UNIVERSITY PARK — After learning of Neiko Robinson’s oral commitment to Penn State, Northview (Fla.) High School head coach Sid Wheatley participated in a broad recruiting conversation with a member of his staff.

“This is my personal view — and I told my assistant coach this — I bet he’s not their last commitment from Florida this year,” Wheatley said. “They are kind of getting involved down here.”

Penn State and Florida. The words don’t enter the same football sentence unless the topic is a bowl game.

Robinson doesn’t know whether his decision started a trend, but he knows his life quickly changed when Penn State defensive coordinator Ted Roof visited the Florida Panhandle.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound safety transferred from Flomaton (Ala.) High School to Northview earlier this year to play with childhood friends. Robinson’s highlight tape made its way to the Lasch complex, and Roof, a Georgia native who worked as Auburn’s defensive coordinator from 2009-11, decided to visit one of Northview’s spring practices.

“When my coach first told me Ted Roof was visiting, I was like, ‘The coach who was at Auburn when they won the national championship?’” Robinson said. “My coach said that he’s at Penn State, and he’s coming to see you. I told him, ‘Stop playing.’ I didn’t think anything like that could happen to me. Sure enough it was him that visited. It put a smile on my face.”

Conversations between Robinson and Penn State turned serious last week. By Sunday night, Robinson had orally committed to the Nittany Lions.

Penn State corralled Robinson before other major schools. North Texas and UAB had offered Robinson a scholarship, but Wheatley said Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett visited Northview twice to watch Robinson.

Robinson will become the Nittany Lions’ first signee from Florida since John Wilson signed his paperwork in 2001. Linebacker Josh Matzkin, a walk-on from Tampa, made Penn State’s roster from 2007-09.

Robinson had a big junior year, compiling 93 tackles and returning three interceptions for touchdowns. His play helped Flomaton finish 11-2. His on-field demeanor fits Roof’s aggressive defense.

“I like it when somebody runs a post or crossing route because I like to hit,” he said. “I like the physical part of the game, and it helps with the mental part of my game. I like to intimidate somebody and get in their head. I try to make a statement when I hit.”

Wheatley said Robinson displays split personalities.

“Neiko is a different guy on the field than he is off the field,” Wheatley said. “He’s a very quiet guy, very laid-back, good mannered and soft spoken. When he steps on the field and the lights go on, he’s very, very competitive. He enjoys the game of football.”

Robinson is a typical southern teenager. He speaks with a drawl, loves football, plays basketball and fishes for catfish and bass. He politely addressed a reporter as “sir” throughout an interview Wednesday night. His twin brother, Neino, is a Division I basketball recruit. The family lives along the rural Florida-Alabama border. Pensacola is the closest city to Robinson’s hometown of Century.

“It’s laid-back around here,” he said. “It’s a great place to raise a family. There’s not all the crime and violence you would have in the big city.”

The area is filled with football talent. Former Heisman Trophy winner Trent Richardson hails from Pensacola.

Florida produced more than 357 Division I recruits in 2011. Pennsylvania, by comparison, produced 61. Florida has eight classifications. Northview plays in the smallest one, but the Chiefs compete against bigger schools in the regular season.

“In Florida, there are so many athletes on the field at one time,” Robinson said. “There’s speed everywhere. You will rarely see a great lineman, but you will always see great athletes at the skill positions. It’s a battle.”

The recruiting battles are fierce. Florida State, Florida and Miami don’t need to leave the border to construct explosive teams, and almost every top-25 program dispatches a coach or two to the state each spring. Three Penn State coaches — Roof, assistant head coach Stan Hixon and defensive line coach Larry Johnson — scoured Florida in the spring evaluation period.

“We talked about it as a staff and to our knowledge we don’t remember Penn State coming around this area,” Wheatley said. “That’s definitely a good thing. There are some good players here.”

Robinson relishes the idea of not being the only Florida native on future rosters.

“It would be good if Penn State could recruit like an SEC team,” he said. “To me, nobody would beat them.”

Guy Cipriano covers Penn State football for the Centre Daily Times. He can be reached at 231-4643. Follow him on Twitter @cdtguy