RECRUITING NEWS: Penn State football a finalist for top 2024 edge target Jaylen Harvey

After an impressive series of recruiting wins in mid-to-late July, things have gone quiet on the trail for Penn State football so far in August. The Nittany Lions maintain one of the top recruiting classes in the nation but haven’t added new prospects in several weeks. But that soon may change. Friday, top edge target Jaylen Harvey included Penn State as a finalist for his commitment. Widely believed to be the leader in his recruitment, an announcement from Harvey is expected in the coming weeks.

Penn State listed as finalist for top 2024 edge target Jaylen Harvey

On Friday, four-star edge prospect Jaylen Harvey announced his top three schools, which include Penn State, USC, and Maryland. Harvey had previously released his top five schools in June, which also included Florida and Tennessee. The Quince Orchard product is rated as a top 30 edge recruit and the ninth-best player out of Maryland for the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

Harvey’s commitment to Penn State has long been viewed as mostly a formality. Harvey has had three crystal balls to become a Nittany Lion for months, the earliest coming from Lions247 recruiting insider Tyler Calvaruso and 247Sports national recruiting expert Brian Dohn in October 2022. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine also gives Harvey a 92% chance of landing at Penn State. 

The top 2024 edge target was previously set to announce his commitment on July 4 but pushed his commitment date back indefinitely. It was widely believed that his local Maryland Terrapins had given Harvey enough reason for pause. However, Penn State is still the leader in the clubhouse for Harvey, with an expected announcement forthcoming in several weeks, according to Rivals.

Defensive line recruiting has taken off for the Nittany Lions late this summer

After a slow start, new defensive line coach Deion Barnes picked up the pace in recruiting during July. Penn State landed four-star defensive linemen Liam Andrews and T.A. Cunningham over 36 hours near the end of the month. On July 8, the No. 3 player in Pennsylvania, edge rusher Mylachi Williams, committed to the Nittany Lions. Penn State also received commitments from three-star DLs Xavier Gilliam and De’Andre Cook in June. 

With 24 commitments, Penn State has a top 10 class in the 2024 cycle, climbing as high as No. 5 in the national rankings last week. A commitment from Jaylen Harvey would go a long way toward securing that top-10 status moving forward. James Franklin and the Nittany Lions also maintain the No. 5 class in the 2025 cycle.

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