BW Live: Penn State Junior Day #3 Preview
Today on the Penn State Recruiting Show, we’re discussing the final stages of the 2024 recruiting cycle before focusing on the next phase in 2025. We’re recapping the latest On3 rankings update before National Signing Day and then previewing the next and final Junior Day before the February dead period begins later this month.
Join the show live at 10 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday on YouTube, or catch the replay embedded in this article. We’re bringing you the best recruiting content this offseason.
Penn State gets a five star player in final rankings
For the second time in three seasons, one of Penn State’s offensive line commits has earned a fifth star in the final recruiting rankings. Erie native Cooper Cousins skyrocketed up the rankings this fall after a dominant performance during the All-Star season. Recruiting Insiders Ryan Snyder and Sean Fitz will discuss where Penn State’s top targets landed in the On300. Here’s what On3 national scout Cody Bellaire said about Cousins.
“Cooper Cousins’ tape is filled with pancakes and tossing defenders out of the club,” On3 National Scout Cody Bellaire wrote following his All-American week. “With that said, we knew he would be physical and feisty, but we didn’t know just how violent he would truly be when facing some of the top competition in the country. Throughout the week, Cousins was powerful at the point of attack. He finished blocks in the run game and was battling through the whistle during one-on-one’s. His movement skills were on full display during 9-on-7 and team periods.
We also discuss Jon Mitchell’s ascent back to the top 100 in the final On3 Rankings and where the rest of Penn State’s nine prospects landed on that list.
Junior Day Preview
Penn State hosts its final Junior Day before the dead period closes down recruiting for the month of February. We’ll discuss which regional prospects coming to Camppus this weekend are most important or interesting.
The player that stands out most is quarterback Matt Zollers. Snyder explains that while most junior day visits aren’t as critical, the quarterback differs. He also delves into why Zollers, in particular, is a critical visit this weekend.
We’ll also discuss regional receiver Jeff Exinor out of McDonogh and his fit with the program. Snyder gives a stat about receiver recruiting that is eye-opening. Lastly, we preview the 2026 class with Harrisburg offensive lineman Kevin Brown.
