2024 Penn State football recruiting: PSU trending for 4-star West Virginia native

With another solid commitment yesterday, the 2024 Penn State football recruiting class now ranks in the top-5 nationally. The Nittany Lions are one of three Big Ten East teams with a top-5 class right now, still behind Michigan (1) and Ohio State (2). Still, Penn State could be looking to catch up by landing a major West Virginia native, who is trending for PSU right now.

I’m back in happy valley for the spring game this Saturday !! @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/HlvFXGnilU

— Jerrae “Tank” Hawkins Jr ? (@Tankk_1k) April 14, 2023

Penn State football recruiting looking to land major West Virginia native

Jerrae Hawkins is one of Penn State’s top wide receiver targets in the 2024 recruiting class. In fact, Hawkins is one of the Nittany Lions’ top targets in general.

Standing at 5-foot-9 and weighing in around 160 pounds, Hawkins is not the biggest wideout on the field; however, his incredible speed and fast hands could make him a dangerous piece on Penn State’s offense.

According to the 247 Sports Composite rankings, the talented wide receiver is ranked as the No. 185 recruit in the nation, the No. 27 wide receiver in the 2024 class, and the No. 30 recruit in the state of Florida. He is a native of Wheeling, WV, though he plays high school football for IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL.

Thus far in his recruitment, Hawkins has visited Penn State football four times — giving the Nittany Lions a lead in visits — and recently scheduled an official visit for this summer. Hawkins has no crystal balls on 247 Sports yet, though the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the 2024 Penn State football recruiting class the best odds to land him, above Florida and West Virginia, who come in at No. 2 and No. 3. The fact that Penn State is getting him back on campus this summer is a great sign for the Lions’ odds.

Where does the Penn State recruiting class rank?

According to the 247 Sports Composite rankings, the 2024 Penn State football recruiting class ranks No. 5 nationally behind Michigan, Ohio State, LSU, and Georgia. The Nittany Lions have 12 commits thus far — 7 four-stars and 5 three-stars — though they are still without a wide receiver in the class. Because of this, Jerrae Hawkins’s recruitment will be a major priority throughout the summer as the Lions look to defend their top-5 status.

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