Penn State holds elite company in early Class of 2025 success
Penn State football recruiting continued its strong start for the Class of 2025 on Sunday afternoon. The Nittany Lions welcomed Kiandrea Barker, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound, four-star running back, into the fold.
Barker chose Penn State over a top five that also included Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Florida State, and Miami. And, he did so following a weekend visit to see the Nittany Lions for the Blue-White Game.
In the process, though, Penn State bolstered its standing in the updated 2025 Industry Ranking Football Team Recruiting Rankings. With three commitments to the class, the Nittany Lions are now ranked third nationally coming out of the weekend. Only No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Alabama are ahead of the program at this stage in the process.
Penn State checks in with a score of 88.021 overall, with an average per-recruit rating of 88.02. The Nittany Lions’ three commitments are also tied with the Crimson Tide. Georgia’s five pledges lead the way nationally for the Class of 2025.
In the Big Ten, only Penn State, Michigan, and Ohio State have secured commitments in the class to date. Penn State leads the way with three, followed by Michigan with two, and Ohio State with one. The Buckeyes, however, have the top-rated recruit to commit in the conference thus far. Jontae Gilbert, a four-star cornerback out of Atlanta, Ga., is ranked 10th overall in the class.
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Penn State recruiting landscape
By making his commitment on Sunday, meanwhile, Barker joined a class of unranked corner Omari Gaines and four-star offensive lineman Jaelyne Matthews. Ranked No. 68 nationally in the Class of 2025, Matthews was the first to commit to the Nittany Lions in the class.
Penn State’s position among the top early leaders in the Class of 2025 is trailed only slightly by its ’24 efforts. Welcoming the commitment of four-star offensive lineman Caleb Brewer on Saturday, the Nittany Lions improved to No. 11 in the updated rankings.
This, after holding a spot of No. 19 just three weeks prior.
But, with a run of commitments that included Luke Reynolds, Jon Mitchell, Quinton Martin, and Antoine Belgrave-Shorter, the Nittany Lions have once again pushed up the On3 Industry Ranking leaderboard.
Penn State hosted more than 150 prominent recruits and their families for the Blue-White Game this past weekend. Among them, the Nittany Lions welcomed 25 Class of 2025 prospects, 19 of which currently hold offers.
