Penn State Football Lands in the Top 6 For This 3-Star 2024 Athlete

As the 2024 recruiting class continues to take shape, the Penn State football team will focus on skill positions on the offensive side of the ball. The class currently has two running back commits Quinton Martin and Corey Smith. They also have one commitment from a TE, Luke Reynolds, but they need to begin pursuing additional playmakers at wide receiver specifically.

One of those prospects listed their Top 6 schools on Sunday afternoon, Javier “JayJay” Etheridge. He is a 3-star prospect according to 247sports and attends Mt. Healthy high school located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

When you turn on the tape Etheridge is dominating the competition both at wide receiver and at the cornerback position. He is such a dynamic athlete with the ball in his hands he is labeled as an athlete on his recruiting profile.

Most notably, he shows off his speed on his highlight tape. Many of his touchdowns are scored on wheel routes and screens where he simply outruns his defenders. He has that KJ Hamler-type style of play which allows him to showcase his elusiveness when he is in the open field. This is a style of player Penn State has not had in quite some time.

For his defensive back skills, his speed shows up on tape as well. The ability to jump routes and secure interceptions. He is also very physical for his size when he is on defense. Etheridge stands at 5’10 156 lbs per his recruiting profile, but his tape doesn’t show that. Instead, he runs through blockers to make sound tackles in the open space.

His top 6 schools included Pittsburgh, Indiana, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and Penn State.

It will be interesting to see how many wide receivers Penn State will take in the 2024 recruiting cycle. But one thing is for certain, Etheridge is a speedy playmaker who would fit well in Happy Valley.