Penn State impresses nations top tight end

Land O'Lakes (Fla.) tight end Kent Taylor made his way to Penn State this past weekend to see the Nittany Lions host Alabama. It was Taylor's first official visit.

"It was good," Taylor said. "I really enjoyed flying up there, hanging out with the players, seeing the game. Unfortunately they lost but I still really enjoyed myself. It was a great visit overall."

In the loss, Penn State didn't have much of a presence from their tight ends. Taylor talked about what he thinks of their situation at the position.

"Right now they don't really have a guy so they can't really use him like they would use me," Taylor said. "Last year they had a guy in Brett Brackett and the year before they had a guy by the name of Andrew Quarless, but they don't have one right now. So what they are telling me is that I can come in there and pretty much start as a true freshman if I do everything I am supposed to. I would be a receiving tight end my freshman year and then fill in to be an every-down tight end who is also ready to block in certain situations."

Taylor's visit of Penn State's tight end situation jives with what he was told by his prospective future position coach.

"I just talked with the tight ends coach (Bill Kenney) mostly, I hung out with all of the coaches but really just talked to the tight ends coach," Taylor said. "We talked about football a lot and he was pretty much telling me that I could probably come in and suit up next week against Temple and help them. He said that he believes I can come in and start as a true freshman in that position, it is called a 'V' in their offense."

Another coach that the nation's No. 1 tight end had the opportunity to sit down and speak at length with was Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno.

"I got to talk to Coach Paterno some," Taylor said. "I had met him once before but he is really a funny guy. We didn't really talk much about football. He just told me Penn State is a special place. He is as sharp as can be, people probably think that isn't true, that he is to old, but he is as sharp as you can be."

Beyond the game and talking with the coaches, Taylor also got to spend time with some current student-athletes at Penn State.

"I got to spend some time with the players and I really enjoyed it," Taylor said. "We just kind of hung out and got some food."

Now back in Central Florida, Taylor reflected on the visit and shared the highlight of his time in Happy Valley.

"Probably just seeing the game and seeing the white out," Taylor said. "Just seeing all those people and how crazy it was, that was good stuff. I really enjoyed it."

This coming weekend, Taylor will take an unofficial visit to Florida State for the Oklahoma game. A month ago Taylor had named a final four of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Penn State, but he says that has been shaken up a bit.

"I think Florida State is kind of in it now," Taylor said. "I still like those four, but I think I like Florida State more than Alabama. Florida State is right there with Georgia. I really believe they (Florida State) is going to use a tight end and that they are struggling for depth there. They are going to take a second tight end this year and I like them, always have, so they are back in there."

The Seminoles and Bulldogs are battling for the third and fourth spots according to Taylor. His top two remains the same.

"I would say that Penn State and Florida are still my top two right now," Taylor said. "They are pretty even, but I would say Florida might have a slight edge."

The only other official visit scheduled by Taylor is for Alabama in early November, but he said that trip is not set in stone at this time.

Taylor, who suffered a broken left hand, is scheduled to have his cast removed in two weeks.