Penn State National Signing Day Central - Live updates on the Class of 2024
The early signing period has arrived Penn State fans. Beginning at 7 a.m. ET this morning, James Franklin and his assistants will begin receiving signed Letters of Intent via email from the 25 players who are currently committed to the Nittany Lions.
After last year’s Class of 2023 finished at No. 14 nationally in the On3 Consensus Team Rankings, Penn State sits in the same position as of Wednesday morning with the 15th-ranked class. Only Ohio State (No. 3) and Oregon (No. 7) rank higher in the Big Ten.
For those unfamiliar with the On3’s Team Rankings, it’s the only ranking that combines all four services – On3, Rivals, 247 and ESPN – for a cumulative grade. It also solves the problem of varying class sizes during the recruiting cycle, compiling the highest-rated commits for each team up to a total based on a rolling average of current total commitments among Power 5 schools. That number is currently 17 as of Wednesday morning.
Nittany Lion fans can follow our live blog throughout the morning to see which players have signed. Penn State will also host the media for a press conference this afternoon. That schedule is below.
Notable Times & Events
7 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Penn State’s National Signing Day video stream from the Lasch Building
1:30 p.m. – Athletic Director Pat Kraft’s press conference
2 p.m. – Head coach James Franklin’s press conference
2:30 p.m. – Terry Smith, Marques Hagans, Andy Frank, Kenny Sanders & Alan Zemaitis
3:00 p.m. – New defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s introductory press conference
Notable Links
– Watch Penn State’s National Signing Day Show
– On3’s National Signing Day Central: Live updates on 2024 recruits commitment decisions
– National Signing Day Intel: Latest news and notes on top recruits as of Tuesday night
– On3’s Recruiting News feed
– On3’s Class of 2024 Team Rankings
– Penn State’s Class of 2024 Commitment list
– On3’s Class of 2024 Player Rankings
Additional National Signing Day Coverage from BWI
– On3 Scouting Director Charles Powers breaks down Penn State’s top 2024 signees
– Which Penn State Class of 2024 signee was announced first on National Signing Day?
– Penn State locks up running back Quinton Martin on National Signing Day
– PSU signee Jon Mitchell is a newcomer to watch with playing time available
– Which of Penn State’s Class of 2024 signees are planning to enroll in January?
– Lions officially signs Top 10 quarterback prospect Ethan Grunkemeyer
– Clarity emerges for Penn State cornerbacks on Signing Day
– BWI Live: Breaking down Penn State’s Class of 2024 on National Signing Day
Press Conference Updates
– Live Updates: Pat Kraft
– Penn State AD Pat Kraft updates Beaver Stadium, Lasch Building renovation projects
– Live Updates: James Franklin
– Why did James Franklin pick Tom Allen to be the next Penn State defensive coordinator?
– Live Updates: Tom Allen
– Watch James Franklin’s National Signing Day press conference
– Watch Tom Allen’s introductory press conference
– Terry Smith breaks down a few 2024 players who could contribute next season
Penn State National Signing Day Updates
11:37 a.m. – Cornerback Kenny Woseley is Penn State’s final signee of the day
Kenny Woseley
CB | 5-11 | 165 | Philadelphia, Pa.
Woseley regularly visited Penn State as an underclassman, traveling to campus five times in 2021 and 2022. He then returned for a junior day at the end of January and made it clear then that the Nittany Lions were the team to beat. The Imhotep Charter defensive back eventually narrowed his list to Penn State, Michigan, Nebraska and Rutgers before announcing his commitment on March 3. A three-star prospect, Woseley totaled 29 tackles and six interceptions this season. He also helped Imhotep win its first state championship since 2015. He was part of a defense that posted shutouts in six of its nine regular season games.
11:27 a.m. – Imhotep wideout Tyseer Denmark is a Nittany Lion
Tyseer Denmark
WR | 5-10 | 185 | Philadelphia, Pa.
Denmark played multiple seasons at Roman Catholic but decided this summer to transfer to Imhotep Charter, where he teamed up with another future Nittany Lion, cornerback Kenny Woseley. After earning more than 30 scholarship offers, Denmark ultimately narrowed his list to Penn State, Oregon and Ohio State in Nov. 2022. That was followed by a commitment to Oregon a few days later. However, as time progressed, the three-star ultimately had second thoughts about going across the country and ended up switching his commitment to the Nittany Lions in June. Due to PIAA transfer rules, Denmark was ineligible for the PIAA playoffs. He played in nine games this season, totaling 28 receptions for 330 yards and four touchdowns.
11:20 a.m. – New Jersey four-star safety Vaboue Toure is in
Vaboue Toure
Saf. | 6-1 | 200 | Irvington, N.J.
Toure has two brothers who ended up playing for Rutgers, including his oldest brother Mohamed, who was a captain for the Scarlet Knights this season. However, he decided that Penn State was the best school for him, committing to the Nittany Lions in June after taking an official visit. Totaling two dozen scholarship offers, Toure intrigued many of the nation’s best programs, including Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon and Notre Dame. He totaled 74 tackles for Irvington during his senior season and plans to enroll early at Penn State this upcoming January. Toure holds a four-star rating by both On3 and in the Industry Ranking.
11:00 a.m. – Central Catholic LB Anthony Speca signs with Penn State
Anthony Speca
LB | 6-2 | 220 | Pittsburgh, Pa.
Speca was the second player to commit to Penn State’s 2024 class, ending his recruitment on Jan. 17. Earning more than 20 scholarship offers, he took multiple visits to Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Pitt, South Carolina and Tennessee before ultimately picking Penn State over Michigan. In 12 games this season, Speca led a Central Catholic defense that featured multiple Division I players in tackles, totaling 94. He also had 17 tackles for loss, five sacks and a fumble recovery. A three-star prospect, he was named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Fab 22 for 2023. Speca is expected to play middle linebacker for the Nittany Lions.
10:53 a.m. – Penn State locks up Top 10 QB Ethan Grunkemeyer
Ethan Grunkemeyer
QB | 6-2 | 190 | Lewis Center, Ohio
Grunkemeyer earned an offer from Penn State in April and went on to commit to the Nittany Lions a month later in May. At the time, Grunkemeyer was little known nationally, but that all changed in July when we earned top performer honors at the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles. Now ranked among the Top 10 quarterbacks in the country and a four-star player, Grunkemeyer is ranked No. 108 nationally by On3. He totaled 3,517 passing yards and 39 touchdowns for Olentangy his senior season. Grunkemeyer will play in the Under Armour All-America Bowl on Jan. 3 and then enroll at Penn State shortly after.
On3 Scouting Director Charles Power on Grunkemeyer: “I think he’s just a really fluid, natural passer. You don’t have to really squint to see the projectable arm talent from him on Friday nights and then see how that could cross over to college and potentially the NFL. He’s just an easy passer, and I think seeing the improvement in his production as a senior has been really encouraging. So, he gets a bump to a 93 and he’s now number 107 overall for us. I continue to really like him and how he stacks up within that quarterback group.”
10:44 a.m. – Four-star DE Jaylen Harvey officially signs
Jaylen Harvey
DE | 6-2 | 245 | Potomac, Md.
Harvey came close to committing a few times this summer but ultimately waited until the season. The Quince Orchard prospect narrowed his list to Penn State, Maryland and USC in August and then decided to visit all three in the first half of the season. Penn State hosted him last for its White Out win over Iowa on Sept. 23. After thinking it over for a few weeks, Harvey ended up picking the Nittany Lions over the Trojans on Oct. 16. Harvey holds a three-star rating by On3 but is a four-star prospect in the Industry Ranking. He totaled 22 tackles, seven tackles for loss and four sacks during the regular season. Harvey plans to enroll early at Penn State this upcoming January.
10:33 a.m. – Penn State locks up Top 100 DE Mylachi Williams
Mylachi Williams
DE | 6-3 | 217 | Philadelphia, Pa.
Williams emerged as one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s top prospects over the past year, climbing from a three-star prospect to one of the nation’s Top 100 players in On3’s rankings. The Industry Ranking doesn’t rate the Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast edge rusher quite as high as On3, but he’s still a four-star prospect and one of the top four players in Pennsylvania. Williams took three official visits in June, checking out Penn State first before going to Pitt and Syracuse. He committed to the Nittany Lions on July 8. For the regular season, Williams totaled more than 50 tackles, including 25 tackles for loss. He also had 12 sacks, four pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
On3 Scouting Director Charles Power on Williams: Mylachi Williams is one we continue to be high on relative to the rest of the industry. I just think that he has a lot of twitch, athleticism and burst off the edge. He’s a guy who’s going to need to continue getting bigger and stronger, and is likely a year or two away from getting to his optimal size and strength, but there’s a lot of upside there just based off the juice he has off the edge with his twitch and burst.
10:24 a.m. – OL Eagan Boyer is officially a Nittany Lion
Eagan Boyer
OL | 6-8 | 250 | Cornelius, N.C.
Phil Trautwein coveted size at offensive tackle in this class and Eagan Boyer certainly fits that mold at 6-foot-8, 250 pounds. Playing at William Amos Hough outside of Charlotte, Boyer visited Penn State for the first time on April 1. Auburn, Clemson, Notre Dame and Tennessee were also involved, but after wrapping up a tour of different schools in March and April, Boyer committed to Penn State on April 25. A three-star prospect, Boyer is the 26th-ranked offensive tackle nationally by On3 and one of two promising tackles in the class, joining Wisconsin native Garrett Sexton. He’ll enroll at Penn State in January.
10:17 a.m. – Lions lock up CB Antoine Belgrave-Shorter
Antoine Belgrave-Shorter
CB | 6-0 | 175 | Jacksonville, Fla.
Belgrave-Shorter is a high school teammate at Mandarin High School with another future Nittany Lion, cornerback Jon Mitchell. Just like Mitchell, he took three visits to Penn State, first attending the White Out game against Minnesota in Oct. 2022 before returning at the end of March to watch spring practice. After Mitchell announced his commitment to PSU on April 1, Belgrave-Shorter followed on April 10. A three-star prospect, he primarily considered Kentucky, Miami, Ole Miss, South Carolina and UCF. In 15 games, Belgrave-Shorter totaled 72 tackles, two tackles for loss, eight pass deflections and four interceptions during his senior season. Following a 5-5 season in 2022, he helped lead Mandarin to an 11-4 season and a runner-up finish in the FHSAA 4M state playoffs. He’ll enroll at Penn State in January.
10:08 a.m. – Four-star safety Dejuan Lane locks up PSU commitment
Dejuan Lane
Saf. | 6-2 | 200 | Baltimore, Md.
Lane kept the details of his recruitment largely out of the public eye. We know he earned an offer from Penn State in May 2022, then visited for the first time that following November for last year’s season finale against Michigan State. He returned to campus one more time for his official visit and ended up announcing his decision by the time the trip was finished on June 4. The Gilman safety did eventually open up to Blue White Illustrated about his recruitment, admitting that Georgia, Michigan, Maryland and Notre Dame were the other schools he considered the most. A four-star prospect, Lane is ranked No. 286 nationally in On3’s Industry Rankings.
On3 Scouting Director Charles Power on Lane: With Dejuan Lane, what stands out to me about him is the ball skills. He’s a guy who played on both sides of the ball. I think he’s instinctive in coverage as a safety. He can roll into the box and play against the run. But I think just his experience playing on both sides helps him in coverage and helps him relative to making plays on the ball and coming down with interceptions.
10:00 a.m. – OL Caleb Brewer officially signs with Penn State
Caleb Brewer
OL | 6-4 | 295 | Wyomissing, Pa.
Brewer was a high school teammate with Penn State tackle J’ven Williams at Wyomissing High School during his sophomore and junior seasons. A three-star prospect, he visited Penn State four times before publicly committing the day of the Blue-White Game, April 15. Brewer is the fourth prospect from Berks County to commit to Penn State in the past three classes, joining Williams, Joey Schlaffer and Nick Singleton. Earning more than two dozen offers, Boyer also considered Michigan and Notre Dame leading up to his commitment. He’s expected to begin his collegiate career as an offensive guard. He originally planned to enroll early but has decided to wrestle one final season before moving to Penn State in the summer.
9:48 a.m. – Lions lock up DL De’Andre Cook
DeAndre Cook
DL | 6-4 | 260 | Washington, D.C.
Cook’s recruitment progressed quickly after the Friendship Collegiate Academy lineman earned an offer from Penn State during a visit on April 1. He ultimately took four official visits in June, traveling to Penn State, Boston College, North Carolina and Rutgers. But by the time his final visit to Boston College wrapped up, Cook already knew where he wanted to be, committing to the Nittany Lions on June 30. A three-star prospect, Cook totaled more than two dozen offers overall, including Alabama, Oklahoma, Stanford, Washington and USC. He’ll enroll at Penn State in January.
9:35 a.m. – Top 150 DL Liam Andrews signs with Penn State
Liam Andrews
DL | 6-4 | 275 | Brookline, Mass.
A four-star prospect from Dexter Southfield, which is located outside of Boston, Andrews was one of Penn State’s most coveted prospects in the class. Earning nearly 30 scholarship offers, he took three official visits to Penn State, South Carolina and Wisconsin in June before ultimately deciding to commit to the Nittany Lions on July 21. A four-star prospect and No. 121 nationally, Andrews has the potential to play offensive line at the next level but will begin his career under Deion Barnes’ leadership as a defensive tackle. Florida, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Tennessee were among the other notable schools that pursued him. Andrews was named the NEPSAC Class B Co-Player of the Year in 2023. He’ll enroll at Penn State in January.
On3 Scouting Director Charles Power on Andrews: “Watching Liam Andrews as a defensive lineman this year, it does appear as if he’s leaned up a little bit. I also think a lot of the same physical traits that we like so much when viewing him as an offensive line prospect crosses over to the defensive line. He has elite length and is a very good athlete. I think he’s still kind of learning how to play defensive line, relative to his technique and overall consistency on a snap-to-snap basis, but he certainly has upside. He’s more than good enough to make an impact on the defensive line at Penn State.
“I still believe that his highest upside, relative to the NFL Draft, is on the offensive line, just given how rare his physical tools are for that position. But if he wants to go the defensive route, I think he’s certainly good enough to make an impact on that side.”
9:10 a.m. – WR Peter Gonzalez makes it official, signs with Penn State
Peter Gonzalez
WR | 6-2 | 200 | Pittsburgh, Pa.
Gonzalez suffered a torn ACL during a 7-on-7 tournament following his sophomore season. After returning to Central Catholic midway through his junior season, Gonzalez earned his offer by camping at Penn State in June. Virginia Tech hosted him for an official visit a week later, but once he took his official visit to Penn State, June 16-18, Gonzalez would go on to announce his commitment a week later, June 23. A three-star prospect, Gonzalez totaled 47 receptions for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns during his senior season. He was named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Fab 22 for 2023 and is the seventh-ranked player in Pennsylvania by On3.
On3 Scouting Director Charles Power on Gonzalez: “I think Peter Gonzalez is knocking on the door of four-star status. I really like his senior film. He’s a guy who runs well for his size and is playing outside receiver at a powerhouse like Central Catholic. He’s one that I’m going to continue to dig into because our next update [in January 2024] will mainly be centered around finalizing our four-star prospects.
“But I think, given that he’s in that upper tier of receivers with an 89 rating, he’s right on the cusp of earning a fourth star. I just really liked what I saw from him as a senior and look forward to watching more and more from his senior year. He’s clearly very athletic with good size and is making a lot of plays. I was very encouraged by what we saw from him.”
8:58 a.m. – Lions lock up defensive lineman T.A. Cunningham
T.A. Cunningham
DL | 6-6 | 275 | Loganville, Ga.
After his freshman season at Johns Creek High School in Georgia, Cunningham became one of the most coveted prospects in the country. Earning more than 50 scholarship offers total, he then transferred to Los Alamitos in California for the 2022 season but wasn’t cleared to play until halfway through the season. That was followed by another transfer to Miami Central in April before he ultimately ended up sitting out his senior season altogether due to an undisclosed injury. Once he knew he wasn’t going to play, Cunningham transferred to Grayson High School in Georgia to be closer to family. A three-star prospect, Cunningham has loads of potential, but will likely need time to adjust after playing just a handful of games the past two seasons. Penn State was the only school he took an official visit to this summer. He’ll enroll in January.
8:40 a.m. – Four-star WR Josiah Brown officially signs with Penn State
Josiah Brown
WR | 5-10 | 170 | Malverne, N.Y.
Brown is the highest-ranked wide receiver in Penn State’s class. The four-star prospect played multiple seasons at Holy Trinity in Hicksville, N.Y., but after committing to Penn State on June 23, he decided to transfer to his hometown school, Malverne, so he could begin taking college classes in January. Brown took just two official visits to Penn State and Rutgers in June, but top schools like Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan and Notre Dame all pursued him. Brown totaled just shy of 600 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns in five games before suffering an ACL injury that ended his senior season.
On3 Scouting Director Charles Power on Brown: “Josiah Brown’s best trait is definitely his speed. He’s continued to improve on the track. I believe he posted some 10.7s [100-meter times] this spring. We’ve always liked his speed. He’s not the biggest of receivers, but relative to most of the other speed receivers in this class, he is a little bit bigger than most of the guys who we’d classify as a Z receiver.”
8:25 a.m. – OL Donovan Harbour is a Nittany Lion
Donovan Harbour
OL | 6-3 | 325 | Waukesha, Wisc.
Harbour earned an offer from Penn State in April 2022, but it wasn’t until the 2023 Blue-White Game that he visited for the first time. It ended up being all he needed to see, as the Catholic Memorial offensive guard committed to Penn State a few days later on April 18. Harbour holds a three-star rating and is ranked No. 518 nationally in the On3 Industry Rankings. Notable schools that offered include Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Harbour will play in the Under Armour All-America Bowl on Jan. 3.
8:15 a.m. – Top 100 OL Garrett Sexton signs with Penn State
Garrett Sexton
OL | 6-6 | 265 | Hartland, Wisc.
Similar to Luke Reynolds, Garrett Sexton made a massive move up the rankings this past year. When the Arrowhead offensive tackle picked up an offer from Penn State at the end of March, he ranked just inside the top 600 nationally in On3’s Industry Rankings. Now, Sexton is firmly one of the nation’s top tackle prospects at No. 157 in the country and 10th overall at the position, making him a four-star prospect. Earning 19 total offers, the Wisconsin native ultimately chose the Nittany Lions over Iowa, Minnesota and Oklahoma. Sexton ended his recruitment on April 24 and plans to enroll early this upcoming January.
On3 Scouting Director Charles Power on Sexton: “I think if Garett Sexton hits, he could potentially hit in a big way. He has good play strength for a guy who is more of a developmental type, which I think is certainly a positive. So, I think when you look at the length, the play strength and just his room for growth, despite already being a pretty good player right now, I think his arrow is pointing up. He’s just scratching the surface of his potential. I think he could take off with time in Penn State’s strength program, continuing to get bigger, and then of course the coaching he’s going get at Penn State as well.”
8:10 a.m. – Four-star RB Corey Smith officially signs with the Lions
Corey Smith
RB | 5-11 | 175 | Waukesha, Wisc.
High school teammates with offensive lineman Donovan Harbour, Smith visited Penn State for the first time at the end of March to watch spring practice. He returned with Harbour for the Blue-White Game in April and pretty much knew what he wanted to do after that, announcing his commitment to the Nittany Lions on April 28. As a junior, Smith racked up 1,209 yards rushing and another 341 yards receiving, totaling 26 touchdowns. He missed most of his senior season after breaking his collarbone in the first game but did return for his team’s playoff run, totaling 287 yards on 33 carries and one touchdown in the final four games. Smith holds a three-star rating by On3 but is considered a four-star prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings at No. 346 nationally.
7:58 a.m. – Penn State locks up its top-ranked player, TE Luke Reynolds
Luke Reynolds
TE | 6-4 | 220 | Westford, Mass.
No player in Penn State’s 2024 class has improved his stock more over the past year than Luke Reynolds. When the Cheshire Academy prospect committed to the Lions back on March 25, he was ranked No. 977 nationally in On3’s Industry Ranking. He’s now the 49th-ranked prospect in the country, the third-ranked tight end and the top overall player in Penn State’s class. Reynolds earned 20 scholarship offers, but once Penn State offered during a visit on March 18, he wasted no time in thinking it all over, committing to the Nittany Lions just a week later on March 25. Reynolds finished his senior season as his team’s top receiver, totaling 48 catches for 754 yards and eight touchdowns. He’ll play in the All-American Bowl on Jan. 6 and then enroll at Penn State shortly after.
On3 Scouting Director Charles Power on Reynolds: “I think he’s put himself in that top tier at tight end in 2024. It’s a strong group, too. I think he’s clearly one of the top three tight ends right now, along with Alabama commit Caleb Odom and LSU commit Trey’Dez Green. They all have different flavors, but to me, Luke Reynolds has a lot of really projectable skills when you’re looking at not only playing in college but also the NFL. He’s the type of tight end that the modern NFL really gravitates toward.”
7:48 a.m. – Top 100 CB Jon Mitchell locks in his commitment
Jon Mitchell
CB | 5-11 | 175 | Jacksonville, Fla.
Mitchell is Penn State’s top-ranked defensive back in the class. Ranked No. 118 nationally in the On3 Industry Rankings, he’s actually ranked even higher by our scouts at On3, coming in at No. 83 nationally and 10th overall at the cornerback position. The Mandarin defensive back had serious interest in Florida State, Miami and Notre Dame but ultimately committed to Penn State on April 1 following a multi-day visit with high school teammate and future Nittany Lion Antoine Belgrave-Shorter. Mitchell put together a very impressive senior season, totaling 71 tackles, six tackles for loss, four interceptions and 15 pass deflections. He plans to enroll early at Penn State this upcoming January.
On3 Scouting Director Charles Power on Mitchell: “He has put together some really strong senior film. He’s a guy who really has plus instincts. His play speed is outstanding and he does a great job reading receivers. You can tell he’s been coached well, but he also has that natural ability to go with just his technical ability. He has outstanding feet, really good instincts and a quick trigger. So, he’s a guy who we really liked on the senior film and moves up into the top 100 and is now a top 10 cornerback prospect as well.”
7:37 a.m. – Penn State locks up Top 100 Ath. Quinton Martin
Quinton Martin
RB | 6-1 | 190 | Belle Vernon, Pa.
Martin is the second-ranked prospect in the class according to On3’s Industry Rankings at No. 59 nationally. The Belle Vernon prospect was also one of the most coveted players in the class, with Penn State beating out Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Pitt, West Virginia and many others. After leading Belle Vernon to its first state championship as a junior, Martin and his teammates won it again in 2023, defeating Northwestern Lehigh 38-7 in the 3A state final on Dec. 9. He finished his career with 3,863 yards rushing, 1,438 yards receiving and scored 82 touchdowns. In addition to being named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Fab. 22, the paper also named him the WPIAL 3A Player of the Year. Martin will enroll early at Penn State in January.
Belle Vernon head coach Matt Humbert on Martin: “We knew who he was in sixth, seventh, eighth grade. Going into his freshman year, there was a lot of people saying, ‘Hey, this kid can start as a freshman.’ I never really jumped on that boat because I know the level that we play. It’s hard for a kid as a freshman to start right away.
“But I remember all eyes were on him the first day of camp and we put him into a very high-intensity hitting drill the first day of camp. We knew from then, if he can hold his own right there, he’s going to be a dude. He didn’t let us down that day or really at any point during his freshman year, that’s for sure.”
7:30 a.m. – Linebacker Kari Jackson signs with the Nittany Lions
Kari Jackson
LB | 6-1 | 220 | Bloomfield, Mich.
Jackson was the third player to commit to Penn State’s Class of 2024, which he announced back in February. After spending his sophomore year at IMG Academy in Florida, Jackson returned home to West Bloomfield and would ultimately visit State College three times leading up to his commitment. The three-star linebacker totaled more than two dozen scholarship offers, including notable schools like Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee and Wisconsin. As a junior, Jackson totaled 103 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and three sacks. He ended up missing his senior season after suffering an undisclosed injury. Jackson plans to enroll early at Penn State this upcoming January.
7:23 a.m. – Four-star OL Cooper Cousins signs with Penn State
Cooper Cousins
OL | 6-6 | 305 | Erie, Pa.
Cousins was the first player to commit to Penn State in the Class of 2024, ending his recruitment back in Jan. 2022. The McDowell prospect holds a four-star rating at each of the major recruiting services, with On3 ranking him as the fifth-best interior offensive lineman in the country. However, what makes Cousins special is his versatility. At 6-foot-6, 305 pounds, he has the size and athleticism to play tackle but also has the overall strength and flexibility to play center or guard. According to the On3 Industry Rankings, Cousins is the third-ranked player in Penn State’s class and ranks No. 113 nationally. He’ll play in the All-American Bowl on Jan. 6 and then enroll at Penn State shortly after.
On3 Scouting Director Charles Power on Cousins: “He has some of the best senior film along the interior that we’ve seen this year. If we’re looking at pure center prospects – if he’s still considered a center by Penn State – he’s probably the best center prospect in the cycle. I say that because he also has the position versatility, including the size, to play multiple spots along the offensive line. He’s been a steady stock-up guy as a senior. I’m really looking forward to seeing him in person at the All-American Bowl to get a better comparison with a lot of the top interior offensive linemen in the cycle.”
7:14 a.m. – Xavier Gilliam is the first to sign with the Nittany Lions
Xavier Gilliam
DL | 6-2 | 275 | Gaithersburg, Md.
Originally at Wilde Lake High School, Gilliam transferred to Quince Orchard in the summer when his family moved. He earned an offer from the Lions in February and was always considered a Penn State lean. After setting official visits to Duke, N.C. State and Virginia Tech for June, Gilliam ended up canceling them all after his official visit to PSU the first weekend of the month, announcing his decision on June 4. A three-star prospect, Gilliam totaled 42 tackles during the regular season. He also led a stacked Quince Orchard defense with 15 tackles for loss and six sacks. Gilliam is set to enroll at Penn State in January.
