Recruiting update: Where Penn State football stands after a busy month of April
It was a big month in recruiting for Penn State, with the 2024 class picking up eight commitments and the 2025 group adding one as well.
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 April
2024
OL Cooper Cousins (Erie, Pa.) — 4-star, No. 3 in Pennsylvania, No. 157 nationally
LB Anthony Speca (Pittsburgh, Pa.) — 4-star, No. 9 in Pennsylvania, No. 377 nationally
CB Kenneth Woseley (Philadelphia, Pa.) — 4-star, No. 10 in Pennsylvania, No. 381 nationally
LB Kari Jackson (West Bloomfield, Mich.) — 3-star, No. 9 in Michigan, No. 438 nationally
TE Luke Reynolds (Cheshire, Conn.) — 3-star, No. 8 in Connecticut, No. 908 nationally
2025
OT Jaelynne Matthews (Toms River, N.J.) — 4-star, No. 1 in New Jersey, No. 59 nationally
S Omari Gaines (Newark, N.J.) — 3-star, No. 11 in New Jersey, No. 359 nationally
Additions
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. 144 nationally
CB Jon Mitchell (Jacksonvilla, Fla.) — 4-star No. 28 in Florida, No. 176 nationally
RB Corey Smith (Waukesha, Wisc.) — 4-star, No. 3 in Wisconsin, No. 219 nationally
OL Garrett Sexton (Hartland, Wisc.) — 4-star, No. 4 in Wisconsin, No. 368 nationally
ATH Caleb Brewer (Reading, Pa.) — 3-star, No. 16 in Pennsylvania, No. 438 nationally
CB Antoine Belgrave-Shorter (Jacksonville, Fla.) — 3-star, No. 89 in Florida, No. 598 nationally
OL Eagan Boyer (Cornelius, N.C.) — 3-star, No. 20 in North Carolina, No. 626 nationally
2025
Kiendrea Barker (The Woodlands, Texas) — No. 28 in Texas, No. 172 nationally
Notes: April was a big month for Penn State on the commitment front, with eight players joining the five already on board. Martin will — deservedly — get the most attention as the top player in the state and a player who could carry on the team’s burgeoning running back tradition. However, the relationships of the other commits here is notable. Two pairs of teammates committed in Harbour and Smith along with Mitchell and Belgrave-Shorter and that should help those commitments stick despite the distance from Wisconsin and Florida to State College.
When it comes to position additions, this has the makings of another deep offensive line class with a few players who could have a major impact at tackle long term. That had previously been a problem for the Nittany Lions under James Franklin but has not been the case in recent years — another good sign for the long-term health of the program. Now it’ll be on the coaching staff to develop those tackles.
Subtractions
None
Notes: Not a lot to say here. It’s usually a good sign when nobody de-commits and that was the case for Penn State in April.
Rankings
NCAA — No. 6
Big Ten — No. 3 behind Michigan (No. 1 nationally) and Ohio State (No. 2 nationally)
Notes: Penn State remains in a good spot nationally and in the Big Ten. While the Wolverines and Buckeyes remain ahead of them in the conference, the disparity isn’t large enough to draw concerns. The one noteworthy advantage both schools have at this point is that both have at least on 5-star recruit committed while the Nittany Lions do not. Garnering interest from that type of high end talent is always crucial, but Martin is that type of player despite sitting just outside 5-star status.
It will be important for Penn State to continue recruiting the highest level of player the rest of the recruiting cycle.
