Penn State could land commitment from the No. 1 player in Florida this weekend

STATE COLLEGE, PA — The Penn State Nittany Lions are about to have themselves a few massive recruiting opportunities with a number of top-ranked talents on their way to State College this weekend. For James Franklin and his Penn State football coaching staff, there are a few highly-ranked recruits that should be prioritized and could commit to the Nittany Lions this weekend. One of these players is Jerrae Hawkins, ESPN’s No. 1 player in Florida for the 2024 recruiting class.

Penn State football looking to close on the No. 1 player in Florida (2024)

This weekend will be a big one for Penn State football recruiting, and could even see some major commitments. Jerrae Hawkins — who is ranked as the No. 173 player in his class, the No. 20 wide receiver, and the No. 1 player in Florida for the 2024 recruiting cycle — is a priority name that all Nittany Lions fans should be keeping an eye on.

Hawkins is a product of the famed IMG Academy in Florida, though he originates from Wheeling, WV, which is likely why the Penn State Nittany Lions are the current favorites to land his commitment. Behind Penn State football are the Pitt Panthers and West Virginia Mountaineers (per usual), though this weekend, if all goes well, the Nittany Lions could end the race altogether.

“It was fun,” Hawkins told Sean Fitz of BlueWhiteIllustrated when asked about his weekend visit to State College in September. “Getting to see them play and all that… I liked it a lot. It was my first game up there. I liked the environment, how they played as a team and got the win.”

Franklin’s newest class could be getting better this weekend

Right now, Penn State football boasts the 20th-ranked 2024 class in the nation (5th in Big Ten) with four commits — all of which are rated as four-star prospects by one (or all) of the major recruiting outlets. Of Penn State’s four 2024 commits, only one is an offensive player: interior offensive lineman Cooper Cousins. the Nittany Lions also have two linebackers and one corner in the class.

If the No. 1 player in Florida, Jerrae Hawkins, is to commit to Penn State football this weekend, James Franklin’s newest class will shoot up in the standings and add an elite offensive talent to its ranks. Now, it’s time for Franklin & Co. to seal the deal while he is in State College.

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