Last week, Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class suffered a significant setback when Harrisburg four-star wide receiver Lex Cyrus committed to the South Carolina Gamecocks over the Nittany Lions. Cyrus was a pivotal recruit for Penn State, which currently lacks elite depth at the wide receiver position. His decision to join South Carolina was unexpected, as he was anticipated to bolster Penn State’s roster.
Similarly, Taz Williams Jr., a four-star wide receiver according to the 247Sports composite, surprised many by choosing Baylor over Penn State. The Red Oak, Texas native visited State College on June 14 and has not yet made an official visit to Baylor. During the Big 12 media days, Baylor head coach Dave Aranda, who had just secured a commitment from four-star and top 100 recruit Kamauryn Morgan, hinted at the reasons behind Williams’ unexpected decision.
Despite still holding a top 10 class for 2025, Penn State’s in-state recruiting has faltered, and wide receivers coach Marques Hagans has struggled to attract high-caliber talent to Happy Valley. The limitations of Penn State’s NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) capabilities are becoming more apparent.
Additionally, on Sunday, Penn State lost another talented recruit, four-star safety Rashad Johnson. Johnson, from Bushnell, Florida, chose the Georgia Bulldogs over Texas A&M, Penn State, and Louisville. Johnson had officially visited State College on June 7, but with two safeties and five total defensive backs already committed to Penn State’s 2025 class, his decision to go elsewhere is a notable loss.
In other news, Penn State track and field star Handal Roban is heading to the Paris Olympics. After finishing 16th at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in early June, Roban was selected to compete in the 800m event, representing his home country, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Roban holds a personal best of 1:45.95 from the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships, where he finished third in the 800m. Following that performance, he competed in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, finishing 33rd with a time of 1:46.86.
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