Once overlooked by recruiters in his home state, Robert Windsor is hoping he fares better on a national scale.

The former Penn State defensive tackle, who left home five years ago when Wisconsin was too late in offering a scholarship, is looking to find a place in the NFL.

His gritty style of play could land him on a roster next weekend in the form of a late-round draft pick.

“He’s kind of a bull in a china shop as a defensive tackle,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “He’s real strong against the run, real heavy at the point of attack. He played with great effort.”

It was such effort that helped Windsor get noticed by scouts. While teammate Yetur Gross-Matos emerged as a first-round prospect at defensive end, Windsor played with much less fanfare — but no less determination — on the interior of the Nittany Lions front.

It wasn’t until Windsor’s fourth year on campus — he redshirted as a freshman — that he cracked the starting lineup. He started 12 games as a junior and piled up 71⁄2 sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

“I came in as a young guy and had older guys playing in front of me,” Windsor said at the NFL Combine. “It was just a matter of being patient and waiting for the torch to be handed down.”

Windsor could have declared for the draft, yet he opted to return for his final season. He earned a degree in telecommunications in 2018, then tacked on another (media studies) while pursuing graduate work in recreational park and time management.

Windsor saved some of his smarts for the football field. He had 31⁄2 sacks and five tackles for loss while being named third-team all-conference. He also graded well on Pro Football Focus’ rankings, finishing No. 22 in run-stop percentage and tied for ninth with a 10% pressure rate.

Windsor was among five Penn State players invited to the NFL Combine, where he measured 6-foot-4, 290 pounds. His 4.44 time in the 20-yard shuttle was eighth among defensive linemen.

“I thought he looked real solid,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said.

Windsor grew up in Fond Du Lac, Wisc., and despite being an all-state player, he was labeled a three-star prospect. It wasn’t until after Penn State had offered a scholarship — “I was the last recruit,” he said — that Wisconsin came knocking.

Too late.

“I kind of had a little grudge about it,” Windsor said.

Time healed that wound, and Windsor has no regrets about his decision to attend Penn State, even if it did take four years for him to make an impact on defense.

“I’m glad I went there,” he said. “I came in a boy and left a man. All of those experiences shaped me and got me here today.”

Windsor could stick around in his adopted home state if the Pittsburgh Steelers take a flier on him on the third day of the draft. The Steelers are seeking a replacement for nose tackle Javon Hargrave and could use a player such as Windsor to provide competition for Tyson Alualu, Daniel McCullers and newcomer Chris Wormley.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik, a host on SiriusXM’s football platforms, believes defensive tackle has depth in the middle rounds. Among the prospects who might be available are Ohio State’s Davon Hamilton, LSU’s Rashard Lawrence, Alabama’s Raekwon Davis and Baylor’s James Lynch.

“I think you can do some real damage and get some good players in that spot,” he said. “You’ll be able to find some really good players.”

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