A 2025 recruit who possesses 18 Power 5 offers, St. Joseph’s Prep defensive lineman Maxwell Roy stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 265 pounds. He’s an athletic interior lineman who eats up blocks and chases down ball carriers with equal ease, the kind of high motor talent who could start from day one at most collegiate programs.
Among Roy’s wealth of offers are area programs like Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia. After St. Joe’s win over North Allegheny in the PIAA 6A State Championship game, Roy spoke with Pittsburgh Sports Now regarding his ongoing recruiting process. Roy has one year left in his high school career but said he’s starting to narrow down the offers he’s received in talking with his family. In talking with him, Roy emphasized the St. Joe’s connections amongst the schools he has offers from, which could be a trend to keep an eye on during his recruiting process.
Penn State Taking An Early Lead?
For instance, Maxwell Roy said that Penn State defensive analyst and analytics coordinator Gabe Infante, who served as the head coach at St. Joe’s from 2010 to 2018, has played a key role in his conversations with the Nittany Lions.
“Coach Infante, he used to be an old Prep coach, and he still represents all the same things we represent here,” Roy said. “So whenever I get on the phone with Coach Infante, specifically, we can just talk for days about stories [from] here when he was at the Prep. Me and him just relate on a different level.”
Roy also said that head coach James Franklin and defensive line coach Deion Barnes have left a positive impact on him from the conversations they’ve had.
“Whenever you get to talk with Coach Franklin it’s a great time. Talk with Coach Barnes, it’s amazing,” Roy said. “All the guys there at Penn State, they’re all great people. It’s amazing when I get to be on the phone, or whenever I get to talk with them in person.”
Charlie Partridge and the Pitt Panthers
Roy said he hadn’t had much of a chance to talk with Pitt defensive line coach Charlie Partridge—one of the nation’s preeminent assistants—yet, although he did mention his interest in the program.
Once again, ties to his high school play an important role in Roy’s decision. 2022 Prep football alumnus Blaine Bunch, who attends Pitt as a student, is one player who Roy mentioned.
“I haven’t really got to be as connected as I want to be with Pitt yet. But it’s a great place with great players there, and you can name [Prep] players on our team who have gone there—Blaine Bunch,” Roy said. “It’s a great school, and if it’s good enough for a Prep player, it’s good enough for me.”
Meeting Up With the Mountaineers
Maxwell Roy said he hasn’t had time to schedule an official visit to West Virginia, but that it’s on his list now that his season is over.
“J-Trot [Mountaineers’ freshman linebacker and St. Joe’s alumnus Josiah Trotter], Brando [2024 commit Brandon Rehmann], they always talk to me about West Virginia,” Roy said. “It’s a great place, definitely now that it’s the end of the season, I want to be more in contact with them, talk with them more and try to find time to make it down there.”
All in all, Roy said he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself with so many different offers on the table. As a junior, he does feel some pressure to start narrowing things down, but Roy emphasized the time he has left to decide on a future home.
“I try to say I’m keeping my options open. Every school has something to offer and they’re all great schools,” Roy said. “Maybe not as early as I was before in my recruiting process, but I still have time to make a decision and find what’s the best option for me and my family.”
