James Franklin welcomes Penn State's 2024 recruiting class, including 3 WPIAL standouts

STATE COLLEGE — James Franklin was in a jovial mood Wednesday, joking that he might get more than five hours of sleep per night now. And it’s easy to understand why. A lot of big-picture questions have been answered for Penn State this month.

A few weeks ago, the Nittany Lions hired offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. On Tuesday, they hired defensive coordinator Tom Allen. And on Wednesday, Franklin and his coaching staff solidified one of the best 2024 recruiting classes in the nation.

Franklin described it as a “drama-free” early signing day at the Lasch Building. The Nittany Lions secured yet another highly rated recruiting class. As of Wednesday afternoon, Penn State’s class ranked as high as 15th nationally and second in the Big Ten by 247 Sports. The only conference foe ranked ahead of the Nittany Lions? Ohio State.

In all, 25 recruits signed with Penn State. The vast majority of them had been verbally committed to the Nittany Lions since the summer. The most recent commit was defensive end Jaylen Harvey, who was expected to pick Penn State in July but waited until October.

Franklin said it’s “very telling” what kind of assistants Penn State has for the Nittany Lions to be able to hold onto all 25 commits amid major turnover on the coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich was fired after the Michigan game while defensive coordinator Manny Diaz left a couple of weeks ago to become the head coach at Duke.

Franklin also thanked athletic director Pat Kraft, university president Neeli Bendapudi and the Board of Trustees in cooperating and acting swiftly to allow Kotelnicki and Allen to be formally hired before Wednesday’s early signing period opened.

“I think that was important. That could’ve caused some issues for us,” Franklin said. “That goes back to the alignment conversations we’ve had in the past. Those things are really important. If we lost two recruits today because of the timing of our defensive coordinator hire, you know, that would have mattered. And that would have made sense.”

This 2024 class added some of the best talent nationwide. Tight end Luke Reynolds (Conn.), quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (Ohio), defensive lineman Liam Andrews (Mass.), offensive lineman Garrett Sexton (Wisc.), safety Dejuan Lane, wide receiver Josiah Brown (N.Y.) and defensive back Vaboue Toure (N.J.) are among the highest-ranked in their states.

Penn State also kept the top in-state players home. The Nittany Lions signed eight of Pennsylvania’s top 13 prospects, per 247 Sports: Belle Vernon tailback Quinton Martin (No. 1), McDowell lineman Cooper Cousins (No. 2), Central Catholic linebacker Anthony Speca (No. 5), Central Catholic receiver Peter Gonzalez (No. 7), Imhotep receiver Tyseer Denmark (No. 8), Monsignor Bonner defensive end Mylachi Williams (No. 10), Wyomissing lineman Caleb Brewer (No. 11) and Imhotep defensive back Kenny Woseley (No. 13.)

“We’re going to make Pennsylvania a priority,” Franklin said. “… We want the best players in PA to stay in PA, specifically at Penn State. If you look at the guys who chose to stay home, we’ve hit really well in terms of those guys staying home and being successful.

“We take a lot of pride in that.”

Penn State recruits

Name, Previous school, Pos., Ht./Wt., Stars (Rivals)

Liam Andrews, Dexter Southfield (Mass.), DL, 6-4/260, 4 stars

Antoine Belgrave-Shorter, Mandarin (Fla.), DB, 6-0/185, 3 stars

Eagan Boyer, William A. Hough (N.C.), OL, 6-8/250, 3 stars

Caleb Brewer, Wyomissing, OL, 6-4/270, 3 stars

Josiah Brown, Malverne (N.Y.), WR, 5-11/165, 3 stars

De’Andre Cook, Friendship Collegiate Academy (Washington, D.C.), DL, 6-4/270, 3 stars

Cooper Cousins, McDowell, OL, 6-6/320, 4 stars

T.A. Cunningham, Grayson (Ga.), DL, 6-5/285, 4 stars

Tyseer Denmark, Imhotep Charter, WR, 5-10/180, 4 stars

Xavier Gilliam, Quince Orchard (Md.), DL, 6-2/280, 3 stars

Peter Gonzalez, Central Catholic, WR, 6-2/205, 3 stars

Ethan Grunkemeyer, Olentangy (Ohio), QB, 6-2/200, 4 stars

Donnie Harbour, Catholic Memorial (Wis.), OL, 6-3/315, 3 stars

Jaylen Harvey, Quince Orchard (Md.), DL, 6-2/250, 4 stars

Kari Jackson, West Bloomfield (Mich.), LB, 6-1/220, 4 stars

Dejuan Lane, Gilman School (Md.), DB, 6-2/205, 4 stars

Quinton Martin Jr., Belle Vernon, RB, 6-1/185, 4 stars

Jon Mitchell, Mandarin (Fla.), DB, 5-11/180, 3 stars

Luke Reynolds, Cheshire Academy (Conn.), TE, 6-4/220, 4 stars

Garrett Sexton, Arrowhead Union (Wis.), OL, 6-6/260, 3 stars

Corey Smith, Catholic Memorial (Wis.), RB, 5-10/175, 4 stars

Anthony Speca, Central Catholic, LB, 6-1/220, 4 stars

Vaboue Toure, Irvington (N.J.), DB, 6-1/200, 3 stars

Mylachi Williams, Bonner & Prendergast Catholic, DL, 6-3/220, 4 stars

Kenny Woseley Jr., Imhotep Charter, DB, 5-10/165, 4 stars