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Penn State football ties major national powers for most commits in 2024 class

Penn State football recruiting has the most commits in the country.

Published

4 months ago

June 5, 2023

Jan 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin speaks in a press conference after defeating the Utah Utes in the 109th Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Yesterday, Penn State football recruiting landed three new commitments: two three-star players and one four-star defender. With these three brand new recruits, the Nittany Lions are now tied with some of the nation’s best programs, such as Michigan and Notre Dame, for the most commits in the 2024 recruiting class. James Franklin boosted his class from 14 commits to 17 during the first Sunday of June, which is a great indicator of even bigger success to come.

Penn State football recruiting lands 3 commits in one day

The first weekend of June is an eagerly anticipated time for Penn State football recruiting fans. In college football, June holds great significance as it marks the beginning of the official visit season, and Penn State has a strong understanding of this importance. Head Coach James Franklin has consistently proven himself as a dominant recruiter during official visits, and once again, he showcased his prowess by securing commitments from three highly sought-after prospects in just a matter of days.

Kicking off the weekend, in the early afternoon, Penn State received a commitment from Deryc Plazz, a three-star lineman hailing from Florida. Plazz’s decision to choose Penn State is a significant win for the program, as he had been a target of the team’s recruitment efforts for an extended period.

Following Plazz’s announcement, three-star defensive end Xavier Gilliam from Maryland also committed to Penn State. Gilliam’s commitment further strengthens the Nittany Lions’ defense and adds depth to their 2024 recruiting class.

Lastly, in the late evening, Penn State secured a commitment from Dejaun Lane, a four-star safety/linebacker. Lane’s decision to join the Nittany Lions’ program is a testament to their relentless pursuit and the appeal of playing for a prestigious football program.

These three commitments carry immense significance for Penn State football. Not only were these recruits high-priority targets for the team, but their decisions are also expected to bolster Penn State’s 2024 class in the composite rankings. Additionally, with these commitments, Penn State joins the ranks of several top programs in terms of the number of recruits secured, further solidifying their standing in the college football landscape.

Nittany Lions tie national powers for No. 1 spot in commits

Penn State football has made an impressive start to their 2024 recruiting class. With 17 hard commitments, they currently boast one of the highest numbers of commits among college football programs nationwide. In fact, only three other teams, namely Michigan, Notre Dame, and Wake Forrest, are on par with Penn State with their own 17 commitments in the 2024 class.

This early success in the recruiting cycle is certainly promising for Penn State. It indicates that the program is attracting talented prospects and solidifying its standing as a competitive force in college football. The fact that these positive developments have transpired within the first few days of June further suggests that Penn State football is on an upward trajectory, generating excitement and optimism among fans and supporters.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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BREAKING: Penn State football lands four-star defender Dejuan Lane

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BREAKING: Penn State football lands top 10 prospect in PA

Brady O’Hara a top 10 prospect in PA commits to Penn State.

Published

3 hours ago

September 26, 2023

Morgan Chapman

Penn State Football, top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania, Brady O'Hara

Oct 19, 2019; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Pat Freiermuth (87) reacts to a touchdown run by quarterback Sean Clifford (14) against the Michigan Wolverines during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY S

The Penn State football team has now gone three straight days a landing a commitment. Brady O’Hara has made his commitment to the Nittany Lions. He is a top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania. The 2025 class has added DJ McClary and Tiqwai Hayes in the past two days. Both players are part of Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class. The impact of the whiteout continues to prove its value on the recruiting trail.

Penn State football lands top 10 prospect in PA

Brady O’Hara is a four-star recruit in the 2025 class and he plays his high school football at North Catholic High School located in Pittsburgh, PA. He held offers from Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, UConn, and Penn State. Then, on Tuesday morning he announced his commitment to Penn State on his social media channels.

O’Hara is currently ranked as the No. 8 prospect in Pennsylvania.

Brady O’Hara plays both sides of the ball

O’Hara is listed as an athlete on 247sports because he plays both tight end and defensive end. It will be interesting to see what position he will choose to play when he gets on campus. But after watching Tyler Warren and Chop Robinson on Saturday night either position would fit him well.

Either way, he has shown that he can be successful regardless of where he lines up on the field. He can be a great red zone target or a dominant defensive end. Both positions at Penn State have developed well over the years which helped their case land this top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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BREAKING: Penn State football earns commitment from 4-star RB from PA

The Penn State football team has gone back-to-back days landing commitments. As they add another 4-star prospect to the 2025 recruiting class.

Published

21 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Morgan Chapman

Penn State football, Tiqwai Hayes, 2025 recruiting

Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins tackles Penn State running back Nick Singleton near the line of scrimmage during the White Out game at Beaver Stadium Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in State College, Pa.

After a successful whiteout game where the Penn State football team handled its business, recruiting is picking back up. Yesterday, the Nittany Lions earned a commitment from Top 100 linebacker DJ McClary. Now, James Franklin and his coaching staff go back to back days landing a commitment. The 2025 recruiting class has just earned a new member, Tiqwai Hayes.

Penn State football earns commitment from 4-star RB from PA

Last week Tiqwai Hayes received a crystal ball predicting him to land at Penn State. Today, he made that prediction become reality as he made his commitment to the Penn State football team. Hayes is a four-star prospect from Aliquippa, PA in the 2025 recruiting class according to 247sports. He attends Aliquippa High School where he has made an outstanding name for himself.

Tiqwai Hayes chose Penn State over Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Maryland, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and several other schools. His nickname is “Tikey” according to his Twitter/X profile and he rushed for 2,011 yards and 33 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022.

Penn State currently has the 9th-best class in the 2025 recruiting cycle. With the addition of Hayes that should increase the Nittany Lions’ position. He will join KiAndrea Barker as the other running back commitment in this class, a theme we have seen for years. Ja’Juan Seider likes to have a pair of running backs in each cycle and he has done that yet again. In 2022 it was Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Then, in 2023 it was London Montgomery and Cam Wallace. Currently, in 2024 it’s Quinton Martin and Corey Smith. Now, in 2025 it’s KiAndrea Barker and Tiqwai Hayes.

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Penn State commit, No. 1 player in Pennsylvania putting athleticism on display this fall

Penn State commit and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania Quinton Martin has been putting his speed and athleticism on full display.

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2023

Matt Thomas

Penn State football, Penn State commit, No. 1 player in Pennsylvania, Quinton Martin

Oct 20, 2018; Bloomington, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Miles Sanders (24) runs the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium . Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Speed kills in college football. In recent months, Penn State football players present and future have made headlines for remarkable speed and athleticism on and off the field. The most recent to do so is Penn State commit and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania in the class of 2024, Quinton Martin. Over the last several weeks, Martin has proven his four-star pedigree with flashes of athleticism on both sides of the football.

Penn State commit, No. 1 player in Pennsylvania Quinton Martin flashes athleticism

Quinton Martin made headlines across the state when he committed to Penn State football back in April. Since then, the four-star prospect and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania has validated his top evaluation with his play on the field.

Martin went off for a four-score performance for Belle Vernon High School at the start of his senior season earlier this month. Now, Quinton Martin is back in the headlines again with his feats of athleticism on both offense and defense.

Last week, Martin was clocked hitting a top speed of 19.1 mph on a 40-yard touchdown run. Reel Analytics, the sports analytics firm that posted the evaluation on social media, uses AI to rate player performance. “The Nittany Lions will add a versatile athlete on their roster on signing day,” the post said of Martin.

🧵Penn St. commit Quinton Martin (@Quintonanthony_) has an In-Game Athleticism (IGA) Score of 84.8 and reached 19.1 mph on this 40-yard touchdown. The Nittany Lions will add a versatile athlete to their roster on signing day. #ReelAnalytics @BVAFootball

🔗https://t.co/IKk5DVUoz3 pic.twitter.com/uCAlQMzFl7

— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) September 21, 2023

Quinton Martin is clearly using this speed to make plays on both sides of the ball. In last week’s game, Martin flashed his athleticism on defense, coming up with a critical 4th quarter interception to seal Belle Vernon’s win.

LOCKDOWN! @BVAFootball #25 Quinton Martin (@Quintonanthony_ ) halts Penn-Traffords Drive with an INTERCEPTION! 21-0 in the 4Q! pic.twitter.com/wPELnfYU0G

— 22 The Point (@22ThePoint) September 16, 2023

Despite a loss to Thomas Jefferson on Friday night, Martin was a critical playmaker again for Belle Vernon. Often compared to the Deebo Samuel of the San Franciso 49ers, Martin has shown time and again that he can make plays anywhere on the football field.

Why kick a FG at the end of the half when you have Quinton Martin? The future Nittany Lion and 5-star recruit @Quintonanthony_ with a filthy flag route on this 20-yard TD reception to extend Belle Vernon’s lead over TJ to 19-10 going into the locker room. pic.twitter.com/JvkkvQA6L2

— Steve Rotstein (@SteveRotstein) September 23, 2023

Penn State football has some serious speed

Quinton Martin isn’t the only Nittany Lion making headlines for his athleticism. In July, Reel Analytics posted another video of Penn State commit Corey Smith, who had the fastest in-game speed the company ever recorded for a high school athlete.

Penn State football has some serious speed on its current roster as well. Last week, CB coach Terry Smith praised true freshman Elliot Washington II, who broke the program’s speed record using GPS.

One thing is for certain, Penn State football has recruited the speed to compete at the national level. We’ll see how that speed translates to the field in the years to come.