'09 MD CB Darrell Givens (Penn State Signee;enrolled at Rutgers)

[osugrad21]

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Darrell says he is up to 16 offers after Virginia Tech offered. He no longer plans an early decision and will take summer visits.

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Rivals $

3/17

From the VT site...VT offered last week. Also picked up offers from Colorado and Florida. Visiting Miami for their spring game and then will visit PSU, Florida, Ohio State and Maryland in April. Talks about what he is looking for in a college.

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Scout (free)

4/7

Miami leads slightly over Ohio State, Penn State, Florida, Rutgers and Illinois. All of his favorites have offered as well as Oklahoma, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Oregon, Boston College and others.

""Ohio State was the first school to offer me," Givens said. "I'm going to their spring game on April 19 and I really like the coaches there. They seem really great. I also like the players they have and I'm friends with Jamie Wood (safety from Pickerington Central High School, Ohio) and he's already committed there. We talk a lot and he really wants me to go to Ohio State too so we can play together."

Givens also already attended junior days at Penn State, Rutgers, Boston College and local favorite Maryland, but he says he would prefer to leave the state. "I'd like to leave home and get away," he said.

"Penn State was real nice and I liked touring the campus," he said. "It's real big and they have like 40,000 students that go there. I'm going to their camp on May 10.

"Rutgers is another family-oriented place and I felt real comfortable there," Givens said. "I think I'd be able to go there and play right away."

More at link.

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4/8

From BWI..recaps the visit to PSU last weekend and says he has no favorites. Talks about meeint LJ Sr. and says the visit raised PSU's stock.

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GatorCountry (free)

4/16

Givens, who will be playing in the Under Armour All-American game, plans on taking an official visit down to Gainesville this fall and also knows three other schools he will visit: Penn State, Ohio State and Miami. He talked about what appeals to him about each of the schools, but refused to say they were favorites, rather calling them schools that are “very high” on his list.

FLORIDA: “Florida speaks for themselves. But, also one of my closest friends and former teammates [from Friendly High School] Joe Haden is there, which is good. They are recruiting me hard and I know they have a young depth chart but I still feel like I can come in and play early. I want to see what it is like as a Florida Gator.”

PENN STATE: “I like them a lot. They have another one of my friends, [cornerback] AJ Wallace who plays there and also a lot of other players from this area. Coach [Larry] Johnson and Coach JoPa [Joe Paterno] are really cool. Also, I like the environment and I have the chance to play earlier there.”

OHIO STATE: “I like the coaching staff there a lot. Plus, one of my best friends [athlete] Lamaar Thomas is going there this fall. Also, one of my friends from Ohio, Jamie Wood [class of 2009] has committed to going there and I keep in contact with [offensive lineman] Michael Brewster who recently signed with Ohio State.”

MIAMI: “I grew up wanting to play there and when I went to spring game I liked everything I saw. So, that made me want to come back for an official visit.”

As far as where he might take his fifth official visit, Givens has several schools he is considering. The list includes Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Michigan and Illinois.

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BN$

4/19

By B. Kurelic. Committed to Ohio State.

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Scout (FREE)

By B. Lichtenfels/B. Greene
Recruiting Analysts
Posted Apr 19, 2008



Big Ten teams should have an interesting time trying to throw on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the very near future. The defending Big Ten champions already landed C.J. Barnett one of the top corners in the nation. For an encore they have also landed another top ten player at the position

Continued...

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Scout: Givens Reverses Field (FREE)

By FOS Staff

Posted May 10, 2008



Standout cornerback from Maryland decommits from Ohio State and gives a verbal to Penn State. He is the fourth member of the Lions' Class of 2009, joining high school teammate Malcolm Willis.

Continued...

[GoRU]

Big Weekend: Penn State +2, Ohio State -1 - Josh Barr's Recruiting Insider

As for Givens, it was only three weeks ago that he decided to accept a scholarship offer from Ohio State. However, it did not take long for Givens to consider other options. Lackey Coach Doug Lamb said that Givens contacted Penn State’s coaches around the first of the month to say he was interested and they made a trip to the Southern Maryland school last week.

“I could go into Penn State and make an impact as a freshman, earlier than I would be able to at Ohio State,” Givens said. “After I committed I started looking deeper and deeper into the situation I was putting myself into. Me playing as a freshman was very important.”

Lamb said he wished Givens had taken more time before changing his mind, worrying about the player “burning bridges” by making a decision and changing it so soon, particularly to a conference rival. Givens, though, said, “I didn’t want to decommit and put myself back on the market and have all these other schools coming at me and distracting me from my academics and qualifying.”

Givens said he previously had narrowed his choices to Ohio State and Penn State, with Miami (Fla.) a third option. While he said he now is certain of his decision to choose Penn State’s scholarship offer, Givens is aware that some people might think he could waffle again. Lamb hopes that doesn’t happen, but acknowledged, “This is a 17-year-old kid,” Lamb said. “He changed his mind in three weeks. The odds would be in that favor [of changing again]. I would hope he wouldn’t, but you never know.”

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Rivals $

6/5

Q&A with Givens...talks about his upcoming senior season, his switch from PSU to OSU and trying to recruit others to PSU.

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Rivals $

8/26

From BWI...talks about his team goals for this upcoming season...also talks about his success in summer school and the other recruits he is contact with.

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ESPN - Kirkpatrick leads class of big, fast CBs - Football Recruiting

As a whole, this '09 class is a feisty, physical group of corners who take pride in stepping up hard to defend the perimeter run or the pass. Our top seven prospects, Dre Kirkpatrick (Gadsden, Ala.), Darius Winston (Helena, Ark./West Helena), Prince Kent (Norcross, Ga.), Darrell Givens (Indian Head, Md./Lackey), C.J. Barnett (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont), Janzen Jackson (Lake Charles, La./Barbe) and Marcus Davis (League City, Texas/Clear Creek), claim average measurables of approximately 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. Collectively, they have the physical demeanor needed to play aggressively at the next level and, more importantly, the natural size to back it up.

In terms of a total football player at the position, it's hard to find a more savvy, more instinctive and more athletic corner than Givens, ESPN's No. 4-rated prospect. The Penn State pledge needs some technique refinement but flashes the skills and ability to be effective in a variety of different schemes and defenses. Givens can press, mirror in off-man or break with great burst undercutting routes. The Maryland native's ability to also get over the trash quickly and find the football on run support make him one of the more well-rounded corners of this class.

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10/28

From BWI...talks about watching the PSU/OSU game and talks about how big the win was for him as a one time OSU verbal.

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Lackey Defeats Westlake in Crucial SMAC Football Matchup - washingtonpost.com

"We knew if we didn't win we were done," said Chargers defensive back and wide receiver Darrell Givens, who has committed to Penn State. "For some reason when our backs are against the wall it really brings out the best in us."

Smith completed his first two attempts -- first a 20-yard pass to Givens and then a 44-yard touchdown to Jerrell Jordan to break the stalemate.

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ESPN - Corner position putting less emphasis on man skills - Football Recruiting

Best ball skills

What Scouts Inc. looks for: These guys play the ball, not the man, in coverage with receiver-like skills. They have soft hands and sound concentration tracking the deep throw and know how to adjust their body and high-point the football. They always seem to be around the tipped ball with uncanny natural instincts. Good arm extension and leaping skills are key attributes for making plays on the ball.

3. Darrell Givens (Indian Head, Md./Lackey)

The future Nittany Lion is one of the more athletic and instinctive cornerbacks in his class. He consistently positions himself correctly between the ball and the receiver to come up with the big catch. Soundly tracks the deep throw with great concentration and body control; Givens basically turns into a receiver when the ball is in the air. Can leap and extend for the ball with the best of them. Givens just has an uncanny ability to always be around the ball making plays on defense.