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10 Questions: Penn State's Class of 2021

Ahead of the early signing period, we reached out to some of Penn State's Class of 2021 commitments in an effort to get to know them better.

After discussing football for just about two years straight, we decided to ask a few outside of the box questions to learn more about them as people, not just future Nittany Lion football players.

Let's dive in with 10 questions for Penn State's Class of 2021:

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1) Outside of football, what are you most looking forward to about your time at Penn State?

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Penn State Nittany Lions Football
Penn State's Class of 2021 cutouts inside Beaver Stadium.

OL Nate Bruce - Besides football, I’m most looking forward to developing into the best man I can be. I want to learn everything I possibly can to help me grow and develop and get ready for the world.

LB Jamari Buddin - Hanging out with my teammates.

WR Liam Clifford - I am most looking forward to making an impact as early as a I can and finally getting in that receiver room.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr. - Outside of football, I’m looking most forward to meeting new people and continuing my academics.

TE Khalil Dinkins - Other than football, I am looking forward to making my own brand. I want to have my own logo one day.

CB Kalen King - Just building new connections with new people. I’m out of state, so just building new connections with people while I’m out there is what I’m most looking forward to. College is the best time to meet people from all over.

K Sander Sahaydak - I'm looking forward to the great education and college experience that I will get at Penn State. I truly think it is a perfect fit for me. State College felt like home and I can't wait to get there.

OL Landon Tengwall - I am looking forward to meeting new people and getting to experience something outside of just the DMV.

QB Christian Veilleux - Outside of football, I’m really looking forward to spending time on campus as a college student and getting closer with the guys in my class.

Saf. Zakee Wheatley - I am looking forward to starting the next chapter of my life. The independence of college, the beautiful campus and the entire Penn State experience.


2) What current or recent Penn State player do you most respect and why?

OL Nate Bruce - The PSU player I respect the most is Micah [Parsons]. He's from my hometown, my home school even, and he’s as humble as can be. He carries himself like one of the greatest.

LB Jamari Buddin - No one specifically. Just all the linebackers.

WR Liam Clifford - I really respect Parker Washington because of how well he has played as a freshman this year.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr. - I respect all current and former Penn State players, but one who stands out to me right now is Journey Brown due to the adversity that he has been hit with.

TE Khalil Dinkins - I respect Joey Porter Jr. because we were good teammates.

CB Kalen King - Joey Porter Jr. I love his game and I love the way he plays. He holds his own out there as a redshirt freshman. I really respect his game and I’m excited to play with him.

K Sander Sahaydak - I could easily say Saquon Barkley because he's from my area and is an all-around great player and person while still remaining humble. However, a recent Penn State player that I really respect is Sam Ficken. I look up to the way that he has worked hard and persevered to be the best kicker he can be and has now developed into an NFL kicker. I hope to follow a similar path throughout my kicking career.

OL Landon Tengwall - Sean Clifford. He had a rough start to the season and is now bouncing back big time. It’s really exciting to watch him light it up again, so I respect him a lot for getting up after he got knocked down.

QB Christian Veilleux - Jesse Luketa and Jonathan Sutherland are two players on this team that I respect and look up to. These guys are from the same city and country that I’m from, and they have battled through a lot of adversity to get where they are today. I followed them in their footsteps, and I hope I can make these guys proud while I’m at PSU.

Saf. Zakee Wheatley - I respect a lot of them, but I would say Saquon Barkley. He was a straight dog and I have heard about his work ethic. He lives in the weight room and always worked to get better. I admire that and plan to do the same.


3) Aside from Beaver Stadium, if you could play a top-10 showdown under the lights, which college stadium would you pick?

Penn State Nittany Lions Football
Multiple future Nittany Lions are looking forward to a game at Ohio Stadium.

OL Nate Bruce - If I had to play in another college football stadium, I’d probably choose Clemson.

LB Jamari Buddin - Nowhere

WR Liam Clifford - It would be at Ohio State because that is my hometown.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr. - Hard Rock Stadium against Miami.

TE Khalil Dinkins - I would have to say I would want to play at Heinz Field because I wasn't able to play there this year.

CB Kalen King - I’d say Notre Dame. During my recruitment, I went down there for the USC game and it was crazy. That was one of the craziest games I’ve been to. It wasn’t better than the White Out, but Notre Dame was right below it.

K Sander Sahaydak - I would always want to play big games in Beaver Stadium. However, I would like to experience a top-10 matchup under the lights in Ohio Stadium. I believe the atmosphere would be exciting and the fans are just as passionate about their team as are the ones we have in Happy Valley.

OL Landon Tengwall - Virginia Tech's stadium. I’ve never been, but I’ve heard it’s pretty insane.

QB Christian Veilleux - I'm definitely looking forward to playing at Ohio State and Michigan.

Saf. Zakee Wheatley - Probably LSU or Alabama.


4) Aside from Penn State or college football, is there a team or league that you follow closely? 

OL Nate Bruce - The only team I follow is my hometown high school football team

LB Jamari Buddin - Nobody

WR Liam Clifford - I follow the SEC closest after the Big Ten.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr. - I follow the NFL very closely, but not a specific team.

TE Khalil Dinkins - The Seahawks are the team I like to watch. They're one of my favorite teams in the NFL, along with the Saints. The only thing with these two teams though is that they've struggled in the playoffs the last couple of years.

CB Kalen King - I watch the NBA all the time. I’m a huge LeBron fan. I’ve been following him since I was kid, so I’m following him wherever he goes.

K Sander Sahaydak - Aside from Penn State football, I closely follow the NHL. As a former youth hockey player, I've always loved the sport. Since I was born in the Chicago area, I've always been a fan of the Blackhawks.

OL Landon Tengwall - I’m a diehard Steelers fan.

QB Christian Veilleux - The Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers is the best to ever do it.

Saf. Zakee Wheatley - The NFL and The Washington Football Team!!!


5) What's your favorite thing about being a Division I football recruit?

OL Nate Bruce - My favorite thing about being a D1 recruit and being known for it is I get a lot of free food.

LB Jamari Buddin - Just being blessed to play the sport I love at the next level.

WR Liam Clifford - My favorite thing are the opportunities in life that are presented for me because of being a D1 football player.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr. - My favorite thing about being a D1 football recruit is all the love that you receive from the coaches and fans, and also the fact that you don’t have to pay for college.

TE Khalil Dinkins - My favorite thing about being a D1 recruit is the amount of attention you get when you're on the field. When you know you can make your presence known, that's the best thing.

CB Kalen King - I’d say my favorite thing is meeting all the new people. Just getting to be in the same room as someone like Nick Saban. All those phone calls with a coach like Coach Franklin. That’s something that so many people wish they could do. So, I would say just meeting new people.

K Sander Sahaydak - One of my favorite things about being a Division 1 football recruit is knowing that I'll have the opportunity to compete with the best athletes on the biggest stage imaginable. I'm so excited to be able to prove what I can do and compete against the other top guys in the country.

OL Landon Tengwall - My parents not having to pay for college. It’s huge.

QB Christian Veilleux - I think the best part about it is the opportunity and the blessings that you end up receiving from your hard work. This process isn’t an easy one, but the results and the position that I'm in today show me why I love the sport of football. The recruiting process is crazy, but to be able to go to a school for free because of your athletic talent is definitely the best part.

Saf. Zakee Wheatley - Having the opportunity to see some of the my hard work pay off, while continuing to work hard and show it in the classroom and on Saturday. Also, just having the chance to continue pursuing my dream.

6) What's your least favorite thing about being a Division I football recruit?

OL Nate Bruce - My least favorite is that, some days, I don’t wanna talk, but still have to.

LB Jamari Buddin - The fans/hate.

WR Liam Clifford - My least favorite thing is not being able to visit PSU due to Covid-19.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr. - I have no complaints. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

TE Khalil Dinkins - My least favorite thing as a D1 recruit is the calls and texts I would get at school.

CB Kalen King - Some of the interactions with people I already know. Ever since we started getting attention for football, some people treat me like a celebrity sometimes. I’m just a kid. I’m a normal guy, like every other teenager, but sometimes people treat me different. I don’t like that.

K Sander Sahaydak - I wouldn't say there is a negative or a least favorite thing of being a Division I football recruit. I have chosen this path because I wanted it. Granted, I have had to adjust to the attention and expectations that comes with being committed to a school like Penn State, but that just gives me more reasons to work hard to deliver and make sure I can hit the big kicks.

OL Landon Tengwall - All the calls and Zoom meetings get tiring.

QB Christian Veilleux - Nothing against you [Ryan] but the media is crazy.

Saf. Zakee Wheatley - Well, I'm not going to complain because it was all a blessing, but at one point, before I committed, the constant calls and texts became overwhelming, especially while at school.


7) Aside from playing in the NFL, what's your dream job?

OL Nate Bruce - Besides the NFL, my dream job would be some sort of engineer.

LB Jamari Buddin - I would want to be a sports trainer.

WR Liam Clifford - My dream job would be owning my own company one day.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr. - Working on Wall Street.

TE Khalil Dinkins - I want to be an entrepreneur and do business all over the world. They are always traveling, which is something I want to do more of. I want to make my own products and eventually make my own company.

CB Kalen King - I would love to be a music producer. I love music and I love all kinds of music. I don’t discriminate. I listen to all kinds of music. I’m a big music guy.

K Sander Sahaydak - Aside from the NFL, I want to pursue a career in business. It's always been an interest of mine and it is what I am looking to study at Penn State. While I still dream of a career in the NFL, its always good to have a backup plan.

OL Landon Tengwall - Franchising multiple fast food industries and just investing.

QB Christian Veilleux - I definitely want to be a CEO one day or an investor.

Saf. Zakee Wheatley - Aside from the NFL, my dream job would just be to have and own my own successful business and not having to work for anyone.


8) One thing you want your future teammates and coaches to know about you

OL Nate Bruce - One thing I want my future coaches and teammates to know is that I'm relentless. Eventually, I will win. I don’t take loses. I will turn every loss into a win.

LB Jamari Buddin - I'm a hard worker and dedicated.

WR Liam Clifford - That I am ready to get to work and can’t wait to build something special with this team.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr. - I’m an extremely hard worker who loves the game of football. I leave everything I have out on the field.

TE Khalil Dinkins - One thing I would want my future teammates and coaches to know is that I am ready to go. I can't wait to be coached by Tyler Bowen.

CB Kalen King - I’m a hard working dude. I’m levelheaded. I’m not getting into trouble. I come from a good house. Don’t worry about me lollygagging. I got my head on straight. I know what I’m doing.

K Sander Sahaydak - I want my future teammates and coaches to know that I'm driven and I'll compete. I won't back down from a challenge. My favorite Penn State core value is "compete." I'll compete every day in the classroom, every day in practice and in every game.

OL Landon Tengwall - I’m ready to learn and soak up all the knowledge I can.

QB Christian Veilleux - Don’t hate my Canadian accent. Also, I’m pretty good at drawing and photoshopping stuff. I made my own top 4 edit.

Saf. Zakee Wheatley - I am hardworking and committed to making the team better. God, family and football are the most important things in my life!


9) Who is your hero?

Penn State Nittany Lions Football
LeBron James has plenty of admirers among Penn State's Class of 2021.

OL Nate Bruce - My hero is my father.

LB Jamari Buddin - My parents.

WR Liam Clifford - My hero is my mom. I’m beyond thankful for all that she has done for me and sacrificed for me all these years.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr. - My father.

TE Khalil Dinkins - I have two, my dad and mom. They have been there every step of the way. They have supported me through everything and I couldn't be more grateful for them.

CB Kalen King - I don’t have a hero, but I have so many people that I look up to. I look up to musical artists, business owners, athletes. I find bits and pieces that I respect about each.

K Sander Sahaydak - My hero is definitely my dad. Seeing how hard he works to provide for our family and me with the opportunities I'm blessed to have is truly inspiring.

OL Landon Tengwall - I don’t have a true hero, but I look up to guys like LeBron. He’s been in the spotlight for about 18 years now and has never once done anything wrong. He’s a great role model for our communities.

QB Christian Veilleux - Definitely my parents. They’ve sacrificed so much for me to be in this position today, and I wouldn’t have been here without their love and support for my goals and dreams. They’ve always prioritized me and my brother and I can’t thank them enough for always believing in us. They’ve shaped me into someone that I am proud of, and they’ve given me important tools and lessons to succeed. Therefore, all I can do is make them proud.

Saf. Zakee Wheatley - My hero would be my dad and grandma. I witnessed all of the sacrifices they took and hard work to take care and allow me and my siblings to live comfortably.


10) What's one thing most people don't know about you?

OL Nate Bruce - One thing most people don’t know is that I have a son named Nathanial, too.

LB Jamari Buddin - I don't speak much when I'm off the football field.

WR Liam Clifford - One thing most people don’t know about me is that I started playing wide receiver my sophomore year and didn’t play football my freshman year due to an injury.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr. - I’m an All-New England track runner in the 100- and 200-meter.

TE Khalil Dinkins - I love superheroes. I watched them as a kid and they just stuck with me.

CB Kalen King - Most don't know that I'm left-handed.

K Sander Sahaydak - I actually never planned on playing football. I come from a big soccer family and that was my first sport. I joined the team my freshman year in high school because they needed a kicker and it gave me a chance to meet some new friends. Once I got my first taste of kicking the ball, it quickly became my passion and I found myself spending more and more time focusing to get better.

OL Landon Tengwall - I play a lot of Madden. I heard during the Michigan State game that Jahan [Dotson] claims he’s the best Madden player on campus, so I’m gonna have to check on that.

QB Christian Veilleux - I really like fishing.

Saf. Zakee Wheatley - I have six siblings.

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