It’s been a good week so far for Penn State on the recruiting trail after suffering a couple rough defeats in the battle for top targets in the 2025 class and beyond.
However, that’s not going to stop James Franklin and his staff from turning the page and going after others who they want to get into their program.
The run this week started with four-star cornerback from New Jersey, Jahmir Joseph, verbally committing to the Nittany Lions, and they have now landed their second commitment of the week in four-star defensive back [autotag]Antonio Branch[/autotag].
The Florida native is listed as a cornerback in his class but is likely going to become a safety at the next level as he’s already 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds heading into his senior high school season.
AYE #weare FAMILY IM HOME & HERE TO STAY LETS RIDE!!đŠâȘïžđ” @coachjfranklin @Coachpoindexter @coachseider pic.twitter.com/qboEFYc51a
— Antonio Branch jr (@3gumpp) June 20, 2024
This is a big win for Penn State.
He took an official visit to Happy Valley the weekend of May 31 and that left enough of an impression on him to decided this was the program for him.
Branch talked about the relationships he established with the coaching staff during his process, and that became even more prevalent when he was on campus.
The four-star decided to cancel his official visit with the University of Florida when he cut his list of schools down to three, leaving Penn State to battle it out between Louisville and Nebraska.
Branch is scheduled to take an official visit to Louisville this upcoming weekend, but there is no word if that has been cancelled following his verbal commitment to the Nittany Lions.
This marks another win for Franklin and his staff down in Florida as they have really been able to land some top talent coming out of that state. The connections [autotag]Ja’Juan Seider[/autotag] and new defensive coordinator [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag] have in the state should only allow them to continue recruiting that area well.
Branch’s commitment now brings Penn State’s 2025 class up to 16 players.