The class of 2025 prospects from Penn State are now being welcomed to Happy Valley after being there for days, weeks, months, or years.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Penn State currently has 26 commitments in a class that is ranked 17th in the nation. However, it will undoubtedly be tense because the Nittany Lions just signed three-star tight end Brian Kortovich on Tuesday, making him their 26th commit.With the national letter of intent no longer tying prospects to their schools, there may be more in the future.
James Franklin will assist in leading Penn State’s signing day activities on Wednesday, checking in with early morning signees as they come in, taking a break from his preparations for Oregon in the Big Ten Championship. The activities are being streamed live on Penn State’s official social media accounts, which you can view here.
We’ve got you covered in case you miss anything. A complete list of Penn State’s signees will be available here when they become available.
DE Cortez Harris, Riverdale Baptist (Maryland), 9:35 a.m.
When the defensive end arrives on campus and begins the training and diet program, Franklin stated that he believes Cortez Harris will become a monster at Penn State. Shortly after his official tour, on June 23, Harris committed to Penn State. His only other official travels were to Tennessee and his homeland of Maryland. Prior to suffering a season-ending injury this year, Harris, the No. 12 recruit in Maryland, had 6.5 sacks. Franklin stated that they anticipate his enrollment in the summer.
Imani Christian (Pa.) and DE Dayshaun Burnett at 9:27 a.m.
This cycle, Penn State dominated the Pittsburgh region, mostly due to the efforts of assistant head coach Terry Smith. That pattern was maintained by Dayshaun Burnett, a four-star and Pennsylvania’s No. 11 player. For Imani Christian, Burnett was a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, playing several positions and both sides of the ball, as Franklin stated during the webcast. He made an impression at 7-on-7 camps during the summer, and once he is able to concentrate on just one position at Penn State, he will be a tremendous athlete. He is anticipated to become an edge rusher in Happy Valley at 6-3 and 220 pounds, and current Atlanta Falcon Arnold Ebiketie welcomed him.
Brian Kortovich, TE, Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Ohio), 9:20 a.m.
Brian Kortovich, the newest member of Penn State’s class of 2025, didn’t officially commit to the school until Tuesday, the day before signing day. Thanks in large part to an official visit over the weekend for Penn State’s victory over Maryland, the three-star tight end was committed to Purdue for over six months prior to making his flip. Kortovich is ranked as Ohio’s No. 21 player at 6-4 and 230 pounds. Due to his willingness to perform the grunt work as a blocker, Franklin referred to him as a throwback at tight end. When Kortovich had some growth spurts, he was a wide receiver.
In the York Rose Bowl, Imhotep’s Jabree Wallace-Coleman scores against Clarkson North in their high school football match. 23 August 2024. [email protected] Sean Simmers
8:55 a.m. | Imhotep Charter (Pa.), RB Jabree Wallace-Coleman
On Wednesday’s Zoom introduction with Franklin, gifted running back Jabree Wallace-Coleman was the most recent to be officially introduced, accompanied by six family members. Defensive line coach Deion Barnes has assisted in stepping up recruitment efforts in Philadelphia at Imhotep Charter, with whom Penn State has close ties. Prior to decommitting on December 10, 2023, Wallace-Coleman committed to Georgia on July 11, 2022, so it took him some time to get to PSU. This summer, Penn State made the move and jumped back in with an official visit. Saquon Barkley, a star with the Philadelphia Eagles, welcomed Wallace-Coleman to Happy Valley. Imhotep, a four-star running back, is ranked as Pennsylvania’s fifth-best prospect.
Tiqwai Hayes, a recruit from Penn State, comes to watch the White Out game versus Minnesota on October 22, 2022.
[email protected] Joe HermittTHE PATRIOT-NEWS
8:45 a.m. | Aliquippa (Pa.) | RB Tiqwai Hayes
Tiqwai Tikey Hayes formalized what Franklin, a player, referred to as the “whole package” for his academic and athletic endeavors. Current Nittany Lions running backs Nicholas Singleton and Quinton Martin, both of whom are gifted in-state, greeted him. The No. 12 athlete in Pennsylvania and a three-star prospect, Hayes remained steadfast in his dedication to PSU. The staff clearly prioritizes him because he has visited the campus an astounding 19 times. According to Franklin, he is among the nation’s less well-known running backs. In addition to being 5’11” and 210 pounds, Hayes is the nephew of Terry Smith, Penn State’s assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach, who oversees the school’s recruiting efforts in the Pittsburgh region.
On October 5, 2024, Penn State recruits Matthew Outten and Bekkem Krista come to watch the UCLA game.
Joe Hermitt | pennlive.com/jhermittPennLive
8:35 a.m. | WR I.C. Norcom and Matthew Outten (Virginia)
The Nittany Lion legend and seasoned NFL player Allen Robinson greeted four-star Matthew Outten, continuing the trend of incoming Penn State receivers. According to Franklin, the hiring procedure at Outten was difficult; the team had their sights set on him from the beginning but had to fight for him. Outten initially committed to Virginia Tech on July 1st, but on September 2nd, he switched to the Nittany Lions.He captained the squad twice under head coach Anthony Hawkins and I.C. Norcom. Outten, a four-star and the tenth-best player in Virginia, stands 6-1 and weighs 205 pounds. Alongside Henderson, Penn State had another successful cycle in Virginia, a state that Franklin and company have long sought.
8:25 a.m. | Chaminade-Madonna (Florida), WR Koby Howard
Getting as many talented wide receivers as possible in this class was a priority for Penn State. The newest member of that group is Koby Howard, who weighs 185 pounds and is 5-11. He attends Florida powerhouse Chaminade-Madonna Prep, where he is ranked No. 59 in the state and a four-star talent. Although he has been dealing with an injury since October that has affected his numbers and prevented him from playing, his team is still in the state playoffs.
Jeff Exinor Jr., a Penn State commit, pays a visit prior to the Bowling Green game on September 7, 2024.
[email protected] Joe HermittPennLive
Jeff Exinor Jr., wide receiver, McDonogh School (Maryland), 8:20 a.m.
Jeff Exinor Jr., a four-star wide receiver, officially signed a contract with Penn State, continuing the school’s illustrious McDonogh School alumni. Curtis Jacobs, a former McDonogh product and current New England Patriot, welcomed him. Among other schools, Exinor selected the Nittany Lions over in-state rivals Virginia Tech and Maryland. The 6-2, 215-pound receiver was eventually taken home by the Penn State coaches, who made the offer before he even entered high school. At McDonogh, he was a versatile player who mostly played wideout, but this season, as a wildcat quarterback, he helped his team win a few games.
7:25 a.m. | Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pittsburgh) DB Xxavier Thomas
Over the past few years, Penn State has transformed Pittsburgh Central Catholic into a pipeline, and Xxavier Thomas was just one more example. He committed on December 21, 2023, giving him one of Penn State’s longest-tenured recruits in the 2025 class. According to On3, Thomas made 17 trips to Penn State and never left the campus. He is rated as Pennsylvania’s 14th best talent and a three-star prospect.
On October 28, 2023, Matt Henderson, a recruit from Penn State, comes to watch the Indiana game.
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7:10 a.m. | Powhatan (Virginia) TE Matt Henderson
Matt Henderson, a 6-5, 210-pound tight end recruit, kicked off the celebrations for Penn State. As a four-star, Henderson was rated as the sixth-best prospect in Virginia and the sixteenth-best tight end nationally. Henderson was a standout player for his Powhatan Indians, who finished the season with a 6-5 record and a first-round playoff exit. He committed on May 8 after making just one official visit to Penn State.
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