Penn State added its fifth off-season commitment from the NCAA transfer portal. Former Harvard striker linebacker Eric Wilson announced Wednesday morning that he will continue his career with the Nittany Lions. Wilson will participate in the program after receiving his degree from Harvard at the end of the spring semester.
The attacking 6-foot-4, 315-pound linebacker was a second All-Ivy League pick in 2019 and was a preseason at the FCS All-American in 2020 before the season was canceled. He was also a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which “recognizes an individual as the absolute best football science athlete in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. ‘
Wilson was previously committed to playing at Auburn before the Tigers underwent a coaching change in the off-season. LSU and others were also involved. He was recruited by the attacking coach for the Nittany Lions Phil Trautwein and regularly with James Franklin also.
‘“The commitment I have built with coach Trautwein, coach Franklin and the rest of the staff is something I would very much like to do next year,” said Wilson about his decision. ‘All their track records speak for themselves in developing players to be ready for the next level. This past weekend I drove around and saw how a stadium is suitable for 110,000 people and an excellent campus. I became a fan of big ten football and can not wait to be part of a program like Penn State. ”
Wilson and his mother stopped by Happy Valley over the weekend on their way back to Harvard from his home in Minnesota.
“It differs from Boston, but the weather felt natural. That’s what I’m used to,” he told Brian Dohn of 247Sports of State College. “I really enjoyed the scenario driving through the mountains and stuff like that. I’m about 25 minutes west of Minneapolis and 25 minutes west of Minneapolis, there’s a farm right next to us.”
Penn State has some moving pieces on the inside of the offensive line coming off a 4-5 season in 2020 Michal Menet and Will Fries, who started the last part of the season with the right guard, both went on to their senior seasons. Judge guard CJ Thorpe, who started three games with the right guard, entered the Transfer Portal earlier this month, hoping to play a defensive suit at his next school. Linkerwag Mike Miranda will be expected to move to the center to replace Menet, leaving both waiting areas vacant. Redshirt juniors Des holmes and Anthony Whigan, red shirt second year Juice Scruggs and others are expected to compete with Wilson for the vacancies. The Nittany Lions will start packing again Rasheed Walker and Caedan Wallace from the line that started the last few games for the Nittany Lions in 2020.
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