Inside Lasch: Where does Penn State stand with this weekend’s top visitors?

As Penn State has done in years past, James Franklin and his staff will host the majority of this weekend’s top prospects Friday instead of Saturday. The Nittany Lions will also practice today for the final time this week.

But on the recruiting trail, Penn State is expected to host a dozen scholarship prospects on Friday, 10 of whom are in the Class of 2024. That list includes the top-ranked recruit in the country in defensive end Dylan Stewart. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound edge rusher is believed to have both Georgia and Ohio State at the top of his list currently, while South Carolina is also in good shape to receive an official visit. If Penn State is going to get one of his five official visits, this will likely be their last opportunity to impress before he decides.

With Stewart trending elsewhere, I would aruge that wide receiver Nick Marsh is the most important prospect on campus today. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound receiver should be considered Penn State’s true No. 1 wide receiver target in the country. Since decommitting from Michigan State, he’s been to Auburn and Tennessee. The Tigers have locked up an official visit for June, too. This will likely be Penn State’s only chance to impress before he locks up those coveted official visits. The one thing that does stand out to me is that all three of the other schools he’s been serious about – Michigan State, Auburn and Tennessee – have deep pockets from an NIL perspective. Keep that in mind.

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Quarterback Samaj Jones is also set to return on Friday along with his teammate, wide receiver Brandon Rehmann. The Nittany Lions just hosted St. Frances QB Michael Van Buren on Thursday, and it does feel as if things are trending with Van Buren more than Jones at the moment.

I would lean towards West Virginia being the team with Jones when it’s all said and done. He’s been to Morgantown twice in the past week, including just yesterday, to watch a practice. I did clarify that Penn State does still aim to host Jones for an official visit. His only free weekend appears to be June 23-25. I expect PSU to discuss that with him today. Rehmann has been quiet about his visits. We know he’s been to South Carolina and West Virginia recently, but it’s unclear if he has any official visits set.

Other notables include offensive linemen Grant Brix and Jake Guarnera, wide receiver Jaylan Hornsby, linebacker Keyshawn Flowers, running back Stacy Gage and safety Ryan Mack.

Gage and Mack are both visiting for the first time. I’m still working to get a better for where they stand on their respective position boards. Flowers and Brix are also visiting for the first time. A native of Maryland, Flowers earned an offer from the Nittany Lions in February. Maryland, Miami and Virginia have all hosted him since the start of March. This visit will greatly impact how hard Penn State pursues him moving forward.

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I do expect Brix to be a player that Penn State pushes hard for in the months ahead. Like everyone who visits for the first time, how he meshes with the staff will play a big hand in this recruitment, but Phil Trautwein really likes what he’s seen on film from Brix. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Iowa native has only visited midwest schools so far. I would expect him to ultimately stay close to home, but don’t be surprised if Penn State locks in an official visit with Brix. That’s the goal coming out of this visit.

Guarnera is more of an interior prospect, but he would be a take if he wanted to commit this weekend. I think there’s a real good chance Penn State could lock down William Satterwhite when he returns next weekend, so if Guarnera is serious about the Nittany Lions, it’s something he may want to think about. Penn State doesn’t need three interior players in this class, but they would take both Guarnera and Satterwhite if they chose to commit soon.

Don’t sleep on Hornsby, either. The New Jersey wide receiver went to Texas A&M (March 25) and Georgia (April 1) and will follow this weekend’s visit up with a trip to Maryland next weekend, April 15. Rutgers already has an official visit locked in with him for June 9-11 and I expect Penn State to get an official visit as well. Penn State plans to take three of four wide receivers in this class and Hornsby is one of about 12-15 players who could commit tomorrow if they wanted to.

April 7 Visitor List

2024

Grant Brix – OL – Logan, Iowa – Logan-Magnolia *
Stacy Gage – RB – Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. – St. Thomas Aquinas *
Keyshawn Flowers – LB – Severn, Md. – Archbishop Spalding *
Jake Guarnera – OL – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. – Ponte Vedra Beach *
Jaylan Hornsby – WR – Camden, N.J. – Camden *
Samaj Jones – QB – Philadelphia, Pa. – St. Joseph’s Prep *
Nick Marsh – WR – River Rouge, Mich. – River Rouge *
Ryan Mack – Saf. – Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. – St. Thomas Aquinas *
Brandon Rehmann – WR – Philadelphia, Pa. – St. Joseph’s Prep *
Dylan Stewart – DE – Washington, D.C. – Friendship Collegiate Academy *

Kemori Dixon – Saf. – Danville, Va. – George Washington +
Keyonte Arrington – OL – Norfolk, Va. – IMG Academy +

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2025

Axavier Bridges-Brooks – Saf. – Upper Marlboro, Md. – Rock Creek Christian *
Trent Wilson – DL – Baltimore, Md. – St. Frances *

Blake Hebert – QB – Lawrence, Mass. – Central Catholic +
Keon Kenner – RB – Pennington, N.J. – The Pennington School +
Frankie Williams – QB – Red Bank, N.J. – Red Bank Catholic +
Koredell Bartley – WR – Greensboro, N.C. – Dudley
Trent Gillis – Saf. – Severn, Md. – Archbishop Spalding

2026

Elias Coke – WR – Harrisburg, Pa. – Harrisburg +

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