In recruiting news, America’s highest-rated Class of 2026 tight end has Penn State as a finalist.
Monday evening, Kendre Harrison announced that he has PSU among his final six along with Florida State, Oregon, Miami, North Carolina and Tennessee, and that he plans on announcing his commitment Nov. 30.
November 30th https://t.co/Jy8SgmT6VB
— k̷e̷n̷d̷r̷e̷’̷ ̷h̷a̷r̷r̷i̷s̷o̷n̷ (@SupremeDre8) November 19, 2024
Harrison is a 6-foot-7, 243-pounder from Reidsville High School in North Carolina.
247Sports’ Composite Ratings have him as the No. 1 tight end in the country, the No. 2 player in North Carolina and the No. 9 player in America. Football also isn’t the only sport he’s good at. Harrison is good enough at basketball to the point where he plans on playing it at whatever school he picks.
PENN STATE’S RECRUITMENT
Penn State has been aware of Harrison for a while, having offered him in December 2022 while he was still a freshman. Harrison has since visited Penn State for the past two White Out games at Beaver Stadium, and each time, PSU put on a show. Last season, the team embarrassed Iowa 31-0. Less than two weeks ago, PSU waxed Washington 35-6, a performance that surely didn’t hurt Penn State in its recruitment. But PSU does have plenty of competition for Harrison. Oregon and Miami are each good bets to make the college football playoff, and Tennessee still has a shot. North Carolina is the in-state school, and Florida State, while 1-9 right now, is still a historic southern power.
FRANKLIN’S PITCH
Photo by Penn State Athletics: James Franklin and Pat Kraft
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Penn State was already developing a knack for quality tight end play before TE coach Ty Howle returned to his Alma Mater. In Franklin’s first six seasons, Mike Gesicki and Pat Freiermuth became stars and today are NFL regulars. But under Howle, that reputation has intensified.
First it was Brenton Strange, who became a star over the 2021 and ‘22 seasons. Strange is now with Jacksonville. Current New York Giant Theo Johnson was Penn State’s No. 1 tight end last season.
Now, Warren is the man, and if you don’t know what Warren has been doing, you haven’t been paying attention to Penn State football.
Penn State coach James Franklin has a message for prospective tight ends in the recruiting world.
“If you’re a great tight end in the country, and specifically in the state of Pennsylvania, I don’t know how you couldn’t come here,” he said Monday during his weekly presser. “There’s just too much history, there’s too much data, and there’s too many things saying you don’t need to go anywhere else. You can stay at home and get everything you want in terms of your college career and also setting you up for your future.”
Penn State is scheduled to take on Minnesota at 3:30 Saturday on CBS.
