BREAKING: 2025 WR target chooses ex-Penn State football DC over Nittany Lions

After a strong June, the Penn State football team was hoping to start July off strong. As one of the top remaining 2025 recruiting class-wide receivers Matthew Outten has made his decision. He has chosen to play for ex-Nittany Lion defensive coordinator Brent Pry at Virginia Tech.

Matthew Outten is from Portsmouth (Virginia) and ranks as the No. 6 player in the state and the No. 5 athlete in the 2025 recruiting class (No. 139 nationally) according to 247Sports. After wrapping up official visits at Syracuse, Penn State, Virginia Tech, and Maryland, the four-star prospect made his college decision on Monday.

BREAKING: 4⭐️ 2025 WR Matthew Outten has committed to Virginia Tech

The 6’0 200 lb. WR from Portsmouth, Va. chose the #Hokies over Penn State, Maryland & Syracuse

No. 139 in Top247 & No. 6 player in VA per @247Sports

“I really felt I was home.”

Story: https://t.co/A5Gt4BannS pic.twitter.com/pYzn0WYRil

— Kolby Crawford (@kolby_crawford) July 1, 2024

Outten decided to stay home and play for Brent Pry and Virginia Tech. This decision comes with little surprise as Outten received crystal balls from Tom Loy and Jeff Ermann on Sunday in favor of the Hokies. Now, the Nittany Lions will need to look elsewhere for additional wide receivers.

Back to back misses for Penn State

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

You can’t win them all, but the Nittany Lions have now suffered setbacks in back-to-back days. On Sunday, it was wide receiver Corey Simms from Missouri who chose to play for USC instead of Penn State.

Simms took an official visit to Happy Valley on May 31, however, it was his trip out west that drove his decision-making process. The Saint Louis native is regarded as the No. 3 prospect in the state and the No. 45 WR (No. 293 nationally).

The Nittany Lions will look elsewhere for wide receiver help. It will start with Lex Cyrus who ranks as the No. 1 wide receiver in Pennsylvania in the 2025 cycle. Cryus holds multiple predictions to end up in Happy Valley, however, no commitment date has been set at this time.

Currently, Penn State holds two wide receiver commitments in the 2025 recruiting class. One from Lyrick Samuel and the other from Jeff Exinor. Overall, On3 ranks Penn State as the No. 13 ranked 2025 class in the country with 20 hard commits.

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