The Penn State Recruiting Board Board – July
It’s been quite a ride since our last Big Board. Penn State is up to 21 commitments in its Class of 2024 and the Nittany Lions still have space to add to a class that is currently ranked 11th nationally by On3. Penn State has a few glaring needs still out there, though a run at wide receiver in the last week of June patched some holes in the commit list.
Over half of those listed on the May Big Board have come off the board since its last appearance. Six players landed with the Nittany Lions, while five ended up elsewhere. The biggest shock decision came from Connecticut linebacker Elijah Newby, who committed to USC on the heels of his first official visit in June. Pennsylvania defensive tackle Deyvid Palepale also ended up a Trojan following his first trip to Southern California.
Here’s a look at those that came off the board since May.
4. DeJuan Lane (to Penn State)
6. Ethan Grunkemeyer (to Penn State)
8. Kevin Heywood (to Wisconsin)
9 Elijah Newby (to USC)
10. Josiah Brown (to Penn State)
11. Jameer Grimsley (to Alabama)
12. Jamonta Waller (to Florida)
13. Deyvid Palepale (to USC)
14. Xavier Gilliam (to Penn State)
19. Vaboue Toure (to Penn State)
20. DeAndre Cook (to Penn State)
Offensive lineman Guerby Lambert also came off the Big Board since the last appearance. He never got around to visiting Penn State, despite having a trip planned for the final weekend in June. He was previously listed at No. 18. Wide receivers Tyseer Denmark and Peter Gonzalez were the only current Penn State June commitments that were not a part of the May listing.
We’re at an interesting point in the cycle. Penn State doesn’t have many guys on the board that have expressed an interest in taking their recruitment the distance. So what’s left out there is a mixture of guys who are sticking to the typical plan of wrapping up a decision after taking June visits, and those still squeezing out NIL deals. There should be clarity in the former group, but the latter is a bit more open. Some of those guys have dates, while others are more ambiguous with their decision-making.
Penn State will get through the next few weeks and reshuffle the board for the second part of the cycle.
Here’s a look at where things stand.
Off the Board Soon
Hardley Gilmore – Wide Receiver
Belle Glade (Fla.) Pahokee
Last Month: NR
Penn State brought reclassified wide receiver Hardley Gilmore in for a visit on the last weekend in June. The trip did not seem to move the needle off of Kentucky, who has been ahead since he switched into the 2024 class. We expect him to commit to the Wildcats at some point in the near future.
Nick Marsh – Wide Receiver
River Rouge (Mich.)
Last Month: 5
Penn State was in great shape with Nick Marsh coming out of his official visit in June. His decision to keep taking visits was a dagger for the Nittany Lions, and it’s looking unlikely ahead of his July 7 decision. Right now we expect Marsh to recommit to Michigan State.
Benedict Umeh – Defensive Lineman
Avon (Conn.) Avon Old Farms
Last Month: 3
The Nittany Lions were in prime position to land Benedict Umeh coming out of his official visit in June. The only thing Penn State had to avoid was Umeh and his family being blown away by Stanford on the final weekend of the month. Following that trip, we expect Umeh to commit to the Cardinal on July 8.
The Big Board
11. Alex Taylor – Wide Receiver
Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley
Last Month: NR
Penn State brought North Carolina wide receiver Alex Taylor in for a midweek official visit in late June, but not much seems to have come from it. Even with the Nittany Lions missing on a few receivers as of late, we haven’t gotten the sense that Penn State is pushing all that hard for Taylor. North Carolina seems like the destination a few weeks out from a July 29 decision.
10. Sione Laulea – Cornerback
San Mateo (Calif.) College of San Mateo
Last Month: NR
The Nittany Lions impressed Sione Laulea in early June with an official visit, but this is one that has always felt like it will end up out west. Oregon seems to be the best spot coming out of a late June official visit. Lualea told On3 that he’s creeping up on a decision, but he does not have a date set. Penn State remains in touch, but that would be a major upset at this point.
9. Chance Robinson – Wide Receiver
Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
Last Month: NR
Penn State will hang around just enough in this one until the end. Yes, Chance Robinson is committed to Miami and seemingly doubled down on that after an official visit in late June. We also don’t believe this one is over and our friends at Gators Online feel the same. Honestly, outside of an outright flip to Penn State, Robinson staying to Miami and not flipping to Florida is the best-case scenario for the Nittany Lions. Penn State will keep chipping away here and watch how things go in the fall. He’s been the Nittany Lions’ top target at wide receiver for a reason and while the odds favor the home state schools more, there is a strong connection there.
8. Jonathan Paylor – Wide Receiver
Burlington (N.C.) Hugh M. Cummings
Last Month: NR
A new name on the board, Penn State popped up in Jonathan Paylor’s top five last week seemingly out of nowhere. He took an under-the-radar unofficial visit to Penn State back in June and could possibly return for a more extensive look in July. It’s worth a reminder that the trip will have to be an unofficial visit, as there are no more official visits until September. Paylor has long been seen as a South Carolina lock, but he has yet to pull the trigger for the Gamecocks. Maryland, N.C. State and North Carolina were the other three schools on the list. All but Penn State got official visits in June. A July 28 decision date has been thrown out there, but that’s not in stone.
7. Chris Cole – Linebacker
Salem (Va.)
Last Month: 16
Penn State hosted Chris Cole for an official visit early in the month and while things went well, the needle still pointed south for the four-star prospect. The saving grace, however, is that Cole seems to want to take more visits and extend his recruitment into the fall. Will that keep Penn State in it? Maybe. Will that increase the chances that big hitters like Alabama and Georgia fill their classes with other prospects at his position? That’s more the hope. Linebacker recruiting didn’t go well for the Nittany Lions in June. It remains to be seen which direction that will take, but it’s unlikely there is movement on that front until the season.
6. Nigel Smith II – Defensive End
Melissa (Texas)
Last Month: 17
Penn State is still right there with Nigel Smith, even if logic has him pegged elsewhere. Oklahoma is considered the team to beat and rightfully so, but he’s planning on taking his recruitment into the fall for more visits. The four-star prospect is very much into defensive schemes and fit and the Nittany Lions have tailored their pitch to Smith’s liking. They’re recruiting him as a defensive end because of that. Smith has been to Happy Valley multiple times and a final trip in September isn’t out of the question.
5. TA Cunningham – Defensive Tackle
Miami (Fla.) Central
Last Month: NR
This is just an odd recruitment all around. A former potential five-star that’s now more likely to end up a three-star than a Top100 prospect, T.A. Cunningham’s arc has certainly not gone as planned. Throw in three schools in three states in three years and there are reasons to ask questions about it. This one isn’t as NIL-heavy as once believed and now it’s more about on-field questions. His early film was promising, but what’s out there more recently didn’t follow the curve. Penn State was the only program to host Cunningham in June for an official visit. We believe that the Nittany Lions are on top here. Will the two sides come together? It’s possible, but it’s not as simple as taking the four-star defensive lineman. There are layers to this recruitment that the Nittany Lions will have to take into account. If they decide to move forward, we feel good about Penn State’s chances. That could also be something that happens quickly and in the near future.
4. Brian Robinson – Defensive End
Austintown (Ohio) Fitch
Last Month: 15
Everyone came out of their respective visits with Brian Robinson feeling good about their chances. That’s just kind of the way that his recruitment has gone and it’s the kind of vibe that’s been given off. Because of that, it’s tough to get too high or too low on the Nittany Lions’ chances. Deion Barnes is still plugging away at this one, but Kentucky seems to be the name consistently coming up at this point. Penn State has a couple of edge rushers higher in the tier than Robinson at this point, but Robinson remains an option for now.
3. Jaylen Harvey – Defensive End
Gaithersburg (Md.) Quince Orchard
Last Month: 7
This one looked to be wrapped up coming out of Jaylen Harvey’s official visit in early June. Things happened, however, and Harvey stretched his recruitment through the month and took official visits to Florida, USC and Maryland. All seemed to be on schedule for his July 4 announcement as Harvey got through the Florida and USC visits. Then he went to Maryland and the Terps gave him their pitch to stay home. That one made his camp think and he pushed back his decision date. Harvey remains in touch with the Nittany Lions, who have gone from justifiably confident to a little more skeptical. There is no new date for a decision at this point. Deion Barnes continues to work this one hard and while the kid keeps saying the right things, it’s turned into more of a marathon than originally expected.
2. Mylachi Williams – Defensive End
Philadelphia (Pa.) Monsignor Bonner
Last Month: 2
Philly defensive end Mylachi Williams has long been a target that we’ve said Penn State prioritizes above his ranking. Now the Nittany Lions are in position to land him ahead of a July 8 announcement. Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Texas A&M are among his final five, but the Fighting Irish and Aggies did not get official visits in June. We’re still feeling good about Penn State here.
1. Liam Andrews – Offensive/Defensive Lineman
Brookline (Mass.) Dexter School
Last Month: 1
The top of the list remains unchanged. Two-way lineman Liam Andrews would go a long way in elevating the overall profile of Penn State’s Class of 2024 if the Nittany Lions get him over the line. Penn State came out of official visit season in position to do so, but South Carolina made a late charge after a strong official visit. We are hearing that a decision will come from Andrews next week. No recruit is make or break for a class, but it’s tough to understate how much a commitment from Andrews would mean for the Nittany Lions.
The post The Penn State Recruiting Board Board – July appeared first on On3.
