Penn State has added defensive end Elijah Guertin to its 2027 recruiting class.
Listed at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, Guertin earned an offer from Penn State back in April following an unofficial visit with Matt Campbell and his coaching staff. At the time, the Bishop Hendricken prospect had earned a handful of Power Four scholarship offers, including Arkansas, Illinois, Michigan State, Rutgers and Wisconsin. The Razorbacks and Scarlet Knights primarily recruited him as a tight end, although most schools liked him as an edge rusher.
“Getting this offer means so much because it’s simply a blessing from God himself. I would say it’s one of my top schools, for sure,” Guertin said following his previous visit.
He added, “I really liked how they were all very genuine. They not only looked at me as someone who plays football but as a person as well.”
April ended up being a major month for Guertin’s recruitment, adding seven more Power Four offers before the month was finished, most notably Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee. The Gators hosted him for an unofficial visit that same month, while Tennessee eventually got him on campus in May. Guertin then took an official visit to North Carolina the final weekend in May before traveling to Florida last weekend. He totaled more than two dozen FBS scholarship offers before ending his recruitment.
Guertin earned an 89 overall rating from Rivals, making him a high three-star prospect. He’s now the second defensive end in the class, joining New Jersey native Carter Blattner. The Nittany Lions now have 21 players committed in the 2027 recruiting class, which is ranked 18th nationally.
Elijah Guertin Scouting Report
At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, he has a massive frame with elite reach and room to grow to 260 pounds. Despite that size, he has enough twitch off the ball to win on the edge and with interior pass-rush moves. The keyword is “enough.” He’s not the elite speed-rushing candidate fans are accustomed to profiling. What he shows instead is an excellent combination of speed and power through contact, paired with great flexibility through his frame, allowing him to play through contact at the same speed he’s rushing the edge.
His highlight film isn’t extensive, but he makes an effort to show hand usage and a pass-rushing plan. The cumulative effect is a prospect with virtually no physical weaknesses rather than one standout trait. His size and defensive usage also give direct previews of how he’ll be deployed at Penn State. He shows reps on the interior in run defense and at the five-technique, playing through double teams and tight ends with ease. There’s little he doesn’t show.
– BWI’s Thomas Frank Carr