Where does Penn State rank in the 2025 Team Recruiting Rankings following the addition of Lyrick Samuel?

Penn State picked up its fourth commitment of the month on Monday evening, as Brooklyn, N.Y., wide receiver Lyrick Samuel officially ended his recruitment following seven visits to State College in an 11-month span.

Listed at 6-foot-4, 170 pounds, Samuel was last on campus Jan. 20 to attend PSU’s first of three junior days that set off its latest commitment surge. Choosing the Lions over Michigan State, Rutgers, Syracuse and West Virginia, the Erasmus Hall prospect also has close ties with recent enrollee Josiah Brown.

“Me and Josiah Brown are really good friends. We met on the Our Lady of Lourdes track team when I was seven years old. There my dad convinced his mom to allow him to play football with me on the Malverne Wildcats. I was the quarterback and he was one of the wide receivers.

“Even after our journey went two different directions, we still remained close. We currently train together at Speed Island under coach Onix Salva for speed and agility. He has shared many things that I have also experienced at Penn State.”

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According to On3’s Industry Rankings, Samuel is the ninth-ranked player in Penn State’s class. He’s ranked No. 517 nationally, No. 81 at his position at second overall in New York.

However, it should also be noted that On3’s scouting team recently gave him a 91 overall rating, making him a four-star player and a potential On300 candidate when the rankings are updated in the coming weeks. In fact, if you just look at On3’s rankings and not the cumulative score from the Industry Rankings, that would rate Samuel No. 2 in the class behind only linebacker DJ McClary, who holds a 93 overall rating.

With 12 commitments and counting, Penn State has the biggest class in the Big Ten and the second most commitments nationally. Only Notre Dame has earned more so far with 16.

As we explain below, On3’s Team Recruiting Rankings are only counting a handful of players currently with the national average still at just four commitments among Power Four programs. Because of that, Penn State remains at No. 13 nationally. The class has an average grade of 90.443, with five four-star players and six three-star prospects. Cornerback Xxavier Thomas remains unranked.

Understanding On3’s Team Rankings

For those unfamiliar with On3’s Team Rankings, there are two major differences compared to other sites that you need to know.

1) We use the Industry Rankings, which puts together all four major recruiting sites – On3, 247, Rivals and ESPN – to find a cumulative score for each prospect. It’s not based on just On3’s rankings.

2) On3’s Team Recruiting Rankings solve the problem of varying class sizes during the recruiting cycle by totaling the highest-rated commitments for each team based on a rolling average of current total commitments among Power Four schools. With it being so early in the cycle, that average sits at just four prospects currently.

So, if you’re wondering why Penn State ranks substantially lower at On3 when compared to 247 and Rivals, it’s because we’re aiming to project where the Nittany Lions are on pace to finish come National Signing Day.

Fans can learn more about On3’s Industry Team Recruiting Ranks by clicking here.

Around the Big Ten

As mentioned above, Penn State may hold the most commitments so far in the Big Ten, but because On3 is currently only grading the top handful of prospects in each class, the Lions still rank behind Ohio State and Oregon. Those schools remain at No. 2 and No. 6 nationally, respectively.

The Buckeyes have earned eight commitments so far. That includes two five-star cornerbacks: Alabama native Na’eem Offord and Texas native Devin Sanchez. In fact, six of their eight commitments so far rank inside the Top 100 nationally, including Philadelphia edge rusher Zahir Mathis.

As for Oregon, the Ducks are up to five commitments now, adding four-star defensive lineman Matthew Johnson on Feb. 9. They also have three Top 100 prospects, including quarterback Akili Smith Jr. and wide receivers Dallas Wilson and Adrian Wilson.

Behind Penn State, you’ll find Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska all in the Top 25. The Wolverines sit at No. 15 nationally. They have the least amount of commitments among the Big Ten’s top schools with just three so far. Quarterback Carter Smith and defensive lineman Bobby Kanka both hold four-star ratings.

Wisconsin is now at No. 21 overall. The Badgers have earned seven commitments, all of whom are either three-star players or unranked. Nebraska sits at No. 25 nationally with four players committed. They have one unranked player and three, three-star prospects.