Penn State Wrestler Joins the Football Roster

Heavyweight Seth Nevills, a four-time California state champ, is a new offensive lineman for the Lions.

Penn State's updated football roster includes a heavyweight wrestler.

Seth Nevills, who went 4-1 for the Nittany Lions last season, is listed as a junior offensive lineman on the latest roster following the end of training camp. Nevills (6-4, 301 pounds) was ranked as high as eighth nationally at 285 pounds last season and delivered a 4-3 decision in Penn State's 34-6 victory at Wisconsin in February. The Lions begin the 2021 football season at Wisconsin on Saturday.

Nevills' season ended after freshman heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet returned from injury in late February. Nevills has a career record of 17-5 for the Penn State wrestling team.

A four-time California state wrestling champ, Nevills last played football as a junior at Clovis High, according to the Central Valley Sports Report.

Clovis grad Seth Nevills is shifting his focus to football at Penn St. He hasn’t played football since his junior year in high school and is now 6’4” 304 lbs. That’s him on the right, playing OL. @ClovisFootball pic.twitter.com/SaT8tcki7z

— Paul Meadors (@paulmeadors) July 30, 2021

“I love wrestlers," Penn State coach James Franklin said in 2019. "Obviously, being here at Penn State, with our wrestling program, and [you] see what [coach Cael Sanderson] does, see how those guys work, how they compete. I think it’s a really, really good sport for junior high and high school football players to play. The work ethic and the mentality are so good."

Nevills isn't the first Penn State wrestler to join the football team under Franklin. In 2016, wrestler Jan Johnson transitioned from his spot at heavyweight on the 2015 national-championship team to become a starting linebacker for the Lions.

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