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Oh, Hello: NJ OL Wendy Laurent Commits To Penn State

Wendy Laurent, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Stats
Home/HS: Princeton, NJ/The Hun School
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 285

Starz 'n Sheetz
Stars: 3* (247Sports, Scout), NR (Rivals)
Offer sheet: UMass, Navy, Buffalo, Delaware

Cinema

Star-divide

The Tale

Coach Mac McWhorter is wasting no time in trying to keep his offensive line as stocked as possible, as he extended an offer to Laurent in mid-January, prompting Laurent's visit the weekend of January 21. He doesn't have the offer sheet that most would prefer, but again, given the circumstances surrounding this year's recruitment, Laurent will be a great addition this late in the game.

Outlook

Promised a look on either side of the ball, Laurent is being targeted for McWhorter's o-line (though, let's be honest, what LJ wants, LJ gets). He could go inside or outside at this point, but putting on some mass in a collegiate weight program is priority number one. At a listed 6'4", he really is a versatile lineman, sitting right on the cusp of a tall guard and a short tackle. Whether or not he actually stands that tall is another story.

As we've covered many times here, projecting linemen is the hardest thing to do when it comes to recruiting. So Laurent could end up being the next three-year starter for Penn State. Until he gets into camp and starts playing some smashmouth football with DaQuan Jones and others, we'll just have to say...Welcome to Penn State, Wendy!

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Agree...

His speed jumped out… to my untrained eye, he looks more like a DL then a OL even tho he had a bunch of pancake blocks.

by PSU_Ovaltine68 on Jan 25, 2012 6:50 AM EST via mobile up reply actions  

He'll get a look on both sides.

I’m pretty sure McWhorter is targeting him for the interior OL, and I"m not sure where LJSr. is looking at him, if anywhere, as of yet.

by Jeff Junstrom on Jan 25, 2012 6:51 AM EST up reply actions  

perhaps a solid pulling guard?

Two things stuck out to me: he seemed very smart and situationally aware (highlighted by the handoff/pitch to his teammate while running back a fumble) and he had a very high motor. Drove through guys and put them on the ground on offense and defense. The level of competition probably wasn’t as good as others, but those two things can always help a guy improve and play at a high level.

I'm on the Internet cause I'm an Internet thug.
#OccupyESPN

by skarocksoi on Jan 25, 2012 10:02 AM EST up reply actions  

He played all three offensive line positions in high school.

So he’s got that going for him. The knock that I’m hearing, which is the same with most recruits coming out of less populated areas, is that he needs to work on technique. In high school, he was likely able to get by with pushing people around. At Penn State, that isn’t going to be good enough against a complex blitz package from Ohio State or Wisconsin.

by Jeff Junstrom on Jan 25, 2012 11:50 AM EST up reply actions  

yeah

though thats most Oline kids that come in I think. A lot of them are just big kids who can push the smaller kids around. With a reshirt year and maybe a couple more on the bench, I would think he’d be ready to come in and start, and the smarts and drive will certainly help make that sooner rather than later.

I'm on the Internet cause I'm an Internet thug.
#OccupyESPN

by skarocksoi on Jan 25, 2012 12:32 PM EST up reply actions  

He looks really quick off the snap on defense.

"I guess we had a couple of Catholics praying for US!" - JVP, after the down to the wire win over Notre Dame in 1987

by icavalera on Jan 25, 2012 10:03 AM EST up reply actions  

Wendy?

This is a Boy Named Sue sort of thing, right?

Washingtonian and heartbroken Penn Stater -- My blog features the triumph of hope over experience that is being a DC sports fan (especially the Nats) as well as the Nittany Lions, life in BeltwayLand and other things I find interesting. @doubleuefwhy

by WFY on Jan 25, 2012 8:23 AM EST reply actions  

Wow, usually highlight videos dont rile me up very much

but i think I watched the first play where he broke up the option by basically intercepting the pitch like 5 times. At 0:49 he blocks some kid like Michael Oher in the Blind Side. and I dont mean the way Oher actually blocked him, I mean like the movie version block, the one that comedically overemphasized for effect. at 2:50 he basically blocks two guys to the ground and then just stands there while the QB runs by cause there is no one left.

My favorite play is at (ironically) 0:55 when he rips the ball out of the RBs hand, “sprints” down the field, and hands it off to a faster DB for the touchdown. That play shows to me that he may not only be a manchild beast, but also has awareness of the field and the game around him.

I dont know how good the football is in that area of Jersey, but color me impressed.

I know its jumping the gun but I hope one day i get to yell at the screen “WENDY SMASH!!!”

by swiggy04 on Jan 25, 2012 9:09 AM EST reply actions  

I thought this exact same thing the first time I wathed the video.
At 0:49 he blocks some kid like Michael Oher in the Blind Side. and I dont mean the way Oher actually blocked him, I mean like the movie version block, the one that comedically overemphasized for effect.

by Jeff Junstrom on Jan 25, 2012 11:51 AM EST up reply actions  

Mmmmm

I want a number 6 with a small chili to dip the sandwich in.

Then again, that first play for the touchdown also makes me want a baconator.

May even have to splurge on a frosty.

by FB_Dive_or_Bust on Jan 25, 2012 9:18 AM EST reply actions  

I bet HBeach really likes this recruit

I'm on the Internet cause I'm an Internet thug.
#OccupyESPN

by skarocksoi on Jan 25, 2012 9:45 AM EST reply actions  

Wow

Compare this to the Jarron Jones/Tommy Schutt videos of them in the interior. I understand those guys are playing tougher competition, but he looks like he’s playing against eight graders.

Great speed for a big man too.

by jls83 on Jan 25, 2012 9:50 AM EST reply actions  

Wendy? Does he have a brother named Lisa?

"I guess we had a couple of Catholics praying for US!" - JVP, after the down to the wire win over Notre Dame in 1987

by icavalera on Jan 25, 2012 9:54 AM EST reply actions   1 recs

Not sure if this was intentional because you list him as an OL,

but Rivals does list him as a two star, but as a DT.

"Today we have experienced a great loss. This loss is incomparable to what we gained from coach Paterno." - Mike Wallace

by PSUinBOSSton on Jan 25, 2012 10:16 AM EST reply actions  

No, I understand that.

I was just talking about how you listed him as NR on Rivals. I wasn’t sure if that is because Rivals lists him as a DT, or you just missed it.

"Today we have experienced a great loss. This loss is incomparable to what we gained from coach Paterno." - Mike Wallace

by PSUinBOSSton on Jan 25, 2012 11:59 AM EST up reply actions  

Oh, that refers to his star rating.

NR = Not Rated, unless he’s since been assessed a rating and I missed it.

by Jeff Junstrom on Jan 25, 2012 12:01 PM EST up reply actions  

i think hes saying he is a 2 star recruit on rivals

but as a DT. So your listing as NR is accurate from a OL standpoint, but that could be because he is only rated as a DT.

by swiggy04 on Jan 25, 2012 1:18 PM EST up reply actions  

Wendy - from our friends at Wikipedia...

In Britain, Wendy appeared as a boy’s name in the 1881 census of England.

However, its popularity as a girl’s name is attributed to the character Wendy Darling from the 1904 play Peter Pan and its 1911 novelization Peter and Wendy by J. M. Barrie.123 The name was inspired by young Margaret Henley, daughter of Barrie’s friend W. E. Henley. With the common childhood difficulty pronouncing Rs, Margaret reportedly used to call him ‘my fwiendy-wendy’.

Various Chinese rulers have held the name and title Emperor Wen, which in Chinese is read Wen(-)di (文帝).

He completed 17 of individuals 26 passes for 192 lanscaping your yard and two touchdowns - Chan Luu

by rahpsu92 on Jan 25, 2012 10:39 AM EST reply actions  

I have a sister named Wendy

"In every life there have to be some shadows. Look at me. My life has been filled with sunshine. A beautiful and caring wife. Five healthy children. I got to do what I loved. How many people are that lucky?" THE Joseph Vincent Paterno.

by jman07 on Jan 25, 2012 12:09 PM EST up reply actions  

I like that Navy recruited him

Shows that they think he’s quick and has good academics and discipline. I can’t blame him for not wanting to join the navy.

by reedjohnmiller on Jan 25, 2012 11:20 AM EST reply actions   1 recs

Welcome Wendy!

Well, now the Chick-Filet Bowl will have another reason to boycott PSU for the next 4-5 years; but that’s fine with me — there’s already enough chicken on the BoT!

Stop blaming Joe -- media mobs!
Vote out all nine alumni incumbents over next three years

by OlderBudweiser on Jan 25, 2012 11:28 AM EST reply actions  

Both Bench and he

I have been impressed in terms of their tape. I think both of these guys are a bit under the radar we will see in time

by ReddWhitenBlue on Jan 25, 2012 2:06 PM EST reply actions  

Did I read somewhere

that Laurent wasn’t born in the USA?

Possibly in the Caribbean somewhere? That might explain his unique first name.

I

by VoiceOfTheNavigators on Jan 27, 2012 3:06 PM EST reply actions  


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