Virginia offensive lineman Darius Gray recaps recent Penn State visit

By Ryan Snyder

Penn State hosted one of the nation’s top up-and-coming offensive line prospects to campus this weekend in Virginia native Darius Gray. A Class of 2026 prospect from St. Christopher’s in Richmond, Va., Gray earned an offer from the Nittany Lions well over a year ago in June 2022. Penn State was actually the second school to extend an offer to Gray, with Virginia Tech offering him just one day prior.

Now approaching 20 offers total, the 6-foot-3, 285-pound interior prospect has no shortage of options, with schools like Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas A&M all showing serious interest.

As for Penn State, Saturday’s visit for the Indiana game was his second trip to State College. It was his first time seeing a game inside Beaver Stadium.

“I really liked it and my mom really liked it, too. I had a great time,” Gray said. “The best part was just getting a better feel for their coaching staff. I could feel the family environment they have there, without a doubt. The game atmosphere was really good, too. Even with it being [an early start] against Indiana, their fans were still energized and made for a great time. The team fought through some adversity to get the win. They showed they don’t ever give up and are going to fight and fight until the end. So, I thought it was good.”

Link: Four-star WR Naeshaun Montgomery recaps multi-day visit to PSU

Gray’s previous visit to Penn State took place back in April. In addition to watching spring practice, he said he learned a lot about the overall culture of the program and what James Franklin prioritizes.

“I was mainly up there to watch their spring practice, but after that, I did get to meet their coaches and see their facilities some,” Gray said. “That’s when I learned more about the family atmosphere they have there and how going to Penn State is about more than just football.”

He added that he also feels comfortable with offensive line coach Phil Trautwein.

“He’s a real cool dude,” Gray said. “I feel like he’s a laid-back guy. He’s not someone who’s going to really get on you, but he’s also a very good coach. I feel like he knows how to communicate well with his guys.

“But also, he’s definitely one of those guys you can talk about things off the field, too, and he’s there to help you. He’ll treat you like a coach should on the field, but he also treats his guys like a father off the field. I can see that from my talks with him, but I’ve also heard that from a few other players who know him.”

Link: New Jersey OL Jermaine Kinsler earns Penn State offer during first visit

So far, Gray has either visited or camped at 10 different schools. That’s given him an opportunity to compare State College with other campuses.

“I like the vibe up there a lot,” Gray said, when asked about Penn State’s University Park campus and the State College area in general. “I feel like the energy they have for football there throughout the whole community is great. It’s bigger than yourself there. You’re playing for not just the city, but the whole state. I definitely like the vibe there.”

Moving forward, Gray said that he plans to attend Tennessee’s game against Georgia on Nov. 18. He also plans to attend South Carolina’s final regular season game against rival Clemson the following week, Nov. 25. He added that Michigan and Notre Dame are two other schools he wants to see once his season wraps up.

Gray is currently one of just 100 players in the 2026 class to earn an early four-star rating from On3.

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