Penn State 2021 Recruiting Spotlight: Defensive Lineman George Rooks III

George Rooks, a defensive lineman from New Jersey, is a leading 2021 target for Penn State. Check out his SI All-American evaluation.

Penn State's 2021 recruiting class includes one defensive lineman in Rodney McGraw and certainly could use another. One high-profile target is George Rooks III.

Rooks, a defensive end at St. Peter's in Jersey City, N.J., as an important recruit for Penn Start, in part because he projects as a defensive tackle in the future. The 6-4, 260-pound Rooks plays several positions at St. Peter's but has the frame to grow into a tackle, according to his SI All-American evaluation.

Rooks also "excels against the run," an important aspect of playing defensive end for the Lions.

Here's a look at Rooks' SI All-American evaluation.

Frame: Tall, athletic and carries weight well. Long with wide shoulders, tight torso and good-looking thighs. Has room to add mass and chisel.

Athleticism: Plays with good balance and lower-half coordination for big man. Also has solid flexibility and torso rotation when closing and finishing. Has some power in his punch at the point of attack with heavy hands. Somewhat of a strider when chasing and pursuing long.

Instincts: Quick block-read ability. Alert to get eyes to mesh points to find ball after snap. Uses a quick swim to escape and shed in a hurry versus run. Capable of punching and peaking versus base blocks and can set edges to oppose reaches.

Polish: Lines up at 1, 3, 4i and 5-technique and is asked to do different things from left and right side. Used as an inside looper on stunts and games. Hand-usage arsenal consists of a stutter-and-go with power, grab-and-snatch/push-and-pull, rip and an initial longarm stab. Needs to play with more consistent leverage at the point, as he can have a high hat. Is a good wrap tackler, though would like to see more thump at collision points.

Bottom Line: Rooks is the son of former Syracuse defensive lineman George Rooks. He has good size, length and can play big at the point of attack. While he is not a flashy playmaker or pass-rusher, Rooks is an effective player who excels against the run. He has the makings of a good 5-technique defensive end in a scheme that deploys a 3-man front with 2-gap principles.

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