Penn State officially signs Top 10 quarterback prospect Ethan Grunkemeyer on National Signing Day
Penn State officially signed quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer to its Class of 2024 Wednesday morning. According to On3’s Industry Rankings – which combines On3, 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN for a cumulative grade – Grunkemeyer is the third-ranked player in PSU’s class. Only tight end Luke Reynolds and running back Quinton Martin rank higher.
Like Reynolds, Grunkemeyer’s rise in the rankings over the past seven months was one of the more intriguing storylines in this year’s class. At the time of his commitment, which took place on May 20, the Lewis Center, Ohio, native was ranked No. 41 at his position in the Industry Ranking. An invitation to the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles quickly changed everything, with Grunkemeyer finishing third in On3’s Power Rankings behind only two five-star players, Julian Sayin and Dylan Raiola.
“Ethan Grunkemeyer was perhaps the most pleasant surprise at the Elite 11 Finals,” wrote On3 Scouting Director Charles Power. “The Lewis Center (Ohio) Olentangy product was the On3 MVP on Day 1 with a very impressive day in drill work. He backed that up with a strong showing during his Pro Day [workout], flashing loose, coordinated movements to go with his plus arm. Grunkemeyer had an up-and-down 7-on-7 session on Day 3 but still made a number of high-level throws. He showed he could go throw for throw alongside the best quarterback prospects in the cycle.”
Grunkemeyer joined the On300 in July at No. 176 nationally and has been steadily moving up ever since. He now sits just outside the Top 100 at No. 107 in the nation. That’s primarily due to his senior season, as Grunkemeyer totaled 3,517 yards passing and 39 touchdowns for Olentangy this season. He also led his school to its best season in a decade.
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“Just going through his senior year, I think he showed the improvement you would want to see from a guy who looked as good as he did during the offseason camp circuit,” Power said following the most recent update in November. “I think he’s just a really fluid, natural passer. You don’t have to really squint to see the projectable arm talent from him on Friday nights and then see how that could cross over to college and potentially the NFL. He’s just an easy passer, and I think seeing the improvement in his production as a senior has been really encouraging.”
As for Penn State, Grunkemeyer never wavered after James Franklin decided to fire his lead recruiter, former offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich.
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“I told them right away that I’m still comfortable with them and that I’m committed to the program, Coach Franklin and the rest of the people there,” Grunkemeyer said in an interview back on Nov. 17. “So, there wasn’t too much change going on. I don’t see anything ever really changing between me and them. I still love Penn State and want to be there.”
As for new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, Grunkemeyer made it clear that their relationship is off to a great start.
“He’s a high-energy guy and has a good, open personality, which I like,” Grunkemeyer said on Dec. 6. “It’s easy to connect to him. I can see why all the players really liked him at Kansas. I think I’ll really enjoy working with him and playing in his offense because guys who are high-energy are always really fun to play for.”
Grunkemeyer totaled more than 20 scholarship offers and earned first-team All-Ohio for the 2023 season. He’s a consensus four-star prospect at all four major recruiting sites.
