With less than a week until the early signing period begins next Monday, Penn State has lost one of its best possibilities for 2025.
Jayden Woods, a four-star edge rusher, switched his Penn State commitment to Florida on Friday. He had been committed to Penn State since June 26 and was from Mill Valley in Shawnee, Kansas. The 247Sports composite ranks Woods as the No. 10 edge rusher in the nation and the No. 5 talent in Kansas.
Speaking with PennLive less than a week ago to preview his impending signing and scheduled early enrollment, he gave the impression that he was committed to Penn State. However, he surprised everyone by coming to Gainesville this past Saturday, and the Gators obviously moved quickly to hire him. This season, Woods had also gone to Happy Valley for the White Out.
After losing Woods, Penn State’s class of 2025, which currently has 25 pledges, fell from No. 15 in the country to No. 17. Prior to flipping, he was the top player among the two other edge rushers in the group, four-stars Chaz Coleman and Cortez Harris, and had been the third-highest-rated prospect for the Nittany Lions.
With so little time left before prospects sign, losing Woods is a huge blow, but Penn State still has hope at the position. The No. 6 edge rusher in the class and the third-ranked prospect in Pennsylvania, Zahir Mathis, suddenly retracted a months-long commitment to Ohio State. His future commitment will be considered by the Lions, but there may still be a lengthy waiting period.
Mathis comes from Imhotep Charter in Philadelphia, where kids have waited to enroll at Penn State in the summer because they have historically been unable to graduate early. As a result, there is less motivation to sign during the early period on Wednesday of next week.
Jabree Wallace-Coleman, a four-star running back and Mathis classmate, is one of Penn State’s more highly regarded prospects in this class. Three current Penn Staters are alumni of Imhotep, demonstrating the Lions’ longstanding association with the school.
More Penn State Football News
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!