Tag: penn state football recruiting

Penn State continues to pursue elite 2025 offensive lineman

Penn State is trying hard to flip this offensive lineman from his commitment to an SEC powerhouse.

As Penn State fans have seen throughout the 2025 cycle, just because a player commits to a program doesn’t mean they are fully locked in. The Nittany Lions have been the victims of players decommitting, while also benefiting from flipping their own targets and getting them involved in the class.

That was on display when four-star linebacker Cam Smith flipped from Duke to Penn State, and when safety Antonio Branch decided to flip to Colorado following his official visit last weekend.

Until a player officially signs his letter of intent, there is nothing that is binding them into their verbal commitment.

Knowing that, James Franklin and his staff are still working on some of their top targets they weren’t able to land the first time around. There are plenty of candidates who are seen as players Penn State could get on board, but it certainly won’t be easy.

One prospect they still are firmly pursuing is current Alabama commit Michael Carroll.

The offensive lineman is rated as a five-star by On3, and comes in as the No. 37 overall player in the class per their Industry Ranking. As one of the best recruits in the state of Pennsylvania, it was a tough pill to swallow when he picked the Crimson Tide.

However, Carroll was recently on the campus of Miami this past weekend, potentially signaling he might be weighing some other options.

According to Chad Simmons of On3, the coveted lineman is feeling “even better and even stronger” about his current commitment to Alabama after that visit, but he did mention that Penn State continues to recruit him and never stopped when he first announced his decision. It will still be an uphill battle for the Nittany Lions, though, with Carroll stating he was told there is a plan for him to play early with the Crimson Tide (subscription required).

Still, this will be something to monitor during the next few months as Penn State clearly still wants to have him join this 2025 class.

Penn State loses ’25 commitment to Colorado

Penn State was unable to hold on to a commitment from this Class of 2025 cornerback.

When it comes to college football recruiting, nothing is a done deal until a player signs their letter of intent and enrolls in classes. Flipping a commitment from one school to another is part of the process and Penn State has been on both sides of that game in the Class of 2025. On Monday, it was on the side you would rather not be on.

Safety Antonio Branch Jr., a three-star recruit from Miami, Florida, announced he flipped his commitment from Penn State to Colorado. The flip comes following an official visit to Colorado over the weekend, which was probably highlighted by Colorado’s wild come-from-behind overtime victory over Baylor.

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But so was the thought of playing for one of the NFL’s all-time best cornerbacks, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.

“It felt like home to me,” Branch said according to 247Sports. “Why not get coached by the best to do it?”

It is true that James Franklin is not one of the NFL’s 100th anniversary all-time team players or on the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team, although it should be pointed out the Nittany Lions have developed a solid track record of producing NFL draft picks in the secondary in recent years. But this is not our decision to make!

Branch committed to Penn State on June 19 but took an official visit to Colorado just a couple of weeks after being offered by the program on Sept. 5.

It may be worth just keeping tabs on Branch’s recruitment moving forward as the future of Sanders in Boulder, Colorado may still be uncertain for a few different reasons.

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Penn State gets massive commitment from 2025 four-star offensive lineman

Penn State picked up another big commitment this week, this time beefing up the offensive line.

Not only did Penn State get their season started with a bang when dominating West Virginia on the road to silence some of the critics, they were able to utilize that performance to help themselves on the recruiting trail.

Almost immediately after the game on Saturday finished, the Nittany Lions got some great news when wide receiver [autotag]Matthew Outten[/autotag] flipped his commitment from Virginia Tech to Penn State.

Whether it was the offense looking much better that made him think he could envision himself playing in this program or not, landing the productive high school wide out is important for [autotag]Marques Hagans[/autotag] in the 2025 cycle.

However, that wasn’t the only big news on the recruiting trail coming out of Week 1.

Longtime offensive lineman recruit [autotag]Malachi Goodman[/autotag] has made up his mind.

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This is a massive recruiting win for [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his staff as they were able to land the third-highest ranked player in the state of New Jersey, beating out the likes of Auburn, USC, Alabama and Georgia who he also took official visits to earlier in the summer.

“The biggest factor was development. The main reasons I committed to Penn State are the coaching staff, how I feel about the offensive line group and I like Coach [Phil Trautwein] a lot,” he said per Ryan Snyder of On3.

At 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, he is considered to have a high ceiling based on his young age that allows plenty of room to grow once he starts working with the staff at Penn State.

Rated as a four-star recruit in the class of 2025, he comes in at No. 130 in the cycle according to On3’s Industry Ranking which now makes him the highest-rated player in the Nittany Lions’ class.

Four-star receiver Matthew Outten flips commitment to Penn State

Penn State added another key wide receiver to its Class of 2025.

If it wasn’t already a good enough weekend for Penn State and head coach James Franklin, things got a little better on Monday. Days after opening the season with a road win at West Virginia, four-star wide receiver [autotag]Matthew Outten[/autotag] flipped his commitment from Virginia Tech to Penn State.

Outten announced his commitment to Penn State with a post on his social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter. Outten tagged Franklin and wide receivers coach Mareques Hagans in his commitment post.

Outten is a 6-0, 210-pound wide receiver from Portsmouth, Virginia. 247Sports rates him as a four-star player, as does ESPN. On3 and Rivals each give him a three-star rating. Regardless, he is considered a talented player at a position of need for Penn State, and his decision to flip from in-state Virginia Tech to Penn State is a solid win for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State was among the team on Outten’s radar form the start of his recruiting process, so it is not shocking to see such a development later in his timeline. Outten took an unofficial visit to Penn State in November 2023 and attended a junior day event this past February. He took an official visit to Penn State in June, which was followed by official visits the next two weeks to Maryland and Virginia Tech. A couple of weeks after his official visits, Outten committed to Virginia Tech. Outten also considered Syracuse among his final candidates.

Perhaps coincidentally, Outten’s decision to back away from his Virginia Tech commitment comes two days after Virginia Tech was upset on the road at Vanderbilt and Penn State dismantled West Virginia in Morgantown. Even if it is a coincidence, it is still interesting to see these events all line up in succession.

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Outten is the third wide receiver in Penn State’s current Class of 2025 recruiting class. He joins Lyrick Samuel and Koby Howard, both of whom are three-star recruits according to 247Sports.

Penn State’s Class of 2025 ranked no. 16 in the nation in the updated 247Sports recruiting rankings as of Sept. 1, but the Nittany Lions moved up two spots to no. 14 following this latest commitment.

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Where does Penn State sit with OL target Malachi Goodman with commitment coming soon?

Four-star New Jersey offensive lineman has Penn State as a finalist in days leading up to commitment announcements.

Penn State’s Class of 2025 has two offensive linemen currently committed to the Nittany Lions, but James Franklin and his staff are hoping to add one more out of New Jersey before the end of August. Four-star offensive lineman Malachi Goodman is reportedly set to announce his commitment decision before the end of the month, and Penn State remains one of the finalists in the running.

Penn State is believed to be in the final running with USC and Auburn. Of the three perceived finalists, Penn State was the first to extend a scholarship offer back in October 2023. USC offered Goodman in January of this year and Auburn’s offer came in March. Goodman has visited Penn State at least three times this year, including an official visit at the end of May. He has also taken official visits to Auburn and USC as well as Alabama and Georgia since May.

An exact announcement date has not been confirmed at this time, but recent comments by Goodman have suggested a commitment decision could be shared as early as this coming week.

There are no crystal ball predictions recorded on 247Sports at this time, but the On3 recruiting prediction machine predicts Penn State has the upper hand with a 21.6% chance of securing Goodman’s commitment.

Goodman, a 6′-5″ and 315-pound lineman, carries a four-star rating from all of the recruiting outlets (247Sports, On3, and Rivals) and is a consensus top-5 player from New Jersey. 247Sports ranks Goodman as the no. 6 interior offensive lineman in the nation as well.

Penn State currently holds offensive line commitments from three-star players Owen Aliciene (from Avon, Connecticut) and Michael Troutman (from Wayne, New Jersey). Penn State’s Class of 2025 started the month ranked no. 16 in the nation according to 247Sports, good for fourth in the Big Ten. Since the start of the month, Penn State’s national recruiting rankings has moved up to no. 15, which is still fourth in the conference behind Ohio State, Oregon, and Michigan.

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Penn State in the running for elite 2025 four-star wide receiver

Penn State remains in the hunt for a four-star receiver in the Class of 2025.

It’s been a roller coaster for Penn State in the class of 2025.

Full of high-profile commitments, some decommitments, and the state’s best players going elsewhere, this has been a cycle that’s been anything but usual in the past few years under [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag].

Perhaps nothing has been more emblematic of the up-and-down nature of this class than the wide receiver position.

Knowing that the Nittany Lions needed to land a group that was full of high-profile players following the disappointing output that took place last season, it hasn’t exactly worked out that way.

Still, there are three wide receiver commitments in the 2025 class and it seems like Penn State is not done looking for more.

They received some good news when elite four-star prospect [autotag]Jerome Myles[/autotag] included them in his Top 10 schools list.

Ranked as the No. 8 player at his position and the 42nd overall recruit in the 2025 class by On3’s Industry Ranking, this would be the exact headliner that the Nittany Lions are looking to land.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder was on the radar of Penn State during the spring, but following a visit to Ole Miss, he decided to commit to that program. However, he reponed things in June and has been searching for where he’s going to play ever since.

Myles is a Utah native, so after he took an official visit to that program, they are the clear favorites to land him according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine.

But other top programs around the country and vying to get him into their own classes, namely Georgia, Michigan, Miami, and Auburn who are pursuing him heavily.

His recruitment is expected to carry into the fall, so there is still time for the Nittany Lions to continue working on him and trying to get him onto campus for a visit.

Myles will certainly be a name to continue monitoring.

Penn State makes top schools list of four-star 2026 edge rusher

Penn State among the top schools on four-star edge rusher’s list for 2026.

Penn State has been active in the 2026 recruiting cycle, already securing six commitments that range from in-state prospects to those from multiple states around the country.

It’s an impressive showing for them so far, but they will continue to be active and try to build relationships through this fall that carries over into the all important spring period next year.

Defensive line coach [autotag]Deion Barnes[/autotag] emerged as a star on the recruiting trail in the 2025 class, and even though it took him a little while to get going and land some commitments, he still was able to get some of the best prospects on his board.

He wasted no time in the 2026 cycle, already landing four-star edge rusher [autotag]Daniel Jennings[/autotag].

Now, he got some good news regarding another target as [autotag]Anthony Jones[/autotag] included the Nittany Lions in his top schools list that also featured Michigan, Ohio State, Georgia, Tennessee, Washington, UCLA, Arizona State and California.

The four-star California native has been busy taking visits to schools around the country, narrowing his scope from the roughly 18 scholarship offers that he has received so far.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he’s rated as a four-star prospect who is considered the 18th-best player at his position and No. 204 overall per On3’s Industry Ranking.

He has yet to visit Penn State, but wants to get to campus sometime this fall. According to Chad Simmons of On3, he plans on taking official visits during the spring and summer before announcing his commitment (subscription required).

Jones would be a major addition for the Nittany Lions, getting two four-star recruits in the same class to come off the edge.

Penn State loses longtime commitment in 2025 recruiting class

Penn State lost a key running back commitment from its Class of 2025, at least for now.

As Penn State continues to get ready for the upcoming season that is now under three weeks away, things continue to happen on the recruiting trail.

The 2025 class has been a roller coaster for the Nittany Lions, getting some high-profile out of state prospects, but also failing to land some of the best players in the state of Pennsylvania.

It has also seen some flips occurring, with Penn State seeing some players leaving the group, but also gaining one of their own.

On Tuesday, the Nittany Lions lost another player who was committed to them after three-star running back [autotag]Kiandrea Barker[/autotag] announced he is now opening up his recruitment.

Barker had been part of Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class since he committed to them back in April 2023 shortly after attending the Blue-White Game.

He chose the Nittany Lions over some other high-profile Power 4 schools like Florida State, Miami, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, SMU and UCF.

In his statement, he said that he is still considering Penn State as he opens up his recruitment again, but for now, they are now down to two running back commitments in the current cycle.

Barker now becomes the second running back to decommit from the Nittany Lions, following Alvin Henderson who flipped his decision to Auburn. That allowed [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his staff to bring in four-star [autotag]Jabree Wallace-Coleman[/autotag] to keep the number at three, but they are now back down to two commits at that position.

There’s no indication Penn State will be looking for another running back at this point in time to join this class, or that they will continue to recruit Barker following his decommitment.

The Nittany Lions now have 23 recruits in their 2025 class.

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Penn State lands commit from four-star edge rusher Daniel Jennings

Penn State closed July with a four-star edge rusher for its Class of 2026.

On the same day Penn State added a commitment to the defensive line in the Class of 2025, the Nittany Lions also added another quality addition to the defensive line in the Class of 2026. Penn State received a verbal commitment from edge rusher [autotag]Daniel Jennings[/autotag], from West Virginia, on Wednesday evening.

Jennings is a 6-2, 220 lb edge rusher for Princeton High School in Princeton, West Virginia. He was reportedly down to Penn State and his in-state option, West Virginia (Penn State opens the 2024 season at West Virginia; you can download our 2024 schedule wallpaper for your phone). Jennings also had offers on the table from Illinois and UNLV at the time of his Penn State commitment.

247Sports ranks Jennings as a four-star recruit in the Class of 2026. He carries a three-star rating from On3 and Rivals.

The commitment of Jennings comes days after an unofficial visit last weekend to Penn State’s campus. It was the second unofficial visit to Penn State this summer. Penn State extended an offer in March 2023 during another unofficial visit.

Jennings is the fifth commitment in Penn State’s Class of 2026 and first defensive lineman. Other commitments in Penn State’s Class of 2026 include offensive tackle Kevin Brown, running back Messiah Mickens, quarterback Troy Huhn, and wide receiver Jahsiear Rogers.

It is still incredibly early in the Class of 2026 timeline, but Penn State currently owns the no. 2 ranked recruiting class for 2026 according to 247Sports. The only school ahead of the Nittany Lions is Auburn.

 

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Penn State adds commitment from DL Yvan Kemajou to Class of 2025

Penn State wrapped up July with another defensive line commitment in the Class of 2025.

Penn State has added another defensive lineman to its Class of 2025 with a commitment from Maryland defensive lineman [autotag]Yvan Kemajou[/autotag]. Kemajou announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions on Wednesday.

Kemajou, a 6-3, 230-pound edge rusher, is a three-star recruit according to 247Sports and On3, and Rivals adds a fourth star to his recruiting profile. Kemajou reportedly picked Penn State over offers from Rutgers, Duke, and Virginia Tech in the end. Kemajou also held offers from Illinois and Maryland in the Big Ten and regional schools in Pittsburgh, Virginia, and West Virginia, among others.

The commitment from Kemajou comes days after his latest unofficial visit to Penn State, where he got a chance to work out for Penn State defensive line coach Deon Barnes.

The 247Sports recruiting rankings list Kemajou as the no. 17 player overall in Maryland, and he is ranked no. 435 overall in the nation according to the 247Sports composite player rankings in the Class of 2025.

The addition of Kemajou to the Class of 2025 quickly fills a vacancy in the recruiting class that was left by Max Granville. Granville recently reclassified from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2024, allowing him to enroll for the fall and join the program immediately. The loss of Granville from the Class of 2025 was a slight hit on the recruiting rankings for Penn State, so the addition of Kemajou’s commitment should help recoup some ground in the recruiting rankings.

Penn State also has commitments for the defensive line in the Class of 2025 from Randy Adirika, Cortez Harris, and Jayden Woods.

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