Tag: Class of 2025

UNC football’s top Class of 2025 recruit signs Letter of Intent on Wednesday

UNC officially landed its quarterback of the future on Wednesday.

The North Carolina Tar Heels continue to win on the football recruiting trail, particularly given their recent hire of Bill Belichick as head football coach.

UNC’s greatest victory, so far, was getting 4-star quarterback Bryce Baker to re-assure his commitment on Saturday.

Baker, North Carolina’s top recruit in the 2025 class, further solidified his commitment when he joined Belichick at halftime of the UNC-La Salle basketball game.

On Wednesday, December 18, Baker officially locked himself into Chapel Hill.

In a small ceremony at East Forsyth (NC) High School, where Baker starred as the Eagles’ starting quarterback over the past two seasons, Baker signed his Letter of Intent in front of coaches, teammates and family.

Baker threw for 6.605 yards, 79 touchdowns and just eight interceptions at East Forsyth, leading his team to four state playoff victories. Baker also showcased his abilities as a dual-threat QB, running for 536 yards and nine more scores on the ground.

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With the Tar Heels uncertain about their 2025 starting quarterback, Baker has a golden shot to start from Day One. He’ll be competing with at least Max Johnson, the former Texas A&M and LSU transfer, who broke his leg in North Carolina’s 2023 opener at Minnesota.

Baker has a lot to be excited about as UNC’s likely quarterback of the future. His offensive line already has two key pieces, with 2024 starters Aidan Banfield and Austin Blaske recently withdrawing from the transfer portal, plus he now has a former SEC tight end in Connor Cox to catch passes.

Don’t be surprised to see others follow in Baker’s footsteps, whether withdrawing from the transfer portal or flipping their commitments to the Tar Heels.

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UNC football’s top 2025 recruit speaks on Bill Belichick’s vision in Chapel Hill

Does UNC’s top 2025 football recruit like Bill Belichick’s vision for the program?

Though the North Carolina Tar Heels are busy preparing to play in the Fenway Bowl on Saturday, December 28, they can breath a huge sigh of relief about their 2025 football roster.

Bryce Baker, UNC’s top-ranked Class of 2025 recruit and a prime candidate for starting quarterback next season, re-assured his commitment to North Carolina on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, Baker walked onto the Dean Dome court with the Tar Heels’ new head football coach, Bill Belichick.

Playing for Belichick, who won six Super Bowls as the New England Patriots‘ head coach, should be a player’s dream. Belichick is known for getting the best out of his players – and he now takes over a North Carolina program looking for consistency.

On Tuesday, December 17, Baker spoke highly of Belichick and his vision at UNC.

“He just explained how he was going to run it like an NFL place,” Baker said. “He knows there’s differences in college and the NFL, but he will have that next-level accountability he’s going to hold the team to.”

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Baker, who threw for a whopping 6,605 yards and 79 touchdowns at East Forsyth High School between 2023 and 2024 seasons, will compete with Max Johnson for the Tar Heels’ starting quarterback job in 2025.

Jacolby Criswell is out of eligibility and Conner Harrell is in the transfer portal, so Baker’s path to a starting job is that much clearer.

As legendary a coach Belichick is, the one knock against him is no college coaching experience. College football is becoming increasingly professional by the day, highlighted by how NIL money is tossed around, so I have full confidence in Belichick’s ability to lead North Carolina.

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BREAKING: Wisconsin class of 2025 quarterback signee decommits from program

Wisconsin class of 2025 quarterback commit decommits from program

Wisconsin class of 2025 signee Landyn Locke announced his decision to decommit from the Badgers’ class of 2025 on Monday.

Landyn Locke — the younger brother of former Badgers’ starter Braedyn Locke — made his choice just 12 days after signing with Wisconsin during its early signing day window on Dec. 4.

His choice follows a string of movements within the room. His older brother Braedyn entered the portal on Dec. 11 following an up-and-down season as the Badgers’ starter. That followed the departure of  Tyler Van Dyke, who also entered the portal after the 2024 season concluded.

After those departures, Wisconsin landed commitments from San Diego State transfer quarterback Danny O’Neil and Maryland starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. Those two additions, paired with the arrival of highly-touted class of 2025 quarterback Carter Smith, would have seen Locke enter far down the depth chart in Wisconsin’s crowded quarterback room.

With the reality of the updated depth chart, the Badgers’ move to fire offensive coordinator Phil Longo in November was also likely a factor in Locke’s decision.

The Texas native committed to Wisconsin in June 2023, just months after Braedyn transferred to the program from Mississippi State. He was set to join the Badgers as 247Sports’ No. 1,108 player in the class of 2025 and the No. 64 quarterback.

Rising sophomore Mabrey Mettauer is the only remaining quarterback from Wisconsin’s 2024 squad. Redshirt freshman Cole LaCrue also departed alongside Van Dyke and both Locke brothers this offseason.

For more on UW’s departing talent, bookmark our 2024 transfer portal departures tracker.

UNC football’s highest remaining Class of 2025 recruit re-assures his commitment

A phone call with Bill Belichick landed the UNC football team another recruiting commitment.

If you’re a high school or college football player and you get a call from Bill Belichick, pick up the phone.

On Sunday, December 15, UNC football recruiting target Austin Alexander did exactly that.

Alexander, a 4-star defensive end from Burlington, Ky. who will graduate from Cooper High School soon and join North Carolina for the Fenway Bowl, reassured his commitment to UNC after a Sunday conversation with Belichick.

“He (Belichick) really spoke more about, ‘This is how we will use you coming in,’” Austin’s dad, Durran Alexander, told Cincinnati’s WCPO 9 ABC News. “How we will use your skills.”

In the same story, the elder Alexander said it’s a blessing his son will get to play for Belichick.

After the Tar Heels fired Mack Brown in late November, their future recruiting classes faced uncertainty. 2026 4-star edge rusher Zavion Griffin-Haynes de-committed, while 4-star quarterback Bryce Baker – who remained committed – said he was going to look at other programs.

Getting a re-assurance from Alexander is yet another Tar Heels recruiting victory. With Desmond Evans out of eligibility and Kaimon Rucker recently declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft, Alexander has a clear spot to starting from Day One.

Alexander totaled 245 tackles, 42.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss in his high school career, which ended in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association 5A State Championship on Dec. 7. In short, Alexander produces and will bring his motor to a UNC unit that drastically improved in 2024.

Will Haynes join Alexander in pledging his loyalty to North Carolina? Will any other former Tar Heel targets – and uncommitted guys – select Chapel Hill as their college football destination?

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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.

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Penn State’s Class of 2025 is perfectly balanced, as all things should be

Penn State has signed its Class of 2025, and it’s a solid class.

Penn State may be preparing for the Big Ten championship game this week, but Wednesday was a cause to pause and celebrate the future of the program beyond this season. Wednesday marked the beginning of the early signing period in college football, and Penn State officially inked 26 members for its Class of 2026. With a recruiting class split evenly with 13 offensive players and 13 defensive players, James Franklin and his staff have managed to pull in a balanced class that will continue to sustain what the entire staff has been working to build for the next few seasons.

More than half of this recruiting class is scheduled to enroll early in January. Penn State announced 14 members of its Class of 2025 will be early enrollees, which will allow them to go through offseason workouts and conditioning and participate in spring football practices.

This recruiting class will be one of Franklin’s best overall classes at Penn State as well. A total of 23 of the 26 commits were ranked as a four-star or five-star player by On3, 247Sports, Rivals, or ESPN. The class also spread the Penn State footprint into 10 different states, including 19 from Pennsylvania or a neighboring state.

Among the top-rated recruits in the Class of 2025 are interior offensive lineman [autotag]Malachi Goodman[/autotag] from New Jersey, cornerback [autotag]Daryus Dixson[/autotag] from California, and linebacker [autotag]LaVar Arrington Jr.[/autotag] (yes, THAT LaVar Arrington).

Here is a full list of Penn State’s Class of 2025 that has been signed during the early signing period:

  • DL [autotag]Randy Adirika[/autotag] (Miami, Fla.)
  • OL [autotag]Owen Aliciene[/autotag] (Cheshire, Conn.)
  • LB [autotag]LaVar Arrington Jr.[/autotag] (Annapolis, Md.)
  • DL [autotag]Dayshaun Burnett[/autotag] (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
  • DL [autotag]Chaz Coleman[/autotag] (Warren, Ohio)
  • RB [autotag]Jabree Coleman[/autotag] (Darby Township, Pa.)
  • WR [autotag]Jeff Exinor Jr.[/autotag] (Baltimore, Md.)
  • OL [autotag]Malachi Goodman[/autotag] (Bloomfield, N.J.)
  • DL [autotag]Cortez Harris[/autotag] (Largo, Md.)
  • RB [autotag]Tikey Hayes[/autotag] (Aliquippa, Pa.)
  • TE [autotag]Matt Henderson[/autotag] (Powhatan, Va.)
  • WR [autotag]Koby Howard[/autotag] (Pensacola, Fla.)
  • DB [autotag]Joshua Johnson[/autotag] (Ironton, Ohio)
  • DB [autotag]Jahmir Joseph[/autotag] (Nyack, N.Y.)
  • DL [autotag]Yvan Kemajou[/autotag] (Burtonsville, Md.)
  • TE [autotag]Brian Kortovich[/autotag] (Willoughby, Ohio)
  • QB [autotag]Bekkem Kritza[/autotag] (Chandler, Ariz.)
  • OL [autotag]Brady O’Hara[/autotag] (Mars, Pa.)
  • WR [autotag]Matt Outten[/autotag] (Portsmouth, Va.)
  • WR [autotag]Lyrick Samuel[/autotag] (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
  • LB [autotag]Cam Smith[/autotag] (Salem, N.J.)
  • LB [autotag]Alex Tatsch[/autotag] (Latrobe, Pa.)
  • DB [autotag]Braz Thomas[/autotag] (Glassboro, N.J.)
  • DB [autotag]Xxavier Thomas[/autotag] (Canonsburg, Pa.)
  • OL [autotag]Michael Troutman III[/autotag] (Trenton, N.J.)

The focus will now shift to the transfer portal as Penn State’s offseason roster changes could be continuing in the coming weeks amidst its Big Ten and College Football Playoff push.

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Early Signing Day: Wisconsin officially signs younger brother of QB Braedyn Locke

Early Signing Day: Wisconsin officially signs younger brother of QB Braedyn Locke

Wisconsin officially signed all 24 committed members of its class of 2025 on Wednesday.

The group currently ranks No. 24 in the nation and No. 8 in the new Big Ten at this late stage in the cycle. That slot is close to finalized with the early signing period ongoing.

Related: Early Signing Day Tracker: Updates on Wisconsin football’s full activity in class of 2025

One notable member of Wisconsin’s incoming class: three-star quarterback Landyn Locke — the younger brother of current Badgers starter Braedyn Locke.

Landyn Locke committed to Wisconsin in June 2023, just months after Braedyn transferred to the program from Mississippi State. He has stuck with his commitment through two disappointing seasons. He’s set to join the Badgers as 247Sports’ No. 1,108 player in the class of 2025 and the No. 64 quarterback.

He is one of two quarterbacks committed to the class. Four-star Carter Smith is the group’s top signal-caller.

 

Landyn sticking with the class is notable amid Wisconsin’s ongoing turmoil, and after it landed Smith to headline the class. The program recently fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo in November. That new offensive coordinator is likely to reshape the program’s quarterback room upon arrival.

That dynamic, paired with Braedyn’s up-and-down play throughout the season, led many to wonder whether he will stick around with the new regime. The redshirt sophomore remains with the program as of Dec. 4, and recently reaffirmed his desire to play for the Badgers when speaking with the media after the team’s season-closing loss to Minnesota.

Landyn Locke signing his National Letter of Intent is a possible signal that Braedyn plans to stick around. Given the converging factors of a crowded room and a new coordinator, it could have been easy for the three-star recruit to look elsewhere. That is just a projection — it’s hard to predict anything concrete in today’s age of college football. As of today, both Landyn and Braedyn Locke are set to suit up for the Badgers in 2025.

The team’s quarterback depth chart is a big story to watch as the offseason continues.

For more updates on Wisconsin’s early signing period, bookmark our signing day tracker.

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Early Signing Day: Wisconsin officially signs two former top Michigan commits

Early Signing Day: Wisconsin officially signs two former top Michigan commits

Wisconsin’s busy few weeks in the class of 2025 culminated on Wednesday, when college football’s early signing period began.

Among Wisconsin’s many signings are two of the program’s most recent additions. Those players are four-star DL Jaylen Williams and four-star QB Carter Smith, each who were formerly among Michigan‘s top commits in the class.

Related: Early Signing Day Tracker: Updates on Wisconsin football’s full activity in class of 2025

Williams flipped to the Badgers from the Wolverines on Nov. 20, while Smith de-committed from Michigan and eventually committed to Wisconsin on Nov. 24.

Smith is Wisconsin’s highest-rated commit in the cycle, ranked as 247Sports’ No. 164 player in the class of 2025, No. 15 quarterback and No. 26 recruit from Florida.

Williams, meanwhile, is among the most important members of the class. Wisconsin’s defensive line group looks incredibly thin moving forward. His status as a four-star recruit and 247Sports’ No. 230-ranked player in the class should begin to address that issue.

Each players’ respective path to Wisconsin was different. Wisconsin beat Florida State more than anybody else for Smith after he left Michigan’s class — a move that coincided with the program’s pursuit of top quarterback Bryce Underwood. Both, however, were previously two of the Wolverines’ top commits in the cycle.

Wisconsin has not won much on the field since Luke Fickell arrived before the 2023 season. These two signings represent important recruiting wins as he works to chart the program’s path forward.

For more updates on Wisconsin’s early signing period, bookmark our signing day tracker.

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Early Signing Day: Wisconsin officially signs son of longtime NFL wide receiver

Wisconsin officially signs son of longtime NFL wide receiver

Wisconsin is in the process of officially signing its entire class of 2025. The flurry of signings began on Wednesday with the start of the early signing period in college football.

For up-to-date information on Wisconsin’s class and those who have signed, bookmark our early signing day tracker.

Related: Early Signing Day Tracker: Updates on Wisconsin football’s full activity in class of 2025

Of the group, there are some specific signings to note.

One is four-star wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr., the son of longtime NFL wide receiver T.Y. Hilton.

Hilton Jr. committed to the Badgers back in June over other top offers from Georgia, Ole Miss, Miami and Missouri. At the time, he was the program’s second wide receiver commit in the class. He’s now the only wideout in the group after Cameron Miller’s recent departure.

The Indiana native is 247Sports’ No. 412 player in the class of 2025, No. 60 wide receiver and No. 9 recruit from his home state. His signing is a big one for the Badgers, especially given the program’s current questions on offense after the firing of coordinator Phil Longo. It’s a positive sign as the program works to chart a path forward after a disastrous 5-7 2024 season.

Hilton Jr. will look to replicate the successful college and professional football career of his father, T.Y., who recently retired after an 11-year NFL career. T.Y. finished that length NFL career with impressive totals of 638 receptions, 9,812 receiving yards and 53 touchdowns. He made four consecutive Pro Bowl appearances from 2014-17, plus led the league in receiving with 1,448 yards in 2016.

At the least, Wisconsin will have another high-profile fan over the next few years. Hopefully that coincides with Eugene Hilton Jr.’s ascension to the top of the wide receiver depth chart.

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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.