Recruiting update: Penn State football makes a big 2024 addition at quarterback in May

Jon Sauber
·3 min read
4

Penn State did not have an overly active month on the recruiting trail, but that doesn’t mean what happened can’t have a big impact.

Let’s take a look at who the Nittany Lions added, who all is committed and where the group ranks nationally and in the Big Ten.

Note: All rankings are based on the 247Sports Composite team and player rankings.

Committed prior to May

2024

ATH Quinton Martin (Belle Vernon, Pa.) — 4-star, No. 1 in Pennsylvania, No. 34 nationally

OL Donovan Harbour (Waukesha, Wisc.) — 4-star No. 1 in Wisconsin, No. 164 nationally

OL Cooper Cousins (Erie, Pa.) — 4-star, No. 2 in Pennsylvania, No. 168 nationally

CB Jon Mitchell (Jacksonvilla, Fla.) — 4-star No. 30 in Florida, No. 197 nationally

RB Corey Smith (Waukesha, Wisc.) — 4-star, No. 3 in Wisconsin, No. 220 nationally

OL Garrett Sexton (Hartland, Wisc.) — 4-star, No. 4 in Wisconsin, No. 375 nationally

LB Anthony Speca (Pittsburgh, Pa.) — 4-star, No. 10 in Pennsylvania, No. 384 nationally

CB Kenneth Woseley (Philadelphia, Pa.) — 4-star, No. 11 in Pennsylvania, No. 389 nationally

LB Kari Jackson (West Bloomfield, Mich.) — 3-star, No. 8 in Michigan, No. 446 nationally

TE Luke Reynolds (Cheshire, Conn.) — 3-star, No. 6 in Connecticut, No. 449 nationally

ATH Caleb Brewer (Reading, Pa.) — 3-star, No. 17 in Pennsylvania, No. 609 nationally

CB Antoine Belgrave-Shorter (Jacksonville, Fla.) — 3-star, No. 90 in Florida, No. 618 nationally

OL Eagan Boyer (Cornelius, N.C.) — 3-star, No. 20 in North Carolina, No. 647 nationally

2025

OT Jaelynne Matthews (Toms River, N.J.) — 4-star, No. 1 in New Jersey, No. 64 nationally

Kiendrea Barker (The Woodlands, Texas) — 4-star, No. 38 in Texas, No. 221 nationally

S Omari Gaines (Newark, N.J.) — 3-star, No. 10 in New Jersey, No. 347 nationally

Additions

2024

QB Ethan Grunkemeyer (Lewis Center, Ohio) — 3-star, No. 24 in Ohio, No. 747 nationally

2025

None

Notes: Only one addition here, but it’s a big one. The Nittany Lions picked up a quarterback for the 2024 class and if his throwing motion looks familiar, there’s a reason for that. Grunkemeyer is trained by Brad Maendler, who also trained presumed starter Drew Allar in high school. The latest commit should be due for a boost in recruiting rankings after a quality performance at the Elite 11 regional camp in State College in May. He earned an invite to the Elite 11 finals, where he will compete with 19 of the other top quarterbacks in the country to earn a spot in the top 11 in Los Angeles.

Grunkemeyer puts good velocity on his passes and has the upside to excel in Penn State’s offense down the road.

Subtractions

None

Notes: Not a lot to say here. It’s a good sign when nobody de-commits and that was the case for Penn State in May, just as it was in April..

Rankings

NCAA — No. 7

Big Ten — No. 3 behind Michigan (No. 2 nationally) and Ohio State (No. 3 nationally)

Notes: It was mostly the status quo on this front, too, with the Nittany Lions dropping one spot nationally but maintaining their hold on third in the Big Ten. While May wasn’t overly busy, we’re about to head into busy recruiting months with summer visits and camps about to take place. Look for a shift one way or the other for Penn State in the coming months.