Lineman Diego Pounds, a Penn State Target, Chooses North Carolina
Diego Pounds, an offensive lineman from Raleigh, N.C., who had Penn State among his finalists, will stay close to home after announcing his commitment to North Carolina for the 2021 recruiting class.
Pounds made the news official on his Instagram account.
An SI All-American candidate, Pounds is a 6-6, 305-pound tackle who chose North Carolina from a strong offer sheet that included Penn State, Alabama, LSU and Auburn, among many others. It's a victory for North Carolina and coach Mack Brown, who began the day with the nation's No. 14 recruiting class, according to SI All-American.
For Penn State, the decision is another tough one in the 2021 recruiting cycle, which James Franklin recently called not up to the team's usual standards. Penn State still has time to add contributors before the early signing period begins in December,
What is North Carolina getting in Pounds? He plays with a combination of physicality and quickness that any offensive line coach would love. In fact, SI All-American called Pounds a "natural athlete playing offensive tackle."
Here's more on Pounds, from his SI All-American evaluation.
Frame: Long, yet lean legs for an offensive tackle. Stronger up top. Athleticism: Good upper body strength. Powerful hips. Runs quite well in space. Uses his hands well in conjunction with his feet.
Instincts: Sets himself up well to angle block by using his quickness to beat defenders to a spot. Shoots his hands quickly. Keeps running downfield after initial block to seek other blocks.
Polish: Pounds is also adept at running out to make blocks down the field. Hits his targets in the chest with his hands; rarely gets beat with a quick inside move because of his quickness and good base.
Bottom Line: Pounds is a natural athlete playing offensive tackle. Possesses the physicalness of an interior offensive lineman, yet the quickness to play left tackle. He’s good in space and does well at finishing blocks when he pulls.
Get the latest Penn State news by joining the community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our AllPennState page. Mobile users click the notification bell. And please follow AllPennState on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.
