On the same day Penn State lost a receiver to the transfer portal, one also joined them.
After a week or so of several rumors of a possible commitment, former Ohio State five-star recruit Julian Fleming told On3 that he is committing to the Nittany Lions. The Catawissa, PA native was the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2020 recruiting class and the top overall recruit in ESPN’s rankings.
Fleming will have one year of eligibility remaining and will immediately step in as the Nittany Lions’ number-one receiver for a team in desperate need of one. Fleming had 26 catches for 270 yards in the 2023 season. He totaled 79 receptions for 963 yards and seven touchdowns during his time in Columbus.
BREAKING: Former Ohio State WR Julian Fleming has Committed to Penn State, he tells @on3sports
The 6’2 210 WR was ranked as the No. 3 Recruit in the 2020 Class (No. 1 WR)
Will have 1 year of eligibility remaining https://t.co/k4J77MbIgp pic.twitter.com/USZk9oJrgy
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 3, 2024
Fleming’s collegiate career has been a letdown, considering his recruiting status. Injuries and being behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka on the depth chart led to limited opportunities for consistent production. It helps that there is familiarity between Penn State and Fleming as he was heavily recruited by [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] coming out of Southern Columbia High School, which is only a short drive from State College.
Although Fleming might not be on the same trajectory he had in 2020, he has upside and fills the biggest hole on Penn State’s roster. Fleming had this to say to On3 regarding his transfer to the Nittany Lions:
“My family’s there,” Fleming said. “Grandfather is getting older and my sisters are growing up. So them being able to only be an hour away and come to all the games was important to me.”
Fleming will for sure receive the snaps that he didn’t get at Ohio State, and he’ll have every chance in the world to become [autotag]Drew Allar’s[/autotag] top target. More receivers are still needed, and perhaps another addition through the portal, which we will keep an eye on with our transfer portal tracker, will happen in the coming weeks.