Mario Nash Jr. thought getting offered by Penn State was a dream.
Nope, it was real, and the 6-foot-5, 280-pounder from the Class of 2025 is thrilled about it.
I’m extremely honored to announce that after a great conversation with @CoachTrautFB I have received an offer to play @PennStateFball ! @DAWGHZERECRUITS @adamgorney @RivalsFriedman @SWiltfong247 @On3Recruits @LawrencHopkins @warren_rowan @MacCorleone74 @ChadSimmons_… pic.twitter.com/duVoFkxTVK
— Mario Nash Jr (@BigNash_77) July 15, 2023
Nash was home late last week when Penn State’s offensive line coach, Phil Trautwein, extended the offer.
Nash, a native of De Kalb, Mississippi, hasn’t visited Penn State yet, but he learned a bit about the school from Trautwein, and liked what he heard.
“I know it’s a great institution,” Nash told Nittany Sports Now. “They win a lot. The 0-line coach, he’s really good. There’s nine o-lineman from Penn State in the NFL.”
So how would Nash describe himself as a player?
“Aggressive,” he said. “Coachable and work hard. Willing to learn.
Nash started playing football when he was six years old.
After dealing with injury problems during his youth— including a broke tibia— Nash decided to take a break from the game during middle school to preserve his body for high school.
When Nash picked up the game again, he said his body struggled to adjust at first.
“Getting tired real fast and not being able to bend,” he said. “That’s really it. My muscles weren’t conditioned because I stopped playing football. I didn’t play in middle school.”
When Nash got to high school, he didn’t know where he was going to play, but it didn’t take long for him to find a home on the line.
“I knew I had the potential when I was young, really,” Nash said. “But I just didn’t know what position I was going to play. Because when I was a kid, I played, really, everything. Linebacker, running back, d-end.”
“The spring after my freshman year, that’s when I really realized I had the potential to go D-1.”
He certainly has the potential. Nash has 11 total offers from places such as Florida A&M, Florida State, Maryland, Miami, Mississippi State, Mississippi Valley State, Ole Miss and Virginia Tech.
He’s visited Florida State, Virginia Tech, FAMU, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Nash plans to visit Penn State for this year’s White Out game against Iowa Sept. 23, if not sooner.
Like many recruits who haven’t been to Beaver Stadium, Nash is impressed by the White Out.
“I like the energy there and the vibe,” he said. “It’s different.”
