Tag: Michael Troutman

Elite 2025 offensive lineman says Penn State ‘feels like family’

Penn State is sitting in a good spot for a key offensive line recruiting target in the Class of 2025.

With Penn State looking to fill out their 2025 recruiting class, there are still people on the offensive line [autotag]Phil Trautwein[/autotag] is targeting ahead of their commitment dates.

Following official visit season, some recruits are ready to announce their decisions after making up their minds while others are still deciding which direction they want to go for their collegiate careers.

[autotag]Malachi Goodman[/autotag] is in the latter camp.

The four-star offensive lineman is down to five schools and he took official visits to see all of them. USC was the last place he saw, and he is going to sit back and figure out what program he wants to join after discussions with his family and high school coaches.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, he would be a major addition for Penn State as they currently sit with just two offensive line commits ([autotag]Owen Aliciene[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Troutman[/autotag]) despite thinking Bray O’Hara will eventually shift into being an offensive tackle.

Goodman would become their top-rated lineman as he is listed at No. 102 overall and 11th at his position.

It doesn’t sound like a decision will be coming from the big tackle anytime soon. He told Brian Dohn of 247Sports that he is targeting late-July or August for his announcement as that would give him time to think about his decision and where he wants to play. Development, education and stability are what he’s looking for in a school, and he had some glowing things to say about [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and Trautwein before saying the program feels like home and is family (subscription required).

To get this done, Penn State will have to beat out Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, and USC, all national brands with plenty to offer.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine lists the Nittany Lions as the favorite to land Goodman, but this is going to be a tough one to land.

Still, with the extended decision period, that should help Penn State continue to stand out for him as they continue to stay in contact and make sure he knows the Nittany Lions are a more-than-viable option.

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Four-star offensive lineman puts Penn State in his top six

Penn State is in some competition for a commitment as this four-star offensive lineman trims down his options.

Penn State continues to look at offensive line options in their 2025 class as they currently have just two commitments at that position group from [autotag]Owen Aliciene[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Troutman[/autotag].

They’ve done an incredible job at recruiting and developing offensive linemen since [autotag]Phil Trautwein[/autotag] joined the program in 2020.

The Nittany Lions picked up five offensive line commits in the 2024 class and also got transfer [autotag]Nolan Rucci[/autotag], so it’s unclear how many they are targeting in this cycle.

However, one player they’re interested in is four-star [autotag]Max Buchanan[/autotag].

The 6-foot-4, 270-pounder recently cut his list to six schools and included Penn State. Others he’s still considering are Florida State, Clemson, Miami, Ole Miss, and UCF.

The Florida native is coming out of an official visit to Ole Miss this past weekend.

According to Chad Simmons of On3, those will be a major factor in his decision making.

“What is going to separate a school for me will be based on how my visits go. I want to see how honest and truthful the people are at each school. Getting along with the players and the people on campus is so important to me. I will only be around the coaches when I am at the facility or practice, so I want to see how I get along with the players. That will be very big for me,” Buchanan said.

Penn State will be the last official visit he takes as he’s scheduled to come to Happy Valley on June 21.

This has been a recruit on the radar of [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his staff for a while as they were the second school to offer him a scholarship and have maintained consistent contact with him throughout the process.

It may be a bit of an uphill battle, though.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine currently lists Penn State with the worst odds out of the six schools he’s considering with an 8.2% chance. Florida State are the leaders with a 22.7% chance.

Based on the amount of time that the coaching staff has put into this process, they’ll likely make a major push to land him prior to him taking his official visit in June.

Class of ’25 OL Michael Troutman commits to Penn State

New Jersey three-star offensive lineman Michael Troutman commits to Penn State.

Penn State appeared to take the lead in the recruiting battle for one of the top offensive linemen in New Jersey, and now they have officially won the battle. [autotag]Michael Troutman[/autotag], an interior offensive lineman from New Jersey, committed to the Nittany Lions on Sunday, hours before the Super Bowl.

“All praise to the most high, 153% committed,” Troutman shared on his social media account on Sunday.

Penn State and Rutgers seemingly emerged as the favorites in his recruitment, and a recent crystal ball prediction from a leading recruiting expert suggested Penn State was the favorite.

Troutman is currently rated as a three-star recruit by On3 and Rivals, but he does not yet have a rating from 247Sports or ESPN. On3 rates Troutman as the nation’s no. 46 interior offensive lineman and On3 and Rivals each have him in the top 26 overall in New Jersey.

Penn State’s Class of 2025 currently ranks sixth in the nation according to the composite rankings from 247Sports. The only Big Ten team ranked ahead of the Nittany Lions at this point in the recruiting cycle is Ohio State.

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Recruiting expert casts favorable prediction for Penn State

National recruiting expert with great track record picks Penn State in recruiting battle in New Jersey.

The high school recruiting scene is bustling in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the Class of 2025, and Penn State is actively pursuing the top recruits in each state. Already with a handful of players lined up from each key recruiting state, Penn State is looking to add to its offensive line with Michael Troutman of DePaul Catholic in Wayne, NJ.

Penn State and Rutgers are considered the favorites for the commitment from Troutman, a 6′-2″, 270-pound interior offensive lineman. Boston College, Duke, and Michigan State are others in the mix as well. But Penn State may be separating themselves from the pack if one notable recruiting prediction is any indication.

Brian Dohn, national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, cast a crystal ball prediction favoring Penn State for Troutman on Thursday evening. Dohn’s prediction is an encouraging sign for Penn State’s efforts in recruiting Troutman. Dohn has a 92.28% all-time accuracy rate with his predictions, and he has hit on each of his first 12 predictions in the Class of 2025 so far.

Troutman is currently rated as a three-star recruit by On3 and Rivals, but he does not yet have a rating from 247Sports or ESPN. On3 rates Troutman as the nation’s no. 46 interior offensive lineman and On3 and Rivals each have him in the top 26 overall in New Jersey.

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Michael Troutman on where things stand with Rutgers football

Michael Troutman III talks about where things stand with Rutgers and Penn State.

One of New Jersey’s top prospects in the 2024 class is intrigued by Rutgers football. Michael Troutman III sees Rutgers as trending up both on the field and in his recruitment.

An offensive lineman at DePaul Catholic (Wayne, New Jersey), Troutman is the No. 21 player in New Jersey according to On3. He is a three-star prospect and has a strong list of offers that includes Boston College, Duke, Illinois, Michigan State, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Texas A&M among others.

On Sunday, Troutman will be one of several dozen blue chip recruits who will be on the Rutgers campus for an unofficial visit.

“They’re going pretty well, I talk to them regularly,” Troutman told Rutgers Wire of his relationship with the Scarlet Knights.

“Definitely, how consistent they are when you hear from them, it’s not a once-in-a-while thing. I talk to the staff regularly.”

The relationship with Rutgers is a strong one, and the relationship with coach [autotag]Pat Flaherty[/autotag] is definitely a growing one.

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Flaherty’s first season with Rutgers saw the offensive line coach transform the unit. A former offensive line coach in the NFL for two decades, Flaherty won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants.

“Coach Flats is a great coach, he’s the kind of coach you can call and football won’t be the only thing talked about. He genuinely has conversations with the people he talks to,” Troutman said.

“Our most recent call was just about life and things like that. Really, just a catch-up kind of thing. And we were talking about the basketball game this weekend.”

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Troutman will be at Rutgers this weekend and at Penn State for a visit the first weekend of February.

“I’m still getting to know the new coaches but I have a good relationship with the staff that’s been there,” Troutman said.

Impressive ’25 offensive lineman Michael Troutman talks Rutgers football visit, offer

Michael Troutman talks about his Rutgers football offer on Saturday.

Following an unofficial visit on Saturday, Rutgers football became the latest offer for Michael Troutman.

Rutgers now joins a very crowded recruitment for the talented New Jersey offensive lineman. A member of the class of 2025, Troutman already has a strong Power Five offer list that includes: Boston College, Duke, Michigan State, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Texas A&M among others.

And now, of course, Rutgers. The offer from Michigan State came last week.

A 6-foot-3, 270-pound offensive lineman, Troutman plays for powerhouse program DePaul Catholic (Wayne, New Jersey). He is a three-star recruit who is ranked the No. 24 player in New Jersey by Rivals.

Troutman visited Rutgers on Saturday to see the game against Michigan State. Rutgers pulled off an improbable comeback, scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to improve their record to 5-2 (2-2 Big Ten).

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“I had went with my step-dad and my little brother, the game was great – especially with the comeback win at the end,” Troutman told Rutgers Wire.

“After the game, I was blessed enough to be in the locker room with the players and got to celebrate with them a little bit. A little bit before I left I got to speak with coach Schiano (head coach Greg Schiano) personally where we spoke about what it took and what it meant to be part of the Rutgers family.

“Shortly thereafter, I was blessed to have received an offer from coach Schiano himself.”

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t was another significant offer for Troutman, who has worked his way to holding one of the most impressive offer lists in the state.

“It’s a blessing and I feel like it’s an opportunity most New Jersey football players hope to have,” Troutman said.

Up next for Troutman are a couple of visits to ACC programs.

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“As of right now I plan on going to Boston college for the game against UConn on the 28th,” Troutman said.

“And then I should be at Pitt for the game against Florida State on November 4th.”