Penn State set to host 2024 prospect committed to Michigan State
Penn State will welcome a 2024 prospect who’s currently committed to a Big Ten rival this upcoming weekend for its game against UMass. Safety Justin Denson Jr., a three-star prospect from Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pa., tweeted Monday evening that he’s planning to return to State College this upcoming weekend.
Listed at 6-foot, 185 pounds, Denson has been a regular visitor to Penn State over the years, visiting five times since the spring of 2022. That’s more than any other school, including Michigan State, the program he committed to back in the summer.
Denson’s last visit to East Lansing was also over four months ago when he took an official visit in June. He committed shortly after that on July 4, but the recent decision to fire Mel Tucker has clearly given him something to think about moving forward.
Currently, Penn State has two safeties committed in its Class of 2024 in Maryland native Dejuan Lane and New Jersey native Vaboue Toure. Both have remained firm throughout and have shown no signs of potentially looking elsewhere, but it is notable that Lane, who stands at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, could potentially play linebacker at the next level depending on how he grows.
Link: What should Penn State fans learn on the recruiting trail in October?
Penn State also hosted another 2024 safety prospect committed elsewhere last month when Bergen Catholic prospect and Rutgers commit Kaj Sanders attended the game against Iowa. Like Denson, Sanders was always interested in the Nittany Lions but committed after Toure and Lane. Whether Penn State would definitely add another safety or not, it’s too early to say, but it does appear that they at least have some interest.
At the time of his commitment, Denson also included Alabama, Florida and Oklahoma among his top schools. He took official visits to both Florida and Oklahoma, while Alabama extended a verbal offer a few weeks before he announced. With that said, Denson has also made it clear on multiple occasions that the Nittany Lions are also very high on his list.
The On3 Industry Ranking rates Denson No. 79 nationally at the safety position. He’s No. 765 nationally and is the 20th-ranked player in Pennsylvania.
In addition to Denson, Penn State also extended a scholarship offer to current Michigan State offensive line commit Andrew Dennis last month. The Nittany Lions were also in the mix with wide receiver Nick Marsh before he chose the Spartans this summer.
