Four-star Penn State defensive end commit Max Granville confirms joining Nittany Lions for 2024 preseason camp: Reports

Four-star defensive end Max Granville has made headlines once again by confirming his commitment to the Penn State Nittany Lions. Granville, who originally committed to Penn State last month over Oklahoma and Texas A&M, has now reclassified to the class of 2024 and is set to join the team for the upcoming season.

This early enrollment eliminates any last-minute drama leading up to National Signing Day, as Max Granville will be joining head coach James Franklin's program ahead of the 2024 season opener. He is expected to arrive this weekend and begin practicing with the team next week, just in time for the start of preseason camp.

Max Granville’s reclassification provides a final boost to Penn State's 2024 class, while also freeing up an additional scholarship for the class of 2025. In an interview with NBC Sports, he opened up about the decision, saying:

"I think the strength and conditioning over there has pretty much everything I need. It has also has everything I wanted in the school.”

Granville’s addition to the roster gives a boost to an already strong group of true freshman edge rushers, including Mylachi Williams, Jaylen Harvey and Xavier Gilliam. The current depth chart at defensive end features Abdul Carter, Amin Vanover, Jordan Mayer, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Jameial Lyons, Mason Robinson, Joseph Mupoyi, Smith Vilbert and Bobby Mears.

Max Granville's father shares reason behind reclassifying decision

Max Granville is currently ranked as the No. 35 edge rusher nationally and the No. 276 overall prospect, per On3. He had positioned himself well academically, meeting the NCAA eligibility standards ahead of schedule. This academic head start opened the door for him to consider reclassifying.

His father Billy Granville shared with On3 that Penn State had expressed interest in having Max join the program early, though they did not pressure him.

“They said they would love to have Max early if he was interested, but that they weren’t necessarily pressing that either. They said they would take him either way. So I think it’s something that was kind of out there for a while, but not really pursued right away."

This decision came after a series of official visits in June, which included stops at Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and USC. But it was Penn State that ultimately emerged as the clear choice for him.

“I think over time, there became more and more mutual interest from Max’s perspective. Once he got through the school year, got through track season and all that, I think he came to a conclusion that it would be something that he potentially wanted.”

Max Granville has proven his caliber on the field as a two-year starter in high school, recording 160 tackles, 44 tackles for loss and 32 sacks. His father believes that joining Penn State early will further enhance his development as a football player.

“If Option A is staying in high school and Option B is going early when a school wants you to get into its strength program, its nutrition program and be in a competitive environment, plus all those other things that they can provide, it should only accelerate his growth and development as a football player.”

Max Granville will certainly be one to watch out for at Penn State and beyond.