Nittany Lions off to strong start with four-star quarterback prospect
Quarterback recruiting has been a popular topic over the past few days.
Penn State’s efforts in the Class of 2022 are all but solidified with both Drew Allar and Beau Pribula expected to sign in just about two months from now, but what happens in the upcoming classes is still very much up in the air. Jaden Rashada, Cam Edge and Dante Moore are the names to focus on currently for 2023, but when you look at ahead to 2024, it’s already becoming clear that the Nittany Lions are off to a strong start with Chapin, S.C., native Jayden Bradford.
A four-star prospect on Rivals, Bradford has already traveled to State College twice. His first trip was back in June to workout with the coaching staff during a camp. As soon as he arrived on campus for the first time, it was clear that Penn State planned to make him a priority.
“It was an amazing day,” Bradford said. “We got there around 10:30 in the morning and the entire staff came out to meet us. Right away, you could see how genuine everyone on the staff was. Coach [James] Franklin was out there as well, mingling with us, talking to everyone, getting to know people.”
“I also really liked hearing from Coach [Mike] Yurcich, just listening to how he teaches and coaches guys. I love his views and the offense that they run at Penn State. Getting the chance to pick his brain really helped me, I think. He’s seeing things that others don’t see. Also, their facilities were really nice. I enjoyed going through all of that. I had never been up to Pennsylvania at all, so really just seeing everything there was really fun and I learned a lot.”
Since the camp, Bradford said that he’s been speaking with graduate assistant Danny O’Brien a few times each month. Penn State and other schools won’t be able to initiate conversations with Bradford or other players in his class until next September, so the fact that Bradford is already going out of his way to build a relationship is a positive sign.
That early relationship was also a major reason why Bradford made a return trip last month for the White Out win over Auburn. That experience was something he won’t forget any time soon.
“Their coaches were great. Coach O’Brien showed me around a lot,” Bradford said. “They had some great food for us and we were able to talk to the coaches and a lot of the other players who were there before the game. Going into the game then, I’ve never experienced anything like that. The fans were going crazy and there were so many people in there. You could literally feel the stadium shaking.
“But you could also really feel the love that their fans have for not just the football team, but the entire university there. They’re so supportive of their players and they’re incredibly proud of their school as whole.”
Bradford said that he spent time with two other potential quarterback recruits that evening in 2023 quarterback Raheim Jeter and fellow 2024 prospect Ryan Montgomery. He said he had fun catching up with other recruits he’s gotten to know at previous camps or visits.
As for other schools, Bradford currently holds offers from Georgia Tech, N.C. State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech. He said that in addition to Penn State, he’s also been speaking with the coaches at Clemson and South Carolina regularly.
“I have a long way to go still, so of course, I’m keeping all my options open for awhile, but they’ve done a great job,” Bradford said, in regards to Penn State. “I really love Penn State and the staff up there. They’re great people and it’s been awesome learning about their culture and their fan base there. So, it’s been a great start with them."
This past summer, Bradford camped or visited Clemson, Georgia Tech, N.C. State, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech. Since the season began, he attended South Carolina's home game against Kentucky, as well as the neutral site game between Clemson and Georgia in Charlotte.
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