Penn State football in the running to land second top 2025 QB

With the 2024 recruiting class signed, sealed, and delivered, Penn State football can shift its focus to the 2025 cycle. The Nittany Lions feel good about their current QB room, with Drew Allar, Beau Pribula, and Jaxon Smolik, and Ethan Grunkemeyer set to arrive next week. Still, James Franklin and his staff are likely to take multiple QBs in the upcoming class. With one QB prospect already in tow, the Nittany Lions are now vying for a second commitment, as four-star Maryland QB Malik Washington has included Penn State among his list of top programs.

Penn State football makes final cut for Maryland QB Malik Washington

In today’s age of college football, deep QB rooms are often a luxury. But, that’s where Penn State football finds itself heading into the 2024 season. Drew Allar just concluded a solid first year as the Nittany Lions’ starter, throwing for 25 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in 13 games.

Backup Beau Pribula became an increasingly important part of the offense in the second half of 2023, capping off the year with a 48-yard touchdown throw in last week’s Peach Bowl. The Nittany Lions also have two promising young prospects in Jaxon Smolik and Ethan Grunkemeyer, who will early enroll next week. Both were highly touted recruits out of high school.

But it’s still never too early to look towards the future. James Franklin is now one step closer to landing another QB, as 2025 prospect Malik Washington included Penn State in his top six Thursday afternoon. The Nittany Lions make the cut along with Maryland, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, and Oregon.

All Glory to the man up above!! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/3MxjrOfdlB

— malik washington (@malikw2025) January 4, 2024

Out of Archbishop Spalding in Baltimore, Malik Washington is currently rated as a four-star prospect, and is ranked as the No. 20 QB and the No. 6 prospect in Maryland for the 2025 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. Washington put together an impressive junior campaign, throwing for 21 touchdowns, adding six more on the ground, and earning the Baltimore Sun’s All-Metro Offensive Player of the Year honors.

According to On3, Penn State football is currently the leader in the clubhouse to earn a commitment from Washington, with Maryland and Virginia Tech trailing behind.

James Franklin eyeing multiple QBs in 2025 cycle

Of course, Penn State football already has a QB commit for the 2025 recruiting cycle, with Bekkem Kritza joining the class back in November. Krtiza is the No. 1 player in Colorado and a top 35 QB nationally.

James Franklin has signed multiple QBs in the same cycle several times before while at Penn State. The Nittany Lions last did so in 2022, signing both Allar and Pribula. Before that, it was Ta’Quan Roberson and Michael Johnson Jr. in 2019, and Trace McSorley and Michael O’Connor in 2014.

According to On3, Penn State football currently has the No. 13 overall recruiting class for the 2025 cycle. The class is currently No. 4 in the Big Ten behind Oregon, Ohio State, and Michigan.

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