Trimmings: Diving into Penn State’s latest big recruiting weekend
It was another busy weekend for the Penn State recruiting staff, as the Nittany Lions hosted over 100 prospects on Friday. The number was inflated by some groups once again, but in total, the staff hosted 17 prospects with scholarship offers.
Check out our notes from the weekend.
Link: Is Penn State about to get hot on the recruiting trail?
Penn State starts off with a bang
Penn State was able to get the weekend started in a big way with a commitment from Pittsburgh-area running back/athlete Quinton Martin on Friday evening. The Top100 prospect was coming off of a great visit two weeks ago and the Nittany Lions separated from the pack down the stretch. We’ll continue to list Martin as a running back although he could project at a couple of different positions down the line. He’s hammered home to the Penn State staff that he wants a shot at running back and the Nittany Lions are willing to let that happen. It’s been suggested that he could be a guy who fills a receiver/running back role early in his career as carries aren’t likely to be widely available during his freshman season in 2024. Someone even made a Michael Robinson comparison in terms of how Martin’s abilities could plug holes where the Nittany Lions need it early in his career.
Nation’s top prospect visits Happy Valley
The Nittany Lions hosted the nation’s top prospect on Friday in Washington (D.C.) Friendship edge rusher Dylan Stewart. Penn State is playing from behind here and they know it, as Georgia and Ohio State are on top of the list. South Carolina also has an official visit set up for the summer. The Nittany Lions made progress while he was on campus, however. Penn State stressed playing close to home while Stewart and his mother were in town and they’re now in the mix for an official visit. Short of actually setting that visit, that’s pretty much all the Nittany Lions could ask for coming out of the trip. There are some heavy hitters involved in the Stewart recruitment, naturally.
Penn State makes moves with four-star wide receiver
Penn State did nail down an official visit with four-star wide receiver Nick Marsh. He told BWI this weekend that the Nittany Lions exceeded his expectations and that he’ll be back for an official visit this summer. Auburn seems like a prevalent contender here. He mentioned a return trip there this spring and he’s already locked in an official visit to the plains. From a Penn State perspective, he’s up on the board and the Nittany Lions moved into the thick of things this weekend. They did a lot of makeup work in a short period of time for Marsh.
Keeping a close eye on another wideout
Speaking of wide receivers, Penn State made a big impression on New Jersey wideout Jaylan Hornsby over the weekend. The Nittany Lions are now in the driver’s seat for Hornsby, who could be in line to make a decision in the near future. He expressed interest in taking official visits to Texas A&M and Rutgers, but Penn State has had him on campus twice now and the Nittany Lions sit in prime position. He’s one we’re keeping an eye on.
Top quarterback target visits Penn State
Penn State hosted top quarterback target Luke Kromenhoek for a multi-day visit this weekend. The four-star prospect has family connections up north and at least one relative on campus as a student right now. James Franklin and Mike Yurcich have put a ton of work into this one and, at the very least, he’s listening. Now, Florida State seems fine with where they stand and Kromenhoek has been open about visiting more schools. Sources indicate that if it’s not Florida State, Penn State would be the likely choice as he’s a fan of how the Nittany Lions have recruited him. That said, it will be a tough pull. If Kromenhoek were uncommitted at this point in the process, maybe it’s a different story, but those around this recruitment believe it would take a lot for him to go back on his original word to the Seminoles. Penn State will keep trying, but expectations should be held in check here. If there’s a coaching change, which seems unlikely given how Mike Norvell seems to have stabilized things in Tallahassee, that would be a different story. Otherwise, the Nittany Lions will try to keep chipping away.
Iowa OT Brix makes an impression
The Nittany Lions were impressed with Iowa offensive lineman Grant Brix this weekend. The 6-foot-6, 275-pounder looks like a tight end and he has room to add to his frame. This was a trip Brix was looking forward to and he seemed to enjoy his visit. We’re supposed to catch up later to talk more about his next steps.
Penn State hosts Jaylen Harvey (again)
Maryland defensive end Jaylen Harvey was back on campus on Friday and he continues to be a regular on campus. Having said that, sources keep saying that he doesn’t want to make a decision now and he wants to take official visits this summer. Right now his schedule consists of trips to Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC, but those are fluid to our knowledge. He’s expected to take an official visit to Penn State in June and the Nittany Lions are still the heavy favorites.
The post Trimmings: Diving into Penn State’s latest big recruiting weekend appeared first on On3.
