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At Elite 11, Penn State Commit Ethan Grunkemeyer Charts a New Trajectory

The future Lions quarterback raises his national profile at the Elite 11 Finals in California.

Mark Wogenrich

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch
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The Elite 11 Finals can send young quarterbacks on a star-making trajectory, considering 12 of the last 13 quarterbacks to win the Heisman Trophy are Elite 11 alumni. Penn State commit Ethan Grunkemeyer delivered a potential star turn at the 2023 Elite 11 Finals in California, sending him back to Ohio with big expectations for his senior year.

Grunkemeyer was named to the Elite 11 following three days of competition against 19 of the nation's top quarterback prospects. His performance across a variety of skills competitions made Grunkemeyer, a member of Penn State's 2024 recruiting class, a quarterback to watch nationally this fall. 

Grunkemeyer (6-2, 190 pounds) arrived at Elite 11 as a 3-star recruit from Columbus, Ohio, looking to generate a higher national profile. He left having done that. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman called Grunkemeyer "a pretty twitchy athlete" who ran a strong 40 time and threw the ball well. Fox Sports' Michael Cohen said that Grunkemeyer proved to be an "unexpected standout" at Elite 11 whose "stock will certainly rise" following the event. And according to On3, Grunkemeyer finished behind only Julian Sayin (an Alabama commit) and Dylan Raiola (a Georgia commit) at the competition. 

Grunkemeyer, who committed to Penn State in May, is riding a similar career arc as current Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. Both are students of Ohio quarterbacks guru Brad Maendler and were early targets of Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, who certainly knows what he wants in a quarterback. As a junior at Olentangy High near Columbus, Grunkemeyer threw for 2,649 yards last season. He also received recent offers from Virginia, Indiana and Minnesota and could begin drawing more. Grunkemeyer has been strongly committed to Penn State.

Here's a look at some of Grunkemeyer's work at Elite 11.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.

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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.

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