Penn State was looking to make an impression on some of their top flip targets in the class of 2025 with some time remaining before early signing day on Dec. 4. But without a home game until Nov. 2, that put them in a tough situation regarding the recruiting calendar.
Fortunately, four high-profile flip targets were able to make it to Happy Valley last weekend for their game against UCLA, giving the program another opportunity to make a late move to boost their 2025 class.
One player they thought would for sure already be committed to them is [autotag]Lex Cyrus[/autotag], the four-star in-state wide receiver from Harrisburg who had long been a priority of [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and [autotag]Marques Hagans[/autotag].
However, he shocked everyone when he committed to South Carolina on July 11, leaving many people in the fanbase to be frustrated again regarding how the position was being recruited.
But, with time still remaining before he officially signs elsewhere, Penn State is not going to give up on this recruitment, and when he was back on campus this past weekend, Sean Fitz of BlueWhiteIllustrated detailed the full-court press they put on him (subscription required).
According to the insider, the staff “rolled out the red carpet” for Cyrus and his 11 teammates who attended the UCLA game.
The speedy wide receiver continued to get better and better throughout his high school career, applying his elite track speed onto the field and flying up recruiting boards where he became considered the sixth-ranked player in Pennsylvania and the No. 29 wide receiver in the class per On3’s Industry Ranking.
There was a major push within Cyrus’s internal camp for him to become a Nittany Lion, so when he committed elsewhere it was a disappointing development.
The tides could be turning on that front, though, according to Fitz, as there are a few things working in Penn State’s favor.
One is that South Carolina has added more wide receivers to their 2025 class, bringing their total up to five. While that might not be a huge deciding factor in his decision since Penn State would also have five if Cyrus flips, it also signals he might no longer be a priority in the Gamecocks’ eyes like he was previously.
The Nittany Lions have continued to recruit him hard, maintaining a good relationship with him and his family that could ultimately allow them to break through in this process.
Fitz noted that “things seem to be trending up” regarding Penn State getting him on board following his recent visit to Happy Valley last weekend, so this will continue to be a process to monitor.