Penn State adds Junior Day commitment from NJ CB Julian Peterson
Penn State football has landed a new verbal commitment during its first junior day event of 2025 in State College. Atco (N.J.) Winslow Township cornerback Julian Peterson picked the Nittany Lions during an unofficial visit to campus on Saturday. Peterson plays for former Penn State running back Bill Belton at Winslow Township. He was last in town for the Nittany Lions’ win over SMU back in December.
The 6-foot-1, 177-pound prospect also held scholarship offers from Boston College, Duke, Georgia, Missouri, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and others. A three-star prospect by the On3 Industry rankings and On3, Peterson checks in as the No. 28 cornerback nationally and the No. 6 prospect in New Jersey in the Class of 2026.
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Reviewing the recruiting calendar
Penn State and every other college football program is amid the first contact period of 2025. Coaches have been out on the road recruiting more or less since the 2024 season ended. The team passed on the opportunity to host prospects on campus last weekend but did not do so this time around. Its last chance to have recruits on campus will come next weekend. Then, per the NCAA recruiting calendar, a dead period will run from Mon., Feb. 3 through Sun., March 2. At that point, a quiet period begins. It allows prospects to come to campus but does not allow coaches to go on the road. Their next chance to do so comes during the next contact period, which is set for April 15 – May 24.
Sizing up the next Penn State recruiting classes
Coming into the weekend, Penn State had eight Class of 2026 commitments, which was good for the No. 7 spot in the On3 Industry Team Rankings for the next cycle. Here’s the current list:
Top 10
- 1New
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New name emerges
- 2Hot
South Carolina suspension
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- 3
AP Poll Projection
Big shakeup coming to Top 25
- 4
Vanderbilt fined
SEC levies $500k fine
- 5
Jim Knowles
Ohio State DC is on the move
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Kevin Brown, a four-star lineman from Harrisburg, Pa.
Messiah Mickens, a four-star running back from Harrisburg, Pa.
Troy Huhn, a four-star quarterback from San Marcos, Calif.
Matt Sieg, a four-star safety from Mcdonald, Pa.
Daniel Jennings, a four-star edge from Princeton, W.Va.,
Jahsiear Rogers, a three-star receiver from Bear, Del.
Jerquaden Guilford, a three-star receiver from Fort Wayne, Ind.
Lavar Keys, a three-star receiver from Hyattsville, Md.
Additionally, Penn State started Saturday with two verbal commitments in the Class of 2027. Three-star running back Kemon Spell hails from McKeesport, Pa. And, three-star lineman Layton von Brandt is from Middletown, Del.
