LEHMAN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The Lake-Lehman school community is celebrating after learning one of their former football players is taking a shot at the NFL.
Connor McGovern, a 2015 Lake-Lehman graduate and current Penn State offensive lineman says he is headed to the draft this year.
Inside a display case in the lobby of Lake-Lehman High School is the All-American jersey worn by 2015 graduate Connor McGovern.
The former standout for the Black Knights just completed his third season as an offensive lineman for Penn State with a face-off against Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl in Florida.
There, a large tailgate of family and friends, known as McGovernville, rallied him on.
Now, McGovern's Lake-Lehman community has another reason to cheer for him. The Nittany Lion junior announced he is leaving college early to head for the NFL draft.
“It's his work ethic and that's what got him there and he was willing to commit himself, he allowed himself to be coachable and that's one of the biggest aspects people don't realize,” said Gerry Gilsky, the head coach of Lake-Lehman's football team.
McGovern's high school football coach says the entire district is absolutely thrilled.
“It's nice to have a small school kid entering into the NFL and it's great to have a kid at the level of a division one, Penn State football and being a part of here,” said Gilsky.
McGovern's former coach and classmates say when he goes into the draft he is taking the entire Lake-Lehman community with him.
“Connor McGovern, from our school, it's just something that you get to say that feels good,” said Lake-Lehman sophomore Ryan Eiden. “It's definitely an inspiration, we have that record board in the weight room, he has records that just blow us out of the water and it's definitely something to thrive to.”
Lake-Lehman graduate Kaleb Konigos is also a Penn State football player and glad to have played with McGovern both here and at State College.
“It's a pretty cool thing to know him ever since high school,” said Konigos. “I played with him for one year and I played with him one year in college so it's a pretty good experience to know a guy like that.”
McGovern's father says his son is not returning to Penn State and the family remains in Florida as he has started combine training for the draft.
One National Football League analyst believes Connor McGovern will be one of the first offensive linemen to be drafted.