By Bill Kurelic, NN Recruiting Analyst

bkurelic@nittanynetwork.com

May 14, 2009

Joe Paterno and his staff are hard at work on their 2010 recruiting class.  But they also are keeping an eye on prospects for the following recruiting season.  One prospect bound to pop up on their list is Conner Crowell

The 6-foot-1.5 and 219-pound Crowell, from Waldorf (Md.) North Point, had a strong sophomore season.  Crowell, and inside linebacker, made 74 tackles including five sacks.

Crowell attended the NIKE Football Combine in Baltimore, Md., and the NIKE Football Training Camp in Charlottesville, Va.  He was impressive at both stops.  In fact, in Baltimore, Crowell had the top SPARQ rating with a 121.02 and ran a 4.55 40-yard dash. His SPARQ rating is the seventh-best turned in nationally among all NIKE camps thus far this offseason. It is the top SPARQ rating by a member of the class of 2011.

Not surprisingly, recruiters are beginning to take notice.

“Some coaches have stopped at my school,” Crowell said.  “Coaches from Pitt, Maryland, Richmond and some others have stopped by.”

Crowell names Penn State, Virginia Tech, Oregon, Boston College and Hawaii as his favorite schools - with the Nittany Lions at the top of his list.

“Penn State is probably where I want to go so far,” Crowell said.  “I like the atmosphere there and the fans.  And some of my friends have gone there like Devon Smith.”

Crowell attended one of the Nittany Lions’ football camp sessions when he was in eighth grade.

“It was really nice there,” Crowell said.  “I looked around and got to go in the stadium.  I really liked their stadium.”

Crowell plans to make another trip to Penn State this summer. 

“I’m going to their camp for a day either June 21 or June 28,” he said.