Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1528325
5 4 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M by On3. He's also the 14th-ranked edge rusher and No. 5 overall prospect in Pennsylvania. Through seven games this fall, the consensus four-star player had 18 tackles, including 2 sacks. Penn State has already locked up most of its top targets in western Pennsylvania, but it did extend one new scholarship offer in September to Pittsburgh Central Catholic athlete Bradley Gompers. Listed at 6-4, 215 pounds, Gompers suffered a collarbone injury during his junior season and didn't receive the attention he would likely have got- ten if he'd stayed healthy. Manny Diaz and his staff at Duke earned a com- mitment from Gompers in June, but he picked up a number of new offers after getting off to an excellent start as a senior. One of those offers was from Michi- gan, but as of mid-October, Penn State Tight end Andrew Olesh has been committed to Michigan since July but recently visited Alabama and is set to attend Penn State's White Out game against Washington on Nov. 9. PHOTO BY SEAN FITZ Penn State hosted plenty of coveted prospects during its four-game homestand earlier this season, but the upcoming games against Ohio State and Washington should both feature the most talented visitor lists of the year. As of mid-October, more than a dozen four- and five-star players had confirmed plans to attend, with over 20 additional scholarship prospects saying that they'll likely be in attendance for one of those games as long as their high school playoff schedules don't interfere. For the game against Ohio State, which will take place on Nov. 2, a handful of Penn State's top 2026 targets have already confirmed they plan to attend. Wide receiver Connor Salmin of Purcellville, Va., is expected to be one of the top players in attendance. Ranked No. 200 nationally and 26th at his position by On3, Salmin has been on campus three times already, including in July for the Lasch Bash Barbecue. Clem- son, LSU, Notre Dame and Ohio State are all serious contenders, but so far, Penn State is the school he's visited the most. On defense, three-star edge rusher Wydeek Collier of Philadelphia and three-star linebacker Thomas Davis Jr. of Matthews, N.C., have also confirmed their plans. At 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, Collier is viewed by Penn State as an edge rusher after he camped with defensive line coach Deion Barnes in July. The upcoming game is expected to be the third trip to State College this year for the Neumann Goretti standout. Davis is the son of former All-Pro linebacker Thomas Davis, who played with the Carolina Panthers for more than a decade. The younger Davis is one of the most sought-after linebackers in the 2026 class, hav- ing totaled more than 30 scholarship offers. Listed at 6-2, 210 pounds, he has already visited Miami, Michi- gan, NC State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, UCLA and USC. This is expected to be his first visit to Penn State. More than a dozen 2026 prospects who already hold scholarship offers from PSU have confirmed they plan to attend this year's White Out game against Washington on Nov. 9. That includes two likely five- star prospects, tight end Kendre Harrison and corner- back Elbert Hill. A native of Reidsville, N.C., Harrison attended last year's White Out game against Iowa and holds offers from both Penn State's football and men's basketball programs. Ranked 17th overall nationally and No. 1 at tight end, he's on pace to eventually earn his fifth star from On3. Only three players in the entire 2026 class currently hold that distinction. The 6-6, 250-pound Harrison has long been re- garded as tight ends coach Ty Howle's top target at the position. North Carolina, NC State, Oregon and Tennessee have all hosted him for visits so far this season, with Miami expected to welcome him to Coral Gables later in November. Just like Harrison, Hill is in great position to earn a fifth star. He's ranked No. 13 nationally and No. 2 at cornerback by On3. The Akron, Ohio, native will be visiting Penn State for the sixth time since June 2023. That's a positive sign for lead recruiter Terry Smith, but with Ohio State also in hot pursuit, he won't be an easy pull. Other schools in the mix include Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame and Oregon. — Ryan Snyder Ohio cornerback Elbert Hill is ranked No. 13 nationally and No. 2 at cornerback in the 2026 class by On3. PHOTO BY SEAN FITZ Lions Set To Welcome Elite Prospects For Upcoming Games