Penn State Football Commits In Action: In-State Commits Face Off & More

It was a bit of a tame weekend for current and future Nittany Lions alike.

While Penn State easily dispatched Delaware in Happy Valley, commits slept well at home knowing that their future team can still slaughter FCS foes.

The highlight of said commits’ weekend in action was a visit James Franklin made to Trinity High School, which is coached by lettermen Michael Mauti and Jordan Hill. Trinity, which is home to 2026 four-star running back Messiah Mickens, faced off against 2024 offensive line commit Caleb Brewer’s Wyomissing Spartans.

Brewer, who clearly plays on both sides of the ball, sealed a tight win over the Shamrocks with a monster sack. Scroll to the 1:40 mark of Bob Rotruck’s video below to see the three-star in action. He’s clearly a different animal compare to everyone else on the field.

Mickens, who missed part of the game due to injury, still finished with 144 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. He’s now averaging 13.7 yards per carry this season.

A solid week for offensive line commits continued as three-star prospect Cooper Cousins made the highlight tape for Erie’s McDowell High School. The team’s official Twitter account described him as a “mammoth,” which has to be a good sign.

He continues to serve up pancakes this year, as seen on his Hudl profile.

What’s a check-in on Penn State’s commits without some good old-fashioned Grunk Watch? Class of 2024 quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer has now led Ohio’s Olentangy Braves to a 4-0 start. He earned himself a Greater Columbus Athlete of the Week nomination with a surgical 212-yard, three-touchdown performance against Westerville South.

His impressive highlights are available on Hudl below.

Three-star edge rusher Xavier Gilliam also delivered a hit stick as Maryland’s Quince Orchard advanced to 2-0.

The 6’ 3”, 260-pound prospect is notably teammates with Class of 2024 defensive lineman Jaylen Harvey, who is currently crystal ball’d by 247Sports to Penn State. Harvey took an official visit in June.