By ADAM ZAGORIA
Penn State added its first Class of 2021 commit on Monday when TaQuan Woodley from Camden (N.J.) High School pledged to the Nittany Lions.
The 6-foot-8, 235-pound Woodley also held offers from Temple, Rutgers and South Carolina.
“I chose Penn State because they are a great school,” Woodley said. “It’s a very good atmosphere up there on campus. When I went I loved it. It was great and I knew that it would be a place I would like to go.
“I also chose Penn State based off of the coaching staff. They’re a great group of guys who I know can help better me as a player and a man. When I first talked to them I felt a good connection, and I liked them ever since. They keep it real and it doesn’t get any better than that. I also chose them because of the academics and help they have to offer. There’s always life after basketball. The ball will stop bouncing so you always need something to fall back on and I feel as though going to Penn State and getting an education from there will help me in life after basketball with getting into a great job.”
2021 Camden (NJ) and @NYRhoops forward/center TaQuan Woodley has committed to Penn State, he tells me.
— Ari Rosenfeld (@ARosenfeldHoops) May 12, 2020
Woodley will bring the Nittany Lions one of the more rugged defensive/rebounding presences in his class to go with consistent finishing inside and underrated passing pic.twitter.com/jXepLAKYi9
Penn State has two senior power forwards on the roster in Trent Buttrick and John Harrar.
Woodley, who averaged 6.3 points and went for 14 points against Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, is Penn State’s first 2021 commit. They have a three-man Class for 2020 in point guard Dallion Johnson, shooting guard D.J. Gordon and small forward Caleb Dorsey.
“TaQuan is a 6-8 old-school power forward,” said NY Rens coach Andy Borman. “He is versatile in the fact that he can play by himself or with another big in the frontcourt. He has terrific hands and a really high IQ, so he can play in the mid- to high-post as well.
“What truly sets him apart from anyone else is his physicality, rebounding, shot-blocking and toughness. There is not a tougher competitor in the country than TaQuan. He is the type of teammate that everyone wants to play with and no one wants to play against.”
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