Penn State’s interior offensive line got quite a boost this morning.
Former Harvard guard Eric Wilson, a 6-foot-4, 315-pounder who has plenty of experience in the Ivy League, announced via his Twitter account this morning that he will be joining the Nittany Lions as a grad transfer after he graduates from Harvard in the spring.
A lot can happen in a few months, especially in 2020. Unexpected changes have led me to commit to Penn State where I will play for the Nittany Lions as a grad transfer next year. Looking forward to getting to Happy Valley and working with @CoachTrautFB ! #10000menofharvard #WeAre pic.twitter.com/RRqDNb2QZX
— Eric Wilson (@ejwilson38) January 27, 2021
Wilson, from Minnetrista, Minn., will be a senior-eligible, and he had a really solid career in the Ivy. He was second-team all-Ivy after his junior season in 2019, and he was the Crimson’s offensive captain each of the last two seasons (including 2020, when the Ivy League didn’t play). He entered the portal and was once committed to Auburn, but he scrapped those plans when the Tigers fired Gus Malzahn. So, fair to say Wilson was a guy major programs wanted.
Here’s some video of him pummeling some Yalies, and the like:
Penn State needed some O-line help, and essentially, Wilson takes the roster spot of CJ Thorpe, who entered the transfer portal earlier this month.
It’s easy to surmise, based on how 2020 played out, that four starting spots up front are already somewhat accounted for: Tackles Rasheed Walker and Caedan Wallace, and interior linemen Mike Miranda and Juice Scruggs, are coming back. Miranda and Scruggs both can play center, although Scruggs was so good at guard, it might behoove the Nittany Lions to look at Miranda in the middle. That would leave the likely open spot at one of the guard positions, and that could wind up being a really interesting battle for the job.
Wilson will certainly be in the mix with former Lackawanna College standout Anthony Whigan, and there are some really good young prospects — Sal Wormley and Golden Israel-Achumba are impressive on tape, and, maybe, even true freshman Landon Tengwall can get some experience inside before moving to tackle — who can be in it, as well.
Donnie Collins has been a member of The Times-Tribune sports staff for nearly 20 years and has been the Penn State football beat writer for Times-Shamrock Newspapers since 2004. The Penn State Football Blog covers Nittany Lions, Big Ten and big-time college football news from Beaver Stadium to the practice field, the bowl game to National Letter of Intent Signing Day. Contact: dcollins@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5368; @DonnieCollinsTT