Class of 2013: Welcome, Brendan Mahon

Bill O'Brien knows how to coach quarterbacks. How else can you explain Matt McGloin's transformation into one of the Big Ten's best passers (24 TDs, 5 INTs) after "meh'ing" it up his first two seasons under the helm? The fan base is understandably excited about the future at quarterback.

But I'd wager that Bill O'Brien understands how big of a role the upperclassmen-laden offensive line played in the team's successes in 2012, and I'd wager he understands how big of a role the offensive line will play for his entire tenure at Penn State. That's why landing New Jersey offensive lineman Brendan Mahon was so vital.

Like Christian Hackenberg, Adam Breneman and Garrett Sickels before him, Mahon had a lot of options when deciding where he would attend school. Mahon was one of the most vocal members of the 2013 class (along with the three mentioned above) who quickly reaffirmed their decision to attend PSU, and it wasn't that difficult a choice. The lineman from New Jersey had offers from a variety of schools around the country, including Florida, Michigan, UCLA and in-state Rutgers, but tight ends coach John Strollo convinced Mahon that Penn State was the right place for him, and o-line coach Mac McWhorter will be happy to have such a versatile option going forward.

Mahon projects as a guard at the college level, but he can play multiple positions in the interior, having played center his entire senior season. With the depth chart still fairly loaded, it might be another year until Nittany Nation sees a lot of Mahon, but that's ultimately a good thing--imagine this already 6'4" 315lb'er with a year of Craig Fitzgerald's training.

Welcome to Penn State, Brendan.

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