Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1509432
N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 5 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M too. Some guys are just fast or just quick. He's both. "For sure, the biggest thing is how hard he's working to get better as an in- dividual, and that's on the field and off the field. From a team aspect, he's been great for us." Penn State Commits Move Up In On300 Rankings Penn State's 2024 class received a rat- ings boost in September, with multiple players making positive moves within the updated On300, which is On3's ranking of the top players in the current recruiting cycle. As was the case previously, the Nittany Lions still have 11 players in the On300, but several of them made significant moves upward, including offensive line- man Cooper Cousins. Last spring, Cousins briefly dropped out of the On300 before climbing back in following camps in June. Now, after a strong start to his senior season at Mc- Dowell High in Erie, Pa., Cousins has climbed another 85 spots from No. 214 to No. 129. Cousins' big rise was not surprising. Charles Power, On3's director of scout- ing, noted in September that he had been impressed with the Penn State commit during the early part of his senior season. "There are several blue-chip interior offensive linemen who are playing center as seniors — something we don't always see," Power wrote. "Of that group, Penn State commit Cooper Cousins has looked the most impressive thus far. "For one, Cousins has rare size for the position at over 6-foot-6, 305 pounds. Despite being that tall, he's shown out- standing balance and leverage. Cousins plays with a great base and gets low, driving through his hips to uproot defen- sive linemen. "He's also shown plus movement skills, getting to the second level as a puller. The Erie McDowell product is a bully in the run game and has heavy hands on contact. His size and anchor also project very well as a pass protector on the interior." Offensive lineman Garrett Sexton of Hartland, Wis., remains the highest- rated prospect in the class at No. 46 overall. Three other players also rank among the top 100: defensive end Mylachi Wil- liams (No. 68), athlete Liam Andrews (No. 77) and tight end Luke Reynolds (No. 82). Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer also made a notable move, climbing 38 spots to No. 137 nationally. The four-star pros- pect from Lewis Center, Ohio, is now the 10th-ranked quarterback in the nation according to On3. Grunkemeyer's big jump was likewise unsurprising. His senior tape has backed up his impressive Elite 11 performance and other strong showings from the summer. Five additional verbally committed prospects appear in the On300. Athlete Quinton Martin is at No. 109, just as he was in the previous rankings. Corner- back Jon Mitchell is up two spots to No. 152, while safeties Vaboue Toure and Dejuan Lane check in at Nos. 235 and 281, respectively. Both players retained their prior rankings. Rounding out the On300 list for PSU is receiver Josiah Brown, down two spots to No. 297. ■ Jaelyne Matthews Decommits from Lions' 2025 Class Penn State lost a 2025 commitment in Septem- ber when four-star offensive lineman Jaelyne Mat- thews opted to reopen his recruitment. Matthews, a 6-foot-6, 273-pound prospect from Toms River (N.J.) North High, had originally picked the Nittany Lions on Jan. 31, but he visited Georgia in May, and now he's no longer part of Penn State's class. "This has been a difficult decision, as I have the utmost respect for the university, its coaches and the entire Penn State community," Matthews wrote on X (formerly Twitter) in announcing his decision on Sept. 12. "I want to express my sincere gratitude to the coaching staff, faculty, and fans at Penn State for their unwavering support and belief in me. The recruiting process has been an incredible journey, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity that Penn State offered me. "After much reflection and discussion with my family and mentors, I believe it is in my best inter- est to explore other options for my academic and athletic future. This decision was not made lightly, and it comes after countless hours of thought and contemplation." Matthews returned to Georgia on Sept. 23 to watch the top-ranked Bulldogs defeat UAB 49-21. In addition, he has received offers from Miami, Ohio State, Florida State, Michigan, Texas and more. Penn State is expected to continue recruiting him in the hope of bringing him back into the fold. The Nittany Lions did just that with five-star linebacker Micah Parsons in 2018 and three-star athlete Mega Barnwell this past year, although he ended up leaving PSU after just a few months on campus. Matthews is the No. 83 overall prospect in the 2025 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. He's also listed as the No. 11 offensive tackle nationally and the No. 1 prospect in New Jersey. Charles Power, On3's director of scouting, said Matthews showed great promise as a sophomore at Toms River North. "There's a lot of development and football left to go," Power said, "but I think he's shown some really good early signs when it comes to his overall build and functional athleticism that have to leave you really encouraged." — Greg Pickel Matthews committed to PSU in January but remained interested in Georgia and paid a visit to Athens in September for the Bulldogs' game against UAB. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER