What to Know About Penn State Football’s 2025 Recruiting Class

Penn State had a quiet National Signing Day, as the 27 players of its 2025 recruiting class already put pen to paper for the Nittany Lions during the December early signing period. In fact, 14 players enrolled in January, getting a head start with the program and even being part of the College Football Playoff run.

With virtually all of the tough decisions and official commitments in the rearview mirror, coach James Franklin turns the focus for his newcomers to the development stage. Although Penn State football still could make last-second additions to the class, that isn’t the expectation. So here’s what to know about Penn State’s group of 27 commits, plus an early look at its 2026 class.

Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class ranking

As the recruiting rankings got some fresh updates in recent weeks, Penn State’s 2025 class sits at No. 12 nationally by ESPN, No. 14 by On3 and No. 16 by Rivals. The 247Sports Composite, which uses consensus rankings, has Franklin’s class at No. 15, with eight 3-star players, 19 4-stars and no 5-stars.

In the Big Ten, Penn State’s recruiting class trails Ohio State (No. 3), Oregon (No. 5), Michigan (No. 7) and USC (No. 14) in the 247Sports Composite rankings.

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Who are the top players in Penn State’s 2025 class?

Although the consensus rankings don’t consider any Nittany Lion prospects to be five-stars, two commits recently earned a fifth star fom individual recruiting sites. Tight end Andrew Olesh is now a five-star player, per On3, which also has him listed as the nation’s top tight end. Olesh, one of the 14 early enrollees, flipped his commitment from Michigan to Penn State in December, adding further depth to the Nittany Lions’ “Tight End U” argument. He joins a loaded 2025 tight end room that includes Luke Reynolds, Andrew Rappleyea and Khalil Dinkins. Olesh also is one of three tight ends in the class, with Matt Henderson, a 3-star prospect from Virginia, and Brian Kortovich, a 3-star player from Ohio.

Malachi Goodman is the other Penn State commit to earn a bump in recruiting rankings; 247Sports ranked the offensive lineman as a five-star recruit and top-20 player in the class. At 6-6, 310 pounds, Goodman will become a key piece in the Nittany Lions’ future offensive line after picking Penn State over Alabama, Georgia, Auburn and USC, although he may not see much 2025 playing time with five linemen with starting experience returning to the line.

Daryus Dixson, 247Sports Composite’s No. 16 cornerback and No. 117 overall player, is another early enrollee to watch. The California native was “the most physical corner out West” and “plays with the ferocity of a linebacker,” 247Sports’ Greg Biggins wrote in May 2024. With Jalen Kimber and Cam Miller gone, the 6-foot, 180-pound Dixson could earn some early looks at cornerback.

In a deep class that includes 12 4-star players, according to 247Sports, there’s a collection of recruits with opportunities to make a name for themselves early, especially at linebacker. Lavar Arrington Jr. (No. 10), Cameron Smith (No. 24) and Dayshaun Burnett (36) are all top-50 linebackers in 247Sports’ positional rankings.

Offensively, Virginia’s Matthew Outten will immediately become a critical young piece in a Penn State’s wide receivers room that’s being reworked once again. Outten is the No. 12 athlete in the class, per the 247Sports Composite. Koby Howard, a Rivals 4-star receiver from Florida, and Jeff Exinor Jr. look to make an impact as well.

An early look at Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class

Penn State’s 2026 class is moving quickly, ranking as the No. 3 class in the 247Sports Composite. The Nittany Lions have nine 2026 commits, according to Rivals, six of whom play offense.

Leading the group of five 4-star players, per 247Sports, is quarterback Troy Huhn of California. Huhn, who also had offers from Arizona State, Auburn and others, committed to the Nittany Lions in June 2024 and is the No. 11 quarterback in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Running back Messiah Mickens and offensive tackle Kevin Brown, two in-state players, are also among the higher-ranked 2026 commits. Mickens is the No. 11 running back in the 247Sports Composite’s positional rankings, while Brown is the No. 5 offensive tackle.

Defensively, the top commit for Franklin in 2026 so far is safety Matt Sieg, a Pennsylvania native. At 5-11, 180 pounds, Sieg is considered the No. 7 safety and No. 2 player in the state by 247Sports.