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BWI Live Recruiting Show: Big day for Penn State roster news

Headshot 5x7 reduced qualityby:Thomas Frank Carr01/04/24

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Julian Fleming, Dvon Ellies Penn State Football On3
Penn State's roster for 2024 crystalized a bit more on Wednesday. The team added former Ohio State receiver Julian Fleming, and defensive tackle Dvon Ellies announced his decision to return for another year. (Photo elements: USA Today)

The Penn State football calendar rarely sleeps, and yesterday was a busy day for the team. There was significant portal movement on the roster, and the team’s top prospects participated in all-star games. We’re covering it all, plus the upcoming portal recruiting weekend is already in high gear. 

Check out the replay of the show on the site. We’re discussing the week’s most crucial roster movement news and taking your questions on the show! Recruiting insiders Ryan Snyder and Sean Fitz break it all down for you on the show. 

Penn State receiver movement

While it’s been in the works for a while, former Ohio State wide receiver Julian Fleming officially joined Penn State out of the transfer portal. Fleming didn’t announce the move, but social media got word of his intentions. 

Hours before his commitment, on the transfer portal deadline for January, receiver Dante Cephas entered his name into the portal. The one-year Penn State wide receiver caught 22 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns in a frustrating season for both Cephas and fans. We’ll recap his time at Penn State and discuss the transition to the team’s latest addition in Fleming. 

Not all of it is portal news

The team also got significant retention news on Wednesday with the announcement that veteran defensive tackle Dvon Ellies is returning for a bonus season. We’ll discuss how important Ellie is to the defensive tackle rotation and what he means for Tom Allen’s defense as he settles in as the new Penn State defensive coordinator. 

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Yet, the portal is critical for Penn State’s chances next fall in their attempt to reload at key positions. Fitz and Snyder will discuss the upcoming transfer portal recruiting weekend and what fans need to know about this important window. There’s already one visitor on campus, which you can read about here in an article Fitz posted Thursday morning. 

Penn State recruiting update

While some of the staff focus on the portal, junior days start in January, which are an essential part of the recruiting calendar. Snyder is tracking the players joining Penn State to learn more about the program and set up the next phase for the 2025 cycle. 

Finally, we’ll discuss the all-star bowls that several Penn State players attended this past week. Quarterback commit Ethan Grunkemeyer, and lineman Donovan Harbour was at the Under Armour Bowl in Florida and competed during the game Wednesday afternoon. Fitz traveled down for the week to check out the practice and has his thoughts about how the duo performed outside of the game. 

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