What number will Penn State newcomer Max Granville wear? It's a familiar one for defensive ends
New Penn State defensive end Max Granville has his first jersey number assignment as a Nittany Lion. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound freshman from Sugar Land, Tex., will wear No. 18 to start his time in blue and white. It’s a number his current position coach, Deion Barnes, thrived in during his time as a player in State College. It was most recently sported by Davon Townley Jr., who transferred to Missouri State this spring. Before that, Shaka Toney wore it as the first defender to do so following Barnes’ final season in State College, which was head coach James Franklin’s first in 2014.
Granville was previously one of the highest-rated verbal commitments in the Penn State Class of 2025. However, last week, he reclassified to the Class of 2024 after graduating high school in just three years to join the Nittany Lions ahead of preseason camp. It’s a rarely seen move, but both the Granvilles and Franklin and co., believed the defender was ready for it.
“This was always Max’s decision, but in terms of development, if the goal is to keep getting better, from my perspective, it was like a no-brainer,” Max Granville’s father, Billy, told BWI. “If Option A is staying in high school and Option B is going early when a school wants you to get into its strength program, its nutrition program and be in a competitive environment, plus all those other things that they can provide, it should only accelerate his growth and development as a football player.”
More on Max Granville joining Penn State
BWI publisher Sean Fitz, in an installment of Trimmings last week for BWI subscribers, took a closer look at Granville’s decison. It’s a move with the future in mind for all parties. That could end up leading the new Nittany Lion to the field faster in 2025. And, that might end up being a necessity.
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“Granville’s decision in June flipped the script on Deion Barnes’ Edge Class of 2025,” Fitz writes. “This will obviously be a hit for the Nittany Lions in the 2025 rankings, but getting a player like Granville to campus early is a good trade. With a big year, Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton could be 2025 draft prospects. Amin Vanover and Smith Vilbert are also veterans deep into their respective careers. In short, Penn State’s defensive end room could get really thin, really fast if the chips fall that way.”
Subscribers can read Fitz’s full breakdown by signing up for an all-access pass today. Click HERE to learn more and take advantage of our best offer and get the latest on preseason camp, recruiting, and more!
Also be sure to visit the BWI YouTube channel at 10 a.m. today (Wed., July 31) for Thomas Frank Carr’s one-on-one sit down with Max Granville about his decision. You can read more about it at the links below, as well:
Penn State EDGE Max Granville offers insight into what it’s like to be recruited by Deion Barnes
Exclusive: Four-star Penn State DE Max Granville details reclass decision, goals for 2024
Max Granville’s father explains his son’s decision to reclassify and enroll at Penn State
