On the recruiting path, Penn State recently pulled off a complete bombshell that completely alters the picture of the class of 2025.
During a live-streamed event at Southern Lehigh on Friday, Andrew Olesh, a four-star tight end, declared his commitment to Penn State. The 247Sports Composite recently ranked Olesh as the top player in Pennsylvania and the third-best tight end in the nation. Olesh has been committed to Michigan since July 8. He rose to the top of the Nittany Lions 2025 class’s player rankings right away.
Andrew Olesh@a_olesh8flips from Michigan, a 4-star recruit for Southern Lehigh, and signs with Penn [email protected]/GyltXOfCLF
James Franklin and Penn State secured all 26 of their 2025 pledges on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period. The Nittany Lions were still waiting, mostly keeping an eye on Olesh and four-star quarterback Bryce Baker as possible flip targets, even though the class ended the day ranked 17th nationally. Now that Olesh has committed, Penn State has moved up one slot to 16th place.
As part of his recruitment efforts, the 6-5, 215-pound Olesh made ten trips to Penn State, including an official visit on June 14 during the summer. A week later, he traveled to Michigan and finally declared his commitment, but Oregon and Penn State continued to pursue him. On the last weekend of the regular season, he returned to Happy Valley for the Ohio State game on November 2, went back to Michigan on November 22, and then traveled to Eugene for an official visit with the Ducks.
Michigan made a significant step by selecting Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall 2025 prospect, as quarterback, even though Olesh’s recruitment was obviously still in flux. Olesh was likely to find it appealing, and Penn State seemed to change course at the end of the cycle. On Tuesday, Brian Kortovich, a three-star tight end, switched from Purdue to Penn State. Nevertheless, Olesh lost in the end against the Nittany Lions.
The addition of Pennsylvania’s top player fundamentally alters Penn State’s prospects for this cycle. In January, Zahir Mathis, a defensive end and then-No. 1 Pa. player, was lost by the Nittany Lions to Ohio State. Matt Zollers, a gifted quarterback who was rated as a four-star, then transferred to Missouri. At one of Penn State’s most critical spots, speedy wide receiver Lex Cyrus left for South Carolina. Olesh then left for Michigan. The state appeared to be in dire straits.
A few months later, Olesh was taken from the Wolverines by Penn State, and Mathis left Ohio State with the Nittany Lions very much in the running for his services. The late effort by Franklin and company to accomplish their objective of controlling the state is beginning to pay off. In a Penn State class that had few players prior to his commitment, Olesh has emerged as a standout talent.
Olesh joins Kortovich and four-star Virginia recruit Matt Henderson as the Nittany Lions’ third tight end in the 2025 class.
Stories by
Max Ralph
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!