Penn State getting official visit from elite four-star linebacker

Penn State is looking forward to hosting this key linebacker recruiting target.

Penn State continues their efforts in the 2025 recruiting class to add as many talented prospects as possible.

With the Big Ten expanding, there is more need for talent now than ever.

The Nittany Lions have done a great job at landing early commitments from many players in the class so far, but there is still plenty of time for them to add more to areas of need.

One position they continue to target is linebacker.

Despite having three commitments already from four-stars [autotag]DJ McClary[/autotag], [autotag]Alex Tatsch[/autotag] and [autotag]Dayshaun Burnett[/autotag], they are heavily recruiting another four-star from the state of Florida.

[autotag]Ty Jackson[/autotag] is rated as the No. 115 player in the country and 14th-best linebacker according to On3’s Industry Rankings, but On3’s new updated rankings have him much higher as the best linebacker in his class and the No. 16 player overall.

At 6’1″ and 205 pounds, he is a downhill player who gets into the backfield quickly with his speed.

Jackson has started to have offers from high-profile programs pour in recently with just under 30 offers, many from elite schools across the country.

According to Chad Simmons of On3, he’s locked in an official visit to Penn State for the weekend of May 31. He’s visiting three others across the SEC and ACC in an official capacity this summer and plans on seeing others in the spring. Simmons also said that Jackson is not rushing into a decision with the elite prospect telling him it will likely come after his senior season in high school (subscription required).

Penn State currently sits third in On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with a 18.8% chance to land a commitment with Georgia leading the way at 25.1% and Tennessee second with a 21.9% chance.

Penn State’s 2025 football commitment tracker

We have an updated football commitment tracker for Penn State following Monday’s latest commitment.

Penn State got off to a fast start with assembling its Class of 2025 on the recruiting trail. James Franklin and his staff quickly put together a class ranking in the top 10 of the national recruiting rankings even before the Class of 2024 was wrapping up for good. An early focus on defense was noticeable with Penn State’s recruiting plans for the Class of 2025 and some key players from neighboring states were among the early highlights of the recruiting class.

We will be keeping tabs on the Penn State Class of 2025 all the way through the recruiting cycle up until the commitments sign with Penn State. Should there be any players backing off their commitment, we will track their status as well as their recruiting process plays out.

This tracker will be updated as necessary, with the most recent update being made on February 20, 2024.

2025 Four-star in-state linebacker Alex Tatsch commits to Penn State

Dominate the state! Four star in-state linebacker commits to Penn State

On Sunday evening, Penn State received its ninth commitment from the Class of 2025, which currently ranks as the sixth-best class in the nation according to 247Sports, when inside linebacker [autotag]Alex Tatsch[/autotag] pledged his commitment to [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and the Nittany Lions.

Tatsch, a Latrobe, PA native, is a four-star and top-10 Pennsylvania recruit. His quickness and elite ball skills make him a prototypical middle linebacker who can cover.

Tatsch had this to say to Rivals.com on his commitment and new Penn State defensive coordinator [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag]:

“I feel like the best fit for me,” Tatsch said. “Everything about it – the fit, high level football, teammates, the campus, all the coaches there – I feel like it’s the best fit for me. I think we can do some special things there.”

“It was good talking to coach Allen,” he said. “I got to know him better and see his mind behind football and how he teaches the game. I enjoyed it and I think he does it the right way. He thinks I can do a little bit of everything. As far as the position, I’m definitely an inside guy for him. He thinks I could be on the field for the 4-3 or 4-2-5.”

Tatsch’s ranking has a great chance of increasing as the Class of 2025 gets more flushed out after National Signing Day takes place this Wednesday for the 2024 class.

Tatsch joins New Jersey native [autotag]DJ McClary[/autotag] as the two linebackers in the Class of 2025. Both are considered inside linebackers and should be a noteworthy duo during their time at State College.

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4-star LB DJ McClary commits to Penn State for 2025

Penn State caps whiteout game weekend with four-star commitment for Class of 2025

Penn State followed up a big-time win with a big time commitment for the football program. A day after overpowering Iowa with a strong defensive showing on Saturday night, Penn State landed a commitment from Class of 2025 linebacker [autotag]DJ McClary[/autotag], from New Jersey.

The four-star New Jersey recruit gave his commitment to the Nittany Lions on Sunday and announced the news on his X, formerly known as Twitter account.

“I finally came to the decision thru this long journey developing relationships [with] college coaches and stepping on big college campuses,” Snyder said in a statement released on his social media account. “This decision is solo based on me and the comfort I had with this university. I feel as though this university [will] help develop me as a better football player and a better person.”

McClary was among the recruits making a visit to Penn State for the whiteout game against Iowa this weekend. He also made a visit to the campus for the season opener against West Virginia. McClary held offers from a number of powerhouse programs including Michigan, Ohio State, Tennessee, USC, and Ole Miss.

This is a nice recruiting win for Penn State in the Class of 2025. McClary is rated as a four-star recruit by 247Sports and is ranked as the no. 5 player overall in New Jersey, which is always a hot recruiting bed for Penn State and other programs. The 247Sports composite rankings have McClary as the no. 12 linebacker in the Class of 2025, and he is the no. 100 player overall in the nation.

McClary is the third player currently on the board for Penn State’s Class of 2025 at the moment. He joins four-star Texas running back Kiandrea Barker and cornerback Omari Gaines, who is also from New Jersey. It is still early in the Class of 2025 recruiting process of course, but Penn State’s small class currently holds a no. 9 ranking according to the 247Sports composite team rankings.

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No. 1 New Jersey linebacker includes Vols in top eight

Tennessee is one of eight schools for the No. 1 2025 New Jersey linebacker.

Four-star linebacker DJ McClary announced his top eight schools on Monday.

Tennessee, Penn State, Rutgers, USC, Oregon, South Carolina, Michigan and Ohio State are McClary’s top eight schools.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker is from Henry Snyder High School in Jersey City, New Jersey.

McClary is the No. 96 overall prospect and No. 9 linebacker in the class of 2025. He ranks as the No. 1 linebacker and No. 3 player in New Jersey, according to On3 industry rankings.

McClary finished his sophomore season with 131 tackles, 20.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks and one fumble recovery. He earned second-team New Jersey All-State honors.

As a freshman in 2021, McClary recorded 120 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, one sack and one interception.

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Ducks land among top schools for elite 4-star LB in 2025

Ducks land among top schools for elite 4-star LB in 2025

A lot of the focus in the college football recruiting world at the moment is aimed at the 2024 class, but that doesn’t mean that the groundwork for the 2025 class isn’t currently being laid.

When it comes to some of the top defensive players, it comes as no surprise that Dan Lanning is putting the Oregon Ducks in a good position.

On Monday afternoon, 4-star linebacker DJ McClary announced his top eight schools, listing the Ducks along with schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, and USC, among others.

McClary is rated as the No. 10 LB and the No. 91 overall player in the 2025 class, per the 247Sports Composite.

McClary has yet to take a visit to Oregon, but that will likely change in the coming months.

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New Jersey 2025 athlete the latest to receive an Ohio State offer

The Buckeyes offer an intriguing athlete from New Jersey #GoBucks

As a program with national reach, [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] football leaves no stone unturned when it comes to recruiting.

They can go into any area, and find a prospect with the potential to sign them down the road. Their latest offer went out to athlete [autotag]DJ McClary[/autotag], who resides in New Jersey.

The 6-foot, 2-inch, 210-pound athlete is ranked as the 247Sports Composite Rankings No. 18 athlete in the country and 148th overall player. McClary could end up playing safety as well, which is why he comes with the athlete moniker.

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McClary’s size is a bit on the smaller side for a linebacker, but in the defensive coordinator [autotag]Jim Knowles[/autotag]’ scheme, he could play the bullet position, a hybrid safety/linebacker. Though, the bullet position remains a bit of a mystery so far with Knowles at Ohio State.

McClary is considering a number of schools but seems to have a relationship with Buckeye offensive line commit Deontae Armstrong. Hopefully, that connection along with one he has developed with Knowles and head coach [autotag]Ryan Day[/autotag] wins out in the end.

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Michigan football offers 2025 LB from East Coast

He has a pretty good offer list already. #GoBlue

Michigan football has been busy on the recruiting trail, from gathering commits, to hitting the road during the spring evaluation period, to hosting players in Ann Arbor, to extending offers to recruits in 2024, 2025, and even 2026. The Wolverines are continuing to be aggressive after something of a down year on the trail, working to build out the future classes.

On Tuesday, the maize and blue continued their busy streak, extending an offer to a 2025 player on the defensive side of the ball. Jersey City (N.J.) Henry Snyder linebacker DJ McClary isn’t ranked as of yet, but he has offers from Boston College, Penn State, Ole Miss, Maryland, Rutgers, and Syracuse. And now the 6-foot-1, 185-pound linebacker can boast a Michigan offer.

The Wolverines are a bit behind the Nittany Lions here, as PSU offered back in November, and he’s even visited Happy Valley unofficially. However, with still a ways to go in his recruitment, the maize and blue still have a great opportunity to make a strong impression.

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