Tag: Andrew Olesh

Penn State adds commitment from blue-chip TE Andrew Olesh to Class of 2025

Penn State landed a major commitment from one of the nation’s top tight ends on the eve of the Big Ten championship game.

Oh, did you think Penn State was done with its signing class in the Class of 2025 the other day? Well, think again!

Penn State added one more massive piece to its recruiting class for 2025 with a major in-state commitment from four-star tight end [autotag]Andrew Olesh[/autotag]. Olesh announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions on Friday, on the eve of Penn State’s appearance in the Big Ten championship game against Oregon. Perhaps not so coincidently, Oregon was a school attempting to make a late push for Olesh’s commitment.

Olesh, a 6′-5″ and 215-pound tight end, had previously committed to Michigan but continued to go through his recruiting process by taking visits to other schools. That included Penn State, Oregon, and Notre Dame throughout November. Penn State was always in the thick of Olesh’s recruitment for the past couple of years as one of the top recruits in the state. A Penn State offer was extended to Olesh in January 2024 during an unofficial visit, but Olesh committed to Michigan, fresh off a national championship run, during an official visit over the summer. But James Franklin and his staff never gave up on keeping Olesh closer to home.

Franklin made a visit to Olesh in mid-October during a bye week on the football schedule and Olesh returned to Penn State for an unofficial visit in early November before making a trip to Notre Dame days later. Olesh visited Oregon last week.

Olesh is rated as the top player overall in Pennsylvania by 247Sports and On3. He is a consensus four-star recruit and is ranked as the no. 3 tight end in the nation by 247Sports, On3, and ESPN (Rivals ranks him as the no. 5 tight end in the country). This is obviously a big get for the Penn State staff and this recruiting class, and the performance of Tyler Warren at the position likely played some role in the recruiting process.

Warren is on his way to being a potential first-round draft pick and will carry on the recent trend of Penn State developing NFL-ready tight ends like Mike Gesicki, Pat Freiermuth, and Brenton Strange. Olesh will now be stepping in to follow that same path with the Nittany Lions.

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads.

Andrew Olesh flips to Penn State from Michigan football

Huge bummer. #GoBlue

Michigan football pulled something of a coup by getting 2025 Central Valley (Pennsylvania) four-star tight end Andrew Olesh to commit relatively early in the cycle. But it had to continually fend off other schools.

Though Olesh appeared to want to go to Michigan, there appeared to be  outside pressure for him to end up at either Oregon or Penn State.

For a time, it appeared Olesh was going to stick with the Michigan class, but there were rumors surrounding him heading west to Oregon. Those rumors quieted when the Ducks were expected to get Linkon Cure to flip from Kansas State. However, on the opening day of the early signing period, Cure stuck with the Wildcats, and the Olesh rumors picked back up.

However, Olesh opted to go to Penn State instead.

Ratings

* Ovr Pos State
247Sports Composite 4 59 3 1
On3 Industry Ranking 4 55 3 1
247Sports 4 47 3 1
On3 4 43 2 1
Rivals 4 163 5 3
ESPN 4 79 3 2

With Olesh gone, Michigan has one tight end signed: Eli Owens.

Class of 2025 tight end Brian Kortovich flips commitment to Penn State

Penn State flipped a three-star tight end from another Big Ten program just before early signing period for Class of 2025.

With one day remaining before early National Signing Day gets underway, Penn State was able to make a late move by flipping one of their targets.

In a social media post, tight end [autotag]Brian Kortovich[/autotag] announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions. That came just two days after he decommitted from Purdue following his official visit to Happy Valley this past weekend for the finale against Maryland.

Rated as a three-star prospect in the 2025 cycle, he has been someone on Penn State’s radar for a while after he camped for them. At that time, though, there wasn’t a ton of interest from the Nittany Lions, but as things continued to progress and [autotag]Andrew Olesh[/autotag] committed to Michigan, the relationships continued to progress.

“The environment was awesome! Obviously with it being Thanksgiving weekend and the weather, the stadium wasn’t as packed as usual but it did not disappoint,” Kortovich told Sean Fitz of BlueWhiteIllustrated. “What continues to excite me is just the relationships I’ve built in one weekend whether it be with the coaches, the staff or the players.”

The Ohio native might not pop in the rankings like others Penn State have been able to land at that position in recent years, but there is a lot of optimism about what he can turn into.

As he continued to put on weight, that’s when tight ends coach [autotag]Ty Howle[/autotag] really took note and got the Nittany Lions back involved until this flip was made.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, his athletic profile reportedly grades out similarly to their past commitments, a good sign for what could come during his tenure.

What that means regarding the recruitment of Olesh isn’t clear.

Penn State could still pull off the flip, something they are pushing really hard to do, but they weren’t willing to wait around and miss out on Kortovich.

Penn State welcoming five-star quarterback Matt Zollers to campus Saturday

Penn State hosting five-star QB currently committed to SEC program this weekend.

Penn State will have a ton of recruits on campus this Saturday, mainly with the focus of going after some targets in future cycles since the 2025 prospects are roughly a month away from National Signing Day.

But, the Nittany Lions also have some huge 2025 targets on campus for this massive Ohio State showdown as well.

It’s been shared that [autotag]Andrew Olesh[/autotag], one of the best tight ends in the country and one of the best in the state of Pennsylvania, is returning to Happy Valley for the first time since his official visit back in the summer prior to his commitment to Michigan.

There is a real chance Penn State is able to pull off this flip, something that would be a huge victory in this cycle, but while there is a lot of attention placed on that recruitment, the Nittany Lions are welcoming back another target of theirs this Saturday.

Sean Fitz of BlueWhiteIllustrated reports that five-star quarterback and Missouri commit, [autotag]Matt Zollers[/autotag], will be on campus for the first time since March (subscription required).

There is no indication he’s leaning towards decommitting from the Tigers, especially since he’s a featured part of their 2025 recruiting class as the 31st-ranked player in the country and No. 5 quarterback in the cycle per On3’s Industry Ranking.

Still, it’s very notable that Penn State has never given up on this process and was able to get him back for a visit despite him seemingly being off the radar from programs around the country since he committed to Missouri back in April.

Zollers also underwent a season-ending leg injury that required surgery, so maybe there’s a chance he prefers to stay closer to home, which could impact his decision.

What comes out of this will be seen, but now having both Olesh and Zollers on campus for this huge game against Ohio State could allow the Nittany Lions to close hard with their most coveted in-state recruits in this cycle.

Penn State hosting coveted flip target Andrew Olesh this Saturday

Penn State will be hosting a key recruiting target on Saturday when Ohio State comes to town.

Penn State is working hard to finish off their 2025 recruiting class strong. There are some indications that they will pull off one of their biggest flip targets in [autotag]Brandon Finney[/autotag] as multiple recruiting insiders are predicting that to happen.

The Nittany Lions won’t be able to celebrate until that becomes official, but things are trending in the right direction for them to land one of the best cornerback prospects in the cycle.

Speaking of coveted prospects they are looking to flip, Penn State is still not giving up on in-state tight end recruit [autotag]Andrew Olesh[/autotag] after he disappointingly announced his commitment to Michigan back in early-July.

That process seemed to be pretty well shut, however, the No. 2 overall player in the state of Pennsylvania and the third-best tight end in the country has seemingly started to waver on his decision based on him visiting other schools.

Most recently, Olesh took a trip to Oregon. That came on the heels of him visiting Alabama.

And now, the four-star prospect is returning to Penn State on Saturday for the first time since his official visit on June 14.

Based on comments made by his father, George, to Steve Wiltfong of On3, this weekend will go a long way in deciding if the Nittany Lions can flip the coveted tight end. He mentioned how they initially were monitoring to see how this new offense would look under Andy Kotelnicki, and while the family has been impressed with how Tyler Warren has been used, they are still waiting to see if “Penn State able to get over the hump” by beating Ohio State (subscription required).

The decision might not be so simple as yes or no based on the result coming out of Saturday, but winning the game would go a long way for the Nittany Lions in this recruitment.

2025 Michigan tight end commit will make official visit to Notre Dame

This would be a huge flip.

Notre Dame has developed a reputation in recent years for its quality tight ends. Another one could be coming to the Irish next season, and it would really would make the fan base happy.

Tight end recruit Andrew Olesh, the top-ranked 2025 recruit in Pennsylvania according to 247Sports, committed to Michigan on July 8 without the Irish having made him an offer. Clearly, something has changed though because Irish Illustrated is reporting that Olesh will make an official visit for the Irish’s Nov. 9 game against Florida State.

If the Irish were to lure Olesh away from the Wolverines, he would be the third 2025 commit that 247Sports has ranked as the best in their respective state. The ones so far are offensive tackle [autotag]Will Black[/autotag] from Connecticut and [autotag]James Flanigan[/autotag], currently the only tight end in that recruiting class, from Wisconsin.

247Sports currently ranks the Irish 13th among the 2025 recruiting classes, so this should bump them up a bit if it happens:

Best of luck to the Irish in efforts to flip Olesh.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Michigan football gets potentially good news on the recruiting front

Definitely a positive development. #GoBlue

Thus far in 2025, Michigan football has assembled a very good recruiting class, but now that it’s nearly done playing offense, it has to play some defense.

The Wolverines got some of their top targets over the course of the summer, but now have been fending off other schools for those who have committed to the maize and blue. One player has already flipped to another school with four-star defensive lineman Nate Marshall heading to Auburn. But a few others — four-star tight end Andrew Olesh and four-star safety Ivan Taylor — have been courted by some rival programs.

One good piece of news comes on Thursday evening with The Wolverine’s EJ Holland reporting that Olesh — who has been heavily courted by Oregon — is no longer planning to visit Eugene for the Ducks game hosting Ohio State.

Of course, the Crimson Tide — who hosted both Olesh and Taylor for their tilt against Georgia — still loom. But considering Oregon has been the chief competition for Olesh, this certainly qualifies as a positive development.

Penn State loses out on another top in-state 2025 prospect

Penn State saw one of its top in-state targets commit to a Big Ten rival.

Ever since [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] took over as head coach of the program, his goal has been to “Dominate the State” in recruiting and keep the best high schools players in Pennsylvania home.

For the most part, he’s done an incredible job of accomplishing that.

The Nittany Lions have been littered with talented in-state prospects during Franklin’s tenure, landing notable five-stars and keeping the majority out of the hands of other programs.

Unfortunately, Penn State has had some trouble keeping the best players in the 2025 class from leaving home.

On July 8, their coveted four-star tight end target [autotag]Andrew Olesh[/autotag] announced his commitment to Michigan, handing the Nittany Lions a major loss on the recruiting trail.

He told EJ Holland of On3 that the Wolverines compared him to one of their current star tight ends and that he could do something similar in this offense. The fact that his position gets the ball so often was a major selling point for Olesh and the official visit was what ultimately pushed Michigan into his No. 1 spot.

What that means for Penn State is clear.

They have let some of the best talent in Pennsylvania get away from them in this 2025 class.

Matt Zollers, Michael Carroll, and now Olesh, the top three players in the state as ranked by On3, have all committed elsewhere. Two are five-stars in quarterback Zollers and offensive tackle Carroll, something that stings even more.

Every cycle is different, so this isn’t a “sky is falling” moment by any means, but it does signal that the Nittany Lions have to continue keeping a stranglehold on recruits in their own state no matter how much they think they have things on cruise control.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads.

Michigan football gets commitment from elite 2025 TE

#Michigan stole one from #PennState. #GoBlue

Penn State is the major program within the Keystone State, but even it can’t get them all. Perhaps it’s a trade-off considering that Michigan football couldn’t get Theo Johnson from nearby Windsor, Ontario.

Hailing from Center Valley (Pa.) Southern Lehigh, four-star tight end Andrew Olesh had appeared to be trending to the Nittany Lions for some time, though he was also considering the Wolverines, Alabama, Florida, and Ole Miss. However, his recruitment started to trend toward the maize and blue throughout the 2025 cycle, and ultimately, Michigan’s persistence appears to have paid off, with Olesh committing to the Wolverines a few weeks following his official visit during Victors Weekend.

Here is how Olesh ranks according to the recruiting services:

Stars Ovr Pos State
247Sports Composite 4 119 4 3
On3 Industry Ranking 4 93 3 4
247Sports 4 84 4 2
On3 4 67 3 3
Rivals 4 – 11 8
ESPN 4 106 3 3

Olesh was hosted by star tight end Colston Loveland during his official visit. Tight ends coach Steve Casula was his primary recruiter for Michigan.

Here is the scouting report from 247Sports’ Greg Biggins:

Long, athletic WR who projects as a TE in college. Productive junior season with 53 catches for 972 yards and 10 TDs. Looks all of 6-5 and has the frame to carry additional weight when he hits college. Has huge hands and is one of the more natural pass catchers in this year’s class. Runs well and shows both initial quickness in his releases and the long speed to run away from a secondary. Lines up mostly outside and is a smooth pass catcher who can change speeds and knows how to set up a defender. Has a nice burst getting in and out of his breaks and can create late separation. Big catch radius because of his length and ability to use his hands and runs well after the catch. Not asked to block a ton right now and adding some bulk and strength should be a priority but flashes a lot of upside and should be a tough matchup for opposing linebackers and safeties to deal with at the next level.

Listed at 6-foot-5, 212 pounds, Olesh also had offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Colorado, Florida State, Miami, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and others. He is Michigan’s second tight end commitment in the 2025 class with Eli Owens already in the fold.

Top 2025 TE recruiting target offers notes on recent official visit with Florida

Florida’s top tight end target stopped in the Swamp last weekend for an official visit.

Florida football hosted four-star tight end [autotag]Andrew Olesh[/autotag] out of Center Valley (Pennsylvania) Southern Lehigh in the 2025 cycle last weekend on an official visit and the rising high school senior seemingly had a positive experience in Gainesville.

“Just the people there and the environment. I can relate,” Olesh told 247Sports. “Coach (Russ) Callaway, he is one of my favorite coaches ever. I like the people there.”

The 6-foot-5-inch, 215-pound end was hosted by kicker [autotag]Trey Smack[/autotag] and tight end [autotag]Hayden Hansen[/autotag] while on campus for his OV.

“They are so cool to hang out with. They are awesome people and I can relate to them. They introduced me to the whole Florida thing and they took me around campus. They are just great people.”

Of course, he also spent some time with head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag].

“Coach Napier has been telling me that if I really do like Florida, make sure I am in touch. Pretty much make a decision when you have a feel for an environment and make sure you go to a program that cares for you.”

Recruiting Summary

Olesh is ranked No. 130 overall and No. 5 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 115 and 5, respectively.

On3’s recruiting prediction machine has the Penn State Nittany Lions out front in his recruitment with a 44.5% chance of signing him; the Michigan Wolverines (14.4%), Alabama Crimson Tide (12.3%) and Florida (10.3%) trail behind.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.