On Saturday, the No. 1 quarterback and No. 1 overall player in the 2025 class announced his commitment and it wasn’t to the Nittany Lions. Bryce Underwood had Penn State in his final seven teams but committed to LSU, so now James Franklin and his offensive staff will need to pivot in next year’s class.
Penn State may not make a big addition at the position in the 2025 cycle, and with three-star Bekkem Kritza from Boulder Colorado already committed, James Franklin could address other positions on the roster. Especially if he believes in 2024 four-star Ethan Grunkemeyer as Drew Allar’s successor.
Grunkemeyer was a four-star out of Ohio and one of the biggest risers in the 2024 recruiting cycle, especially at the quarterback position. The 6-foot-2 quarterback recently played in the Under Armour All-American game and showcased his arm strength and decisiveness, but threw two interceptions, the first of which was a pick-six. He finished 7-16 for 43 yards and those two turnovers.
Outside of the very slim possibility that Beau Pribula is the next Trace McSorley, Grunkemeyer is the best plan that Penn State has at the position. However, there are still other options in the 2025 recruiting cycle and Penn State appears to be in the mix for the top QB from Pennsylvania. So, who are the other options for Penn State in 2025?
The room currently consists of Allar, Grunkemeyer, Pribula, Jaxon Smolik, Jack Lambert, and Karson Kiesewetter.
I guess you could consider Zollers to be Plan A now that Underwood is off the board. Zollers the No. 8 QB in the 2025 class and the top one in PA. He has an offer from Penn State, though his recruitment has been relatively cool lately.
Zollers would be an excellent signing and create an interesting mix in the quarterback room. Grunkemeyer is a quick decision-maker who likes to get the ball out of his hands and throws it with a ton of zip. Zollers, on the other hand, is a tall, mobile quarterback with a huge arm who can throw off-platform without sacrificing much arm strength and loves to push the ball downfield.
He would instantly be a fan favorite for those who are tired of Drew Allar throwing underneath passes and never throwing a deep ball because he just would not be able to resist showing off his arm.
Despite his propensity to take a shot downfield, the 6-foot-3 205-pound QB can still throw to the second level with touch on seam routes and fit the ball in over the top of linebackers to the intermediate part of the field. Oddly, he doesn’t use the horsepower on shorter throws to fit the ball into tight windows, instead taking a bit too much off a times.
He’ll ramp it up on occasion, but that's often because he was a bit late on the read. That is the type of thing that can certainly be fixed, and with Zollers’ mobility and affinity for the deep ball, he’ll be a perfect fit in Andy Kotelnicki’s offense. Zollers would be a home run signing in the 2025 class.
Krtiza is already committed, so he is the built-in plan at the position for 2025. Penn State may like the three-star enough to move on to other positions, but I can’t imagine Franklin and Kotelnicki will be satisfied.
Krtiza has the ideal height at 6-foot-5, but at 182 pounds, he’s very lanky and isn’t to hold up throughout Big Ten play without putting on a serious amount of weight. However, with the build of his lower body and long legs, that could be tough to do.
With those long arms and legs, he has no problem generating the requisite horsepower on his throws, but he’ll be a developmental project for Kotelnicki and Danny O’Brien, who is an important part of the quarterback room.
If Penn State finishes the 2025 recruiting cycle with Kritza as the only quarterback, it will be forced to make a big splash in 2026, or look to transfer portal for depth behind Pribula and Grunkemeyer, especially if Allar is gone after three seasons.
The 6-foot-4 200-pound three-star has easy arm strength and rarely throws off-platform, but he can if forced to. Washington does a good job getting his feet set to make throws but isn’t the most agile runner. However, once he does reach top speed with his long strides, he’s tough for anyone to catch.
Despite his running ability and size to sustain some hits, Washington would rather operate from the pocket and he throws with pretty good anticipation, though his ball placement can be questionable.
Both quarterbacks are three-stars, but Washington is a much more polished prospect and with his size, he’s much closer to being ready to play Power-Five football. Even if Kitza puts on the size he needs, I project Washington to have a higher ceiling because of his anticipation as a thrower. He’s capable of throwing receivers open, which is not a skill that every quarterback possesses.
If Penn State can’t get Zollers, they need to sign Washington, who included the Nittany Lions in his top six and is likely to commit in the Spring.
While Zollers’ arm strength pops on his tape, Washington’s anticipation and consistency with his feet are potentially more desirable traits. Zollers has a lot of moving parts when he throws a deep ball, but Washington has easy horsepower.
Both quarterbacks have a ton of potential, so the Nittany Lions will be in a good spot at the position, as long as they secure one of the two to go along with Kritza.