With the 2023 recruiting class starting to have high school graduations and preparing for the 2023 college football season, it is time to turn the corner toward the recruiting class of 2024. On 247 Sports, there are 19 players listed from the state of Wisconsin. Head coach Luke Fickell, who is in their first year on the job, is looking for quality in-state recruiting.
The Badgers are in the Big Ten Conference, but along with recruiting comes some losses on the way. The top two recruits in the state of Wisconsin are Donovan Harbour (IOL) and Corey Smith (RB), who both committed to the Penn State Nittany Lions, a Big Ten Conference Rival. It is very interesting when top state recruits land at a different college within the conference.
Top Two 2024 Wisconsin High Football Players Land at Big Ten Rival Penn State
It is one thing if they leave for the Big 12 or the SEC, but it is different when they go to a different team within the conference. The Badgers have had their fair share of offensive linemen because they love to run football or have done so in the past. Donovan Harbour is 6’3″, weighs 310 lbs, and is a 4-star recruit. He currently attends Catholic Memorial in Waukesha, Wisc. Wisconsin offered Harbour to attend, but he decided to attend Penn State instead.
As for the second-ranked recruit in Wisconsin, running back Corey Smith also attends the same high school as Harbour does. Smith is also a four-star recruit. He is 5’11” and weighs 170 lbs. He is also very fast and has done track in high school. During his junior season, Smith rushed for 1,304 yards on 163 carries and 26 touchdowns. He also caught 22 passes for 357 yards and two touchdowns.
It appears he can be an all-around running back at the college level, and we will see what he does during his high school senior season. It is surprising that Wisconsin would let a running back that talented leave the state for college because the Wisconsin Badgers always find talented running backs at the college level. Penn State head coach James Franklin deserves a ton of credit for finding talent in the cheese state.
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Frequently Asked Question’s
What is James Franklin doing now?
In 2005, Franklin briefly served as the wide receiver coach for the Green Bay Packers before transitioning to college football. Since then, he has steadily progressed in his career and now holds the position of head coach for Penn State University.
What is James Franklin's record?
James Franklin achieved a remarkable coaching record during his time as the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions. Throughout his football tenure, he amassed an impressive overall record of 78 wins and 36 losses.
1 Comment
The link to this article states that the article will explain “why” Wisconsin lost the two top 2024 players to Penn State. But the article does not even attempt to explain “why”. Why not?