After closing out the month of June on a hot streak with commitments, Penn State was hoping to keep the momentum going to start off the month of July. Unfortunately, the Nittany Lions ended up missing out on a commitment from a key wide receiver recruiting target.
Matthew Outten, a four-star wide receiver from Virginia, announced on Monday he will be staying closer to home to play for Virginia Tech. The Hokies, led by former Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry as the head coach, were going back and forth in the late stages of Outten’s recruitment according to recruiting projections the past couple of months. In the end, the Hokies scored a key recruiting victory over Penn State.
This one stings a bit for the Nittany Lions. Not only did they lose out on a key wide receiver that could potentially help the offense in the future, but they also lose to one of James Franklin’s former coordinators.
Penn State recently picked up a commitment from four-star wide receiver Jeff Exinor Jr., out of Maryland. The Nittany Lions already had a commitment from three-star receiver Lyrick Samuel, from Brooklyn, NY, on the board. Adding Outen would have made for a solid trio of receivers, and Outten likely would have led the receiving corp in this recruiting class.
[lawrence-related id=45635]
There is still some hope on the horizon for Penn State, however. [autotag]Lex Cyrus[/autotag], a four-star receiver from Harrisburg, is continuing to evaluate his decision between Penn State and South Carolina. Penn State remains a heavy favorite to secure his commitment according to multiple recruiting projections at the moment.
Time will tell when Cyrus will be ready to make his decision. But we will not have to wait much longer to find out if Penn State will be adding a commitment from four-star receiver [autotag]Samari Reed[/autotag] to the Class of 2025. The Florida native is reportedly going to announce his commitment on Wednesday with a final decision expected to come down to Penn State or Kentucky.
There is always room in the recruiting class for talented wide receivers. And Penn State could definitely use more for the future.
Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.