BWI Live: Penn State QB Ethan Grunkemeyer dominates, Messiah Micken commits
Penn State football’s sleepy recruiting month in August suddenly sparked to life on Saturday evening. The Nittany Lions earned a commitment in the class of 2026, with Messiah Mickens pledging to the Nittany Lions three years early. The BWI Recruiting show will discuss Mickens’ decision to join the program, 2024 commit Ethan Grunkemeyer’s explosive week one performance, and the players in 2025 you need to know.
Recruiting experts Ryan Snyder and Sean Fitz, break down all of those topics, plus your thoughts! Join the show live at 10 am EST on YouTube to discuss Penn State recruiting with the best in the field.
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Penn State Lands top runner in 2026
Penn State running backs coach JaJuan Seider was already ahead of the curve on recruiting, with Kiandrea Barker in committed to the Class of 2025. On Saturday, he extended his reach into 2026 when Mickens, a top prospect in the nation for his cycle, committed to the program. Snyder and Fitz will discuss how Penn State landed a player of Micken’s talent so early. They’ll also discuss the potential pitfalls of a commitment roughly three years before signing day.
They’ll also discuss Micken’s skills, talent, and potential. The Harrisburg area running back has offers from national programs like Alabama and Tennessee despite only playing one year of varsity football.
Ethan Grunkemeyer lights up Week One
With the high school football schedule starting in parts of the country, several Penn State commits in the Class of 2024 had opening games last Friday. The most notable performance came from four-star quarterback commit Ethan Grunkemeyer.
The Penn State pledge threw for over 400 yards and led the Olentangy Braves to a 46-35 win over Toledo Whitmer. Fitz and Snyder will discuss his performance and preview a showdown with Ohio power Medina coming up this Friday.
Top 2025 defenders
Finally, Fitz and Snyder will discuss the top 2025 defenders to know heading into the regular season for Penn State football. These juniors are the top names to know for the future of the Nittany Lion’s defense. The duo will discuss the defensive line prospects that stand out heading into their pivotal upcoming season, where Penn State legacy Anthony Sacca’s recruiting journey stands, and which players have the early lead on a LockdownU spot for 2025.
Check out the show live at 10 am and be part of the action during the live chat!
