Today marks the first day that high school football recruits from around the country can sign their National Letters of Intent and officially become part of their future college programs.
Below, Happy Valley Insider has everything you need to know about them from the day they committed to film breakdown and much more.
**We will continue to update this page as the prospects' letters of intents come in. Please note that the page will not automatically refresh, and you will have to manually refresh your page.**
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Who is expected to sign during the period?
As of Tuesday evening, Penn State is expected to sign each member of their 2025 recruiting class which currently sits at 26 total commitments and is a top-20 class in the Rivals team recruiting rankings.
LIVE UPDATES
11:25 a.m. - Penn State adds elite California DB Daryus Dixson to class
The Process: Dixson is one of the more impressive recruiting wins for Penn State over the last few years all things considered. A few months ago, Dixson wasn't on our radar at all but Penn State but this spring the Nittany Lions made a strong push for Dixson, first visiting him at Mater Dei and convincing him to come out east for an official visit. It took just the official visit, his first time seeing Happy Valley to convince Dixson that Penn State was the place for him. This commitment also is a testament to the Nittany Lions' ability to develop cornerbacks over the James Franklin and Terry Smith era in Happy Valley.
What Penn State is getting in Dixson: "Dixson is a tough, physical cornerback who does not give an inch to any receiver and loves to battle them at the line of scrimmage. He hits with a vengeance, looks to impose his will at every moment, and never lets a receiver easily get into his route. Over the last year or so, the new Penn State commit has shown he also has speed to play on an island and cover receivers on deep routes but what stands out most about his game is his toughness." Adam Gorney • National Recruiting Director
11:10 a.m. - Elite NJ cornerback Jahmir Joseph signs with Penn State
The Process: Penn State and Joseph was a match that was years in the making as the Nittany Lions were one of the first programs in on the St. Joseph's Regional prospect. Over time he became a national recruit but his recruitment would come down to Penn State Notre Dame, South Carolina, and Stanford. After taking official visits to each program, he chose the Nittany Lions in mid-June.
What Penn State is getting in Joseph: In the 6-foot, 175-pound Joseph, the Nittany Lions are getting a physical defensive back who shows good ball skills. He also is a willing and strong tackler in run support and makes a big impact on special teams. His ability to use his speed to track down ball carriers in the open fields also jumps out in Joseph's game.
11:00 a.m. - Johnson has all the tools to be a great safety
The Process: They had to wait until mid-October to land his commitment, but Josh Johnson has long been a top target for Penn State in their secondary recruitment for the 2025 cycle. He emerged late last year as a prospect on the Nittany Lions' radar and received one of his first major offers from them. In June, it appeared that the Nittany Lions were very close to picking up a commitment from Johnson, but instead, he surprised nearly the entire industry by committing to Louisville. The Nittany Lions, however, would remain in contact and got him back on campus in early October for an unofficial visit. He would commit a little over a week later.
What Penn State is getting in Johnson: Johnson absolutely has all the tools to be a great safety. All the boxes checked there: Great instincts and anticipation to play in zone coverage. Great size, physicality, read, and react ability against the run. And enough coverage skills to be relied upon to man up a WR or TE. Overall, he is a high-level DB with a nose for the ball.
10:55 a.m. - Talented New Jersey safety Braswell Thomas signs
The Process: Thomas has been a prospect that Penn State was familiar with for quite a while, originally offering the New Jersey standout in March of 2023. He was a frequent visitor after the offer with seven reported visits following that offer but the recruitment didn't get truly serious until this past June. The New Jersey standout was very impressive during an elite prospects camp for the Nittany Lions and the rest from there is history. Thomas also took official visits to Nebraska and West Virginia. Other notable offers for the four-star prospect included Georgia, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Tennessee, and UCF.
What Penn State is getting in Thomas: The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Thomas plays both wide receiver and defensive back at the high school level. His ability to adjust to the ball, his body control, and his tendency to make plays on contested balls as a wide receiver or force turnovers and pass break-ups as a defensive back are all things that stand out. He is more than willing to come up in run support and make strong tackles defensively as well. Thomas has also shown improvement with his speed, as he ran a sub-4.5.-second 40-yard dash in June for the Nittany Lions
10:45 a.m. - Athletic LB Cam Smith joins Penn State's LB room
The Process: Smith was a linebacker who was for a while before his commitment showed high interest in the Nittany Lion but ultimately things didn't pan out and he committed to Duke in February. However, as the cycle progressed and the Nittany Lions' need for another linebacker emerged, Smith became a target once again and it was a perfect fit for both sides. He ultimately committed to Penn State in September.
What Penn State is getting in Smith: The 6-foot, 190-pound Smith is athletic and versatile. He projects as a linebacker at the college level and has good speed and physicality. Smith has good ability when dropping into pass coverage, but is also aggressive and strong in run support.
10:30 a.m. - Following his dad's footsteps but looking to create his own legacy
The Process: This was one of the quiet recruitments of the cycle but Penn State was a major factor in his recruitment from start to finish. There's no real reason to count the visits as he's been visiting Happy Valley his entire life. He also took official visits in his recruitment to UCLA and Tennessee. He chose the Nittany Lions on July 4 choosing to follow in his dad's footsteps.
What Penn State is getting in Arrington: He's the second coming of LaVar Arrington. Enough said. Alright, let's be serious. To a degree, Arrington is in a position that I'm not sure many would be taken on. His dad needs no introduction, he's Penn State royalty. That being said, the 6-foot-3 Arrington has the opportunity to be a quite productive player for the Nittany Lions himself. There are still some questions of where he ends up long term, he does have the size to be a linebacker but could easily add more weight and move to the defensive end as well. While maybe not the physical specimen and freak athlete that his dad was, the younger Arrington still has a great combination of size and athleticism plus a strong burst off the line. It wouldn't be shocking to see a similar career path to that of Abdul Carter, starting at linebacker before moving to defensive end where he may truly scratch his ceiling.
10:25 a.m. - Could Alex Tatsch be the next great LB at LBU?
The Process: The Greater Latrobe linebacker committed to the Nittany Lions in February after multiple visits to State College. Before committing to the Nittany Lions, the 6-foot-3 Tatsch saw his recruitment take off and had notable offers from Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Duke, Wisconsin, and North Carolina.
What Penn State is getting in Tastch: Listed at 6-foot-3, 211-pounds, Tatsch has the physical dimensions college coaches are looking for in an off-the-ball linebacker. He is a strong tackler, reads plays quickly, and makes plenty of tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Tatsch is solid in coverage and does a good job breaking off his man and flying to the ball carrier. He shows off his athletic ability while in coverage, chasing down ball carriers and when he's blitzing. Adam Friedman, Rivals National Rankings Director
10:15 a.m. - DL Yvan Kemajou adds another high-upside DL
The Process: The Paint Branch, Maryland was offered around this time last season and was a frequent visitor on campus following that offer. Eventually, he would take an official visit in May and return for the Lasch Bash in July. He would commit to the Nittany Lions shortly there afterward.
What Penn State is getting in Kemajou: There’s a lot to like about what Kemajou brings to the field. The versatile, explosive defensive lineman can be a pass rushing specialist as a defensive end when needed but he has the frame and strength to play further inside the defensive line. Kemajou has a quickness and aggressiveness at the snap that many other defensive linemen don’t possess. "Even though he doesn’t play great competition throughout the fall, Kemajou does a really good job consistently pushing around opposing offensive linemen. "If he’s able to maintain his explosiveness and quickness as he adds mass at the next level, whatever team gets his commitment could be looking at a difference maker on the defensive line.” -- Adam Friedman, Rivals National Rankings Director
10:00 a.m. - Penn State holds off Ohio State signs Chaz Coleman
The Process: Chaz Coleman was a late riser in the 2025 recruiting cycle. The Warren, Ohio, native rode a strong senior campaign to 13 Power 4 offers this fall. One of these offers came from Penn State, Coleman took an official for the White Out Game before committing to the Nittany Lions. His commitment did not some without some stress for the Nittany Lions, as Coleman picked up an offer from the in-state Buckeyes 12 days after committing to Penn State. When Coleman was offered, there was a wide belief that he would flip to the Buckeyes. To the credit of the Penn State staff, they kept Coleman from ever visiting Columbus, getting him back to Happy Valley for one last visit instead before wrapping up his recruitment.
What Penn State is getting in Coleman: Coleman is a bit of a project for Deion Barnes and the staff, but he has sky high potential as an EDGE rusher. He has a great frame and length already checking in at 6-foot-5 which he pairs with plus athleticism. He is explosive off the edge where he flashes his athleticism. It would not be a surprise to see Coleman develop into the latest in a quickly growing list of great pass rushers developed by Barnes.
9:45 - Talented, high-motor Florida DT Randy Adirika makes it official
The Process: Adirika chose the Nittany Lions in July over Miami and USC while also holing notable offers from Auburn, Florida, Florida State, and Tennessee. Adirika took an official visit to each of his three finalists during the month of June. Penn State appeared to initially be stuck behind Miami and USC in the recruitment but Deion Barnes and the Nittany Lions kept chipping away at the defensive tackle and eventually added him to their class.
What Penn Stae is getting in Adirika: Overall Adirika moves pretty well for a big guy and plays with good pad level. Naturally, he comes off the snap low, which will translate to good play strength. On top of it all, he has impressive agility for his size and a nice bend for big-bodied D-lineman. Plays the game fast and has great energy which Nittany Lions fans will love to see on the field. Will need some time to adjust to the collegiate game and add more mass to his frame but there's a strong foundation and a history of production.
9:45 a.m. - Maryland edge rusher Cortez Harris joins the Nittany Lion's defensive line room
The Process: Penn State beat out some stiff competition, as Harris also took official visits in June to Tennessee and Maryland. But the relationship he built with Deion Barnes and the Nittany Lions' production at the defensive end position was enough to sell the Upper Marlboro native on being a Nittany Lion. He also drew interest from programs such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Virginia Tech.
What Penn State is getting in Harris: Harris will need to continue to improve his frame once he arrives on campus, something he has been quite excited about doing in our previous discussions. That being said, the Upper Marlboro, Maryland native brings great speed from the edge and has several traits that could make him a potential dynamic pass rusher for the Nittany Lions. Deion Barnes even threw around some Chop Robinson comparisons during Harris's recruitment, Harris told HVI.
9:40 a.m. - Imani Christian's Dayshaun Burnett brings potential versatility to Nittany Lions
The Process: The Imani Christian Academy defender committed to Penn State in February over offers from Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Pitt, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, among others. While a frequent visitor early on in his recruitment, contact between Penn State and the Pittsburgh native died down for a few months. But once Tom Allen arrived in Happy Valley, Burnett became a priority again. A couple of weeks later, Burnett was committed to the Nittany Lions. Burnett could stick at linebacker long term but also has the abilities and potential to be a defensive end for the Nittany Lions as well.
What Penn State is getting in Burnett: Burnett has an outstanding set of skills for a linebacker. He has the size and strength to make quick work of potential blockers while he's on his way to the ball carrier. Burnett has shown the tools to be an effective blitzer off the edge or on the inside. He has enough speed to turn and run to be effective in coverage. Burnett has plenty of room to fill out his frame as well. His ceiling is very high and he should turn into a major playmaker on defense as long as he continues to develop. athletic ability while in coverage, chasing down ball carriers and when he's blitzing. Adam Friedman, Rivals National Rankings Director
9:25 a.m. - Most recent commit, TE Brian Kortovich makes it official
The Process: Kortovich camped for Penn State over the summer which initially put the Ohio native on the Nittany Lions' radar. He would commit to Purdue during June but the Nittany Lions kept an eye on his development throughout this fall. Over the past few weeks, the communication between the two sides continued to increase leading to an official visit this past weekend. Kortovich would then commit to Penn State on Tuesday.
What Penn State is getting in Coleman: The Villa Angela St. Joseph (OH.) product was used as a wide receiver quite a bit at the high school level. That’s because he shows good ability as both a red zone threat and vertical target on the outside. Kortovich does a great job tracking the ball and high-pointing it to make contested catches. The 6-foot-5 playmaker has a unique blend of size and speed for the position. Kortovich also shows a willingness to be physical and is a good blocker. He’ll be a very interesting fit inside Penn State’s offensive attack. - Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith
9:10 a.m. - Well-traveled QB Kritza signs; patience required but has upside
The Process: One of the long-standing recruits in the class, Kritza committed to Penn State last November and has remained committed to the program ever since. The three-star signal-caller has had an interesting path to Happy Valley with numerous stops across the country.
What Penn State is getting in Kritza: Krtiza has prototypical quarterback size and a big arm but there is also a ways to go in his development. He's a long-term quarterback project for the Nittany Lions and if he's able to put it all together, the results could be quite impressive but patience will be required.
9:00 a.m. - Philadelphia standout RB Jabree Coleman joins Hayes in the RB room
The Process: Coleman originally committed to Georgia very early in the process back in July of 2022 but decommitted last December. The Nittany Lions at the time already held a pair of running back commitments but pursued the Imhotep Charter standout and eventually beat out the likes of UNC, Rutgers, and Michigan State in June for his commitment.
What Penn State is getting in Coleman: The 6-foot-1, 201-pound Wallace-Coleman provides solid size as a running back and shows patience and vision. He can beat defenders in multiple ways with his speed, power and elusiveness. He can also be a threat out of the backfield as a receiver and make an impact on special teams.
8:50 a.m. - High production RB Tiqwai Hayes the latest elite RB to join Penn State
The Process: From the early stages of his recruitment Tiqwai Hayes was a frequent visitor to Happy Valley. The Aliquippa product had already visited Penn State five times before committing to the Nittany Lions in September 2023. Hayes popped up on campus six more times between his commitment and National Signing Day, including for both the Kent State and Illinois games this season. Despite some flirtation with Stanford, as well as a few other big programs trying to get involved late in his recruitment, there was never much drama with Hayes.
What Penn State is getting in Hayes: Hayes will never confuse anyone for a burner, but he is also more athletic than he gets credit for. Checking in at 5-foot-10 185 pounds, Hayes should be set up to be able to play north of 210 pounds in his college career, giving him a good combination of athleticism and power coming out of the backfield. Hayes seems like one of those running backs who may never do anything flashy, but then at the end of the season you look at his stats and he's averaging 5+ yards per carry while being one of the most reliable running backs in the Big 10.
8:38 a.m. - Virginia Tech flip, Matthew Outten joins the WR room
The Process: Much of Matthew Outten's recruitment flew under the radar. He comes from a small school in Virginia, is not a big social media guy, and did not do a ton of talking during his recruitment. Despite this, it was clear from early on that he was one of the top wide receiver targets for Penn State. After officially visiting Syracuse, Maryland, Penn State, and Virginia Tech this summer, Outten somewhat surprisingly committed to the Hokies. Despite this, Marques Hagans and the Penn State staff never slowed in their pursuit of Outten, flipping his commitment from Virginia Tech on September 2nd.
What Penn State is getting in Outten: While it is unlikely that Outten is a day-one guy at Penn State, he should be able to make an impact early in his collegiate career. At 6-foot, 200 pounds, Outten is already in a good place physically. He is raw at wide receiver, his route running will need to be refined and Outten needs to be better at using his hands to attack the ball. Once the ball is in Outten's hands he is an explosive playmaker. This is a strong wide receiver class for Penn State, and Outten may have the highest ceiling of the bunch.
8:25 a.m.- Florida WR standout, Rivals four-star Koby Howard joins the Nittany Lions
The Process: Over 40 schools offered the Florida wide receiver but it was Penn State alongside Florida, Florida State, and Ole Miss as the programs that stood out to Howard the most in his recruitment. He took an official visit in June which went very well and propelled Penn State to the top of his list. But Howard had to earn his spot, he camped for the Nittany Lions in July, impressed the coaching staff, and made a decision in August prior to his senior season.
What Penn State is getting in Howard: Howard is never going to be overly impressive from a speed aspect, he's never going to be a burner, and probably won't be able to stretch the field on a truly consistent basis. That being said, he's a strong route runner and has consistently strong hands. A tough runner with the ball, Howard fights for every extra yard as well. His speed should improve once arriving on campus and working with Chuck Losey.
8:15 a.m.- The McDonough to Penn State pipeline continues
The Process: Exinor's recruitment probably went a lot longer than anyone expected. The Nittany Lions were the first offer in his recruitment and from the jump were the team to beat in his recruitment. That being said, despite numerous visits to Happy Valley, Exinor took his time with his recruitment before ultimately committing to the program in June after taking his official visits. He also held offers from Boston College, Duke, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Syracuse, Tennessee, UCLA, USC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and several other.
What Penn State is getting in Exinor: The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Exinor provides excellent size as a wide receiver. He uses his strong hands, measurables, and physicality to his advantage, and is hard to bring down once the ball is in his hands. Exinor has the coveted combination of size, strength, and solid speed that makes him a constant threat to opposing defenses.
8:05 a.m. - Lengthy WR Lyrick Samuel is officially in
The Process: Samuel committed to Penn State in February less than a month after a junior day visit. He camped for Penn State in June of 2023 and was also on campus for the Lasch Bash that summer and a gameday trip for the Nittany Lions' matchup against West Virginia. Also held offers from Michigan State, Rutgers, Syracuse, and West Virginia.
What Penn State is getting in Samuel: Lyrick Samuel brings a size and athleticism combination to Penn State that any team would be excited about. Already standing at 6'4" and checking in at 185 pounds, Samuel is a big-bodied receiver that the receiver room currently lacks. What makes Samuel such a great prospect is his athleticism at his size. On film, he is quick off the ball to help him get open quickly and can easily find that second gear to turn on the jets and run away from defenders. Samuel also has strong hands which is often overlooked for receivers. This combined with his length leads to him high-pointing/attacking the ball, making it difficult for defensive backs even when they are in good coverage.
7:52 a.m. - High upside OL Owen Alciene signs his LOI
The Process: The latest Nittany Lion from the New England area, Aliciene committed to Penn State in January. The 6-foot-7, 270-pound tackle picked the Nittany Lions over Boston College, Cincinnati, Duke, Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Virginia, and others.
What Penn State is getting in Aliciene: Aliciene still has a long way to go in the development process. He is very new to the game but has the tools to turn into a multi-year starter. Aliciene has the mobility, coordination, and technical understanding to thrive once he physically matures. The learning curve may be steep for him once he arrives at the next level but he has high-end potential. Adam Friedman, Rivals National Rankings Director
7:50 a.m. - Michael Troutman is in.
THE PROCESS: Dating back to the summer of 2023, Troutman has been a regular visitor to campus. Troutman visited Penn State for a camp that season, then returned in season for both the West Virginia and Michigan games before attending a junior day last February. About a week after that junior day visit, Troutman committed to the Nittany Lions.
What Penn State is getting in Troutman: His recruiting rankings across the industry were hurt because of his size and that's understandable but from a pure fundamental and skill standpoint, Troutman is a highly quality prospect and the offer sheet is a decent one as well with Boston College, Duke, Illinois, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Texas A&M, and West Virginia. Perhaps Troutman doesn't project as a star offensive lineman and future high NFL Draft pick but at the very least, the Nittany Lions have landed a quality piece to their depth going forward on the offensive line. Likely projects best as a center where he should have plenty of time to learn from and work with Cooper Cousins as he continues to get bigger and stronger while refining his game.
7:35 - Tight end turned offensive tackle, Brady Hara signs
The Process: O'Hara is the second longest committed prospect to the Nittany Lions only behind Tiqwai Hayes who has him beat out by one day. He committed early in the process to the Nittany Lions over offers from Pittsburgh, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
What Penn State is getting in O'Hara: O'Hara has mostly played tight end and defensive end at North Catholic High School in Pittsburgh but his long-term position with Penn State is most likely offensive tackle. A new patience will require patience from all involved but the 6-foot-6 O'Hara has the size and athleticism that creates plenty of intrigue about his potential at tackle.
7:27 - Four-star OL Malachi Goodman joins the party
The Process: Goodman was a long-time target for Penn State but it wasn't an easy recruitment to win. The Nittany Lions had to battle out multiple top programs including Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and USC to land the 6-foot-5, 315-pound offensive tackle. After a long recruiting process, he committed to the Nittany Lions in September.
What Penn State is getting in Goodman: The 6-foot-5, 315-pound Goodman provides good size and power, but he is also athletic and moves well in the run game, as he is able to quickly get to the second level and block linebackers after his initial block. Goodman is also strong in pass protection. He has positional versatility at the college level and could slide inside as an interior offensive lineman if needed.
7:21 a.m. - Xxaiver Thomas is in the fold
The Process: Between committing early in the process and then proceeding to have completely drama-free recruitment, few players in Penn State's class may be more overlooked than cornerback Xxavier Thomas. The Pittsburgh Central Catholic standout committed to Penn State on December 21st last year. After that, all Thomas did was continue to pop up on visits to Penn State before signing with the Nittany Lions.
What Penn State is getting in Thomas: If Thomas were two inches taller he would be one of the top cornerback recruits in this class. He is a great athlete who is a former state qualifier in the triple jump with an 11.8 second 100-meter time. In 13 games thus far this season for a stout PCC defense, Thomas already has 6 interceptions to go with 19 tackles. Thomas does a great job of locating the ball while in coverage, moving smoothly and fluidly, and has above average coverage skills for a high school defensive back. At 5-foot-10 Thomas projects as a nickel back in college, but he has all the tools needed to be a damn good one.
7:17 a.m. - Matt Henderson is signee No. 1
The Process: The process with Henderson was a fast one for Penn State. After picking up an offer in April for the Nittany Lions, it took just a few weeks for the Powhatan, Virginia native to make his decision. He was previously on campus in October 2023 and January 2024 prior to his offer. It was a notably strong offseason for Henderson who also gained offers from Maryland, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech
What Penn State is getting in Henderson: There's a ton to like about him thanks to his athleticism, production, and overall upside. On the field, as a pass catcher, Henderson is a quality route runner, uses his athleticism well,l and most importantly, has strong, consistent hands. He shows off a great catch radius as well as strong awareness and body control on all portions of the field. He'll need to add weight before seeing the field at Penn State but overall, he shows all the traits that have made Penn State's previous tight ends so successful and has landed nearly every major contributor at the position over the James Franklin era in the NFL. Also a star on the hardwood for Powhatan.
6:00 a.m.
Good morning Penn State fans welcome to another national signing day as Penn State is set to sign another strong recruiting class under head coach James Franklin. Today's events are set to start around 7:00 a.m. and can be watched via the YouTube livestream above. In years past, Penn State's assistants would be a part of the activities but with the Nittany Lions' preparing for the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday night against Oregon, it will only be head coach James Franklin and the Nittany Lions' recruiting department taking part on Wednesday. Be sure to refresh the page above to follow along with all of Wednesday's proceedings.
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