De'Andre Cook decides today; will Penn State land the Class of 2024 defender?
It is decision day for Washington, D.C., Class of 2024 recruit De’Andre Cook. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound On3 Industry Ranking three-star defensive tackle who plays at Friendship Collegiate Academy will announce his college choice at 5:45 p.m. ET. Will he pick Penn State?
Below, we review Cook’s recruitment, look at the contenders, and break down who is in the lead before the announcement is made.
Tracking DeAndre Cook’s recruitment
Penn State offered Cook back on April 1. The tender came after he took an unofficial visit to campus. It was his second such trip to campus but first as a junior, and the Lions clearly liked what they saw. They upped their push for the defensive lineman from there, with Deion Barnes leading the charge.
All told, Cook claimed nearly 30 offers. His first came from Boston College way back in March of 2021. And, many more followed.
Who are the contenders?
Cook put out a top-five back on June 23. The list included Penn State, Boston College, North Carolina, Rutgers, and Oklahoma. He took an official visit to see the Lions during the weekend of June 16. The three-star also took 48-hour all-expenses-paid trips to see the Tar Heels, Eagles, and Scarlet Knights in June.
Not taking a trip to see the Sooners rules them out. So, this recruitment will come down to the four programs he spent time with earlier this month.
Who leads on the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine?
Powered by On3 RPM picks from BWI recruiting insider Sean Fitz and On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons, Penn State has a commanding lead in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine percentage leaderboard heading into decision day. It is the odds-on favorite by a significant margin.
What has he said about Penn State?
Speaking to BWI following his April unofficial visit to Penn State, Cook had this to say on Lions defensive line coach Deion Barnes:
“Deion is a real cool, funny, down-to-Earth coach. You’ve got examples of how he can coach because of Chop [Robinson], the No. 1 defensive edge that is returning.”
How can you follow Cook’s announcement?
Cook has not yet said how he will reveal his decision. This section will be updated if and when more information becomes available. Cook’s Twitter page is here. The latest can be found inside The Lions Den forum, as well.
Where does Penn State stand to start the day?
With 20 Class of 2024 verbal commitments at the start of Friday, Penn State holds the No. 9 spot in the On3 Industry Ranking Football Team Recruiting Rankings.
Here is the Lions’ current commitment timeline rundown:
June 23, 2023 – Hicksville, N.Y., four-star Josiah Brown.
June 23, 2023 — Pittsburgh, Pa., three-star Peter Gonzalez.
Jun. 21, 2023 — Philadelphia four-star receiver Tyseer Denmark.
June 11, 2023 — Irvington, N.J., four-star safety Vaboue Toure.
Jun. 4, 2023 — Baltimore, Md., four-star safety Dejuan Lane.
June 4, 2023 — Columbia, Md., three-star defensive lineman Xavier Gillman
Jun. 4, 2023 — Jacksonville, Fla., 3-star defensive tackle Deryc Plazz. He decommitted on June 15.
May 20, 2023 — Lewis Center, Ohio 3-star quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer.
April 28, 2023 — Waukesha, Wisc., 4-star running back Corey Smith.
Apr. 25, 2023 — Cornelius, N.C., 3-star tackle Eagan Boyer.
Apr. 24, 2023 — Hartland, Wisc., 3-star tackle Garrett Sexton.
April 18, 2023 — Waukesha, Wisc., 4-star offensive lineman Donovan Harbour.
April 15, 2023 — Reading, Pa., 3-star athlete Caleb Brewer.
Apr. 10, 2023 — Jacksonville, Fla., 3-star cornerback Antoine Belgrave-Shorter.
April 7, 2023 – Pittsburgh, Pa., 4-star running back Quinton Martin.
April 1, 2023 – Jacksonville, Fla., 3-star cornerback Jon Mitchell.
March 25, 2023 – Westford, Mass., 3-star tight end Luke Reynolds
March 3, 2023 – Philadelphia, Pa., 3-star cornerback Kenny Woseley Jr.
Feb. 28, 2023 — Bloomfield Hills, Mich., 3-star linebacker Kari Jackson
Jan. 17, 2023 — Pittsburgh, Pa., 4-star linebacker Anthony Speca
Jan. 29, 2022 — Erie, Pa., 4-star interior offensive lineman Cooper Cousins
Here’s how the Penn State class breaks down by state:
Pennsylvania – 7
Wisconsin – 3
Florida – 2
Maryland – 2
Michigan – 1
Massachusetts – 1
North Carolina – 1
Ohio – 1
New Jersey – 1
New York – 1
Here’s how it breaks down by position:
Offensive lineman – 3
Cornerback – 3
Receiver – 3
Running back – 2
Linebacker – 2
Safety – 2
Quarterback – 1
Tight end – 1
Athlete – 1
Defensive end – 1
Defensive tackle – 1
