After being named one of the top performers on the first day of the Elite 11 Finals, Penn State quarterback commitment [autotag]Ethan Grunkemeyer[/autotag] continued to shine in the exclusive high-performance football skills camp this week. Other quarterbacks put on some impressive displays, as was to be expected, but this future Penn State quarterback proved he belonged on the same playing field as some of the nation’s best and strengthened the case for the idea that Penn State may have found a hidden gem in the Class of 2024 quarterback class.
Grunkemeyer finished up his time at the Elite 11 by completing eight of 17 pass attempts with two touchdowns in the 7-on-7 portion of the event, the true highlight of the event as things come to a close in California.
“Grunkemeyer was another under-the-radar name that popped all three days,” 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins wrote in a recap of the event in California. “He’s able to create plenty of power through his torso and is able to rip the ball to the second level with ease. The deep ball might not have been there for Grunkemeyer on Thursday, but it was Friday as he fired right into the teeth of the defense multiple times.”
Grunkemeyer ranked seventh in the 247Sports rankings from the Elite 11 finals but was notably higher in a roundup published by Charles Power of On3.
“Ethan Grunkemeyer was perhaps the most pleasant surprise at the Elite 11 Finals,” Power said of the Penn State commit’s performance this week. “The Penn State pledge flashed arguably the most explosive arm action at the event.”
After a stellar debut at the Elite 11 on the first day, and with a continued solid showing throughout the rest of the event, the stock for Grunkemeyer is certainly about to go to the moon form the recruiting services. Grunkemeyer is a consensus three-star recruit according to the most recently updated recruiting rankings from 247Sports, On3, and Rivals. ESPN actually has a four-star rating for Grunkemeyer, but ESPN’s four-star ranking isn’t likely to stand alone for too much longer. It will be interesting to see if a fourth star is added on the more traditional recruiting services when ratings are updated.
It can be easy to get overzealous with developments like these, but it may be an encouraging sign that Penn State’s quarterback situation will continue to look promising in the years to come. Drew Allar, a former Elite 11 finalist himself, is about to begin his tenure as Penn State’s starting quarterback this fall. The sophomore is likely to get two full years of starting experience, if not three. Whatever the case may be, perhaps the torch will be ready to be passed on to Grunkemeyer?
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