Penn State Commit Ethan Grunkemeyer Impresses at Elite 11 Finals

The future Lions quarterback draws early raves competing against the nation's top high school passers.
Joseph Scheller/USA Today Sports Network

Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who has committed to Penn State's 2024 recruiting class, turned heads on Day 1 of the Elite 11 Finals in California. According to On3, Grunkemeyer was MVP of the first day of the annual competition that brings together the nation's top high school quarterbacks. For Grunkemeyer, the early performance put him in some good company.

On3's on-site scouts rated Grunkemeyer as having the "most juice" among quarterbacks on opening day. According to the site, Grunkemeyer shined on various throws, showcasing skill and versatility at each station. The Elite 11 Finals continue Friday.

Grunkemeyer, who committed to Penn State in May, topped a first-day field that included the nation's highest-rated quarterbacks. Six of On3's top-10 nationally ranked quarterbacks all finished behind Grunkemeyer on Day 1, according to On3. The site ranks Grunkemeyer at No. 29 nationally, a position the quarterback could elevate with a continued strong performance at Elite 11.

Grunkemeyer, a rising senior at Olentangy High, threw for 2,649 yards as a junior and is beginning to generate the kind of attention Penn State sophomore Drew Allar, a fellow Ohio native, did before and during his senior year. Grunkemeyer also has received recent offers from Virginia, Indiana and Minnesota, with more likely to come as his profile rises.

A total of 20 quarterbacks are competing at the Elite 11 Finals, which annually draws the top high school talent at quarterback. Twelve of the past 13 quarterbacks to win the Heisman Trophy are Elite 11 alumni. Following Day 1 of competition, the Elite 11 staff released its initial quarterback rankings.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.