“Penn State is the school I felt most comfortable with in my recruitment," Wallace said. "They made me feel like family when I came to campus the first time and that stuck with me. Penn State is also a great academic school and can propel me to where I want to be. I see my teammates and I working hard and bringing a national championship to Happy Valley in the near future.”
Wallace ultimately earned 30 scholarship offers. Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Stanford, Tennessee and Wisconsin were just a few of the top programs to verbally offer. Oklahoma was also a serious player, as Wallace took an official visit to Norman just last weekend, April 14-15.
In the end, relationships played a key role in his decision. He said that, in addition to Franklin and offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne, offensive line coach Matt Limegrover played a big part.
“I like Limegrover on the field because he’s a great coach and he’s good at developing players,” said Wallace. “I like him off the field because he’s a great guy. You can tell by his player interactions that he really cares.”
Wallace is currently ranked No. 66 in the country and second-overall in New Jersey for 2019. He’s the second prospect from the Garden State to commit to Penn State's 2019 class, joining quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson.
“Going to Penn State means a lot to me considering that they have amazing football tradition and they put players in the league,” said Wallace. “Like I said before, I’m looking forward to building a strong recruiting class and winning a national championship at Penn State.”
