New commitment: Penn State football recruiting lands sought-after 4-star running back

The 2024 Penn State football recruiting class has received more great news with the commitment of 4-star running back Corey Smith. Smith’s commitment strengthens Penn State’s already impressive 2024 recruiting class, which is currently in the top 5 nationally. With Smith now on board, he becomes the 13th commitment for the Nittany Lions in the 2024 class, and the eighth 4-star recruit to choose Penn State football. Expect Penn State’s national rankings to make another significant jump with this addition.

2024 Penn State football recruiting class lands major 4-star running back Corey Smith

The 2024 Penn State football recruiting class had 12 committed players before Corey Smith’s recent addition, and the team was already ranked among the top five recruiting classes in the nation per the composite rankings. However, they were still behind Big Ten East rivals Michigan (1) and Ohio State (2), as well as SEC powerhouses Georgia (3) and LSU (4).

While Penn State has yet to secure a 5-star recruit for the 2024 class, landing 4-star running back Corey Smith is a significant boost for the team’s summer recruiting efforts.

Corey Smith is a highly sought-after recruit, rated as a 4-star running back by multiple sources, including the On3 Industry Ratings, the 247 Sports Composite, ESPN, and the Rivals Network. According to the composite rankings, Smith is ranked as the No. 220 overall recruit in the nation, the No. 17 running back in the 2024 recruiting class, and the No. 3 recruit in Wisconsin. On3’s rankings also place Smith among the top 20 running backs nationally and as the No. 3 recruit in WI.

Rivals is even higher on Smith, rating him as the No. 12 running back in the nation and the top recruit in Wisconsin. With Smith’s commitment, Penn State now has eight 4-star recruits in its 2024 class, which should help boost the team’s ranking in the national recruiting landscape. Corey Smith is a teammate of Donovan Harbour, a recent Penn State football 4-star offensive line commit who is ranked as the No. 1 recruit in Wisconsin per 247 Sports Composite.

Penn State’s 2024 recruiting class is shaping up to be elite

So far, Penn State football has secured 13 commitments for the 2024 recruiting class, including eight 4-stars and five 3-stars, giving them a strong foundation to build on throughout the summer. While they will be looking to add more top-tier talent, perhaps even a 5-star prospect, this is an excellent start for James Franklin’s squad. Corey Smith, a 4-star running back, is the first true RB commit for Penn State in this class. While top-ranked recruit Quinton Martin is also a 4-star running back, he’s classified as an ‘athlete’ by recruiting services due to his versatility.

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