Penn State football 2025 commit shuts down recruitment as National Signing Day nears

Aliquippa (PA) running back Tiqwai Hayes has solidified his status with Penn State football with early National Signing Day less than a month away. On Thursday, the 2025 three-star prospect shut down his recruitment, locking in his commitment to the Nittany Lions.

“I will be shutting down my recruitment,” Hayes wrote on social media Thursday morning. “Thanks to all the coaches that have contacted me through this process; [I’m] beyond blessed.”

© @Tiqwaihayes on X

Tiqwai Hayes pledged to James Franklin and the Nittany Lions in September 2023. After picking up WPIAL Player of the Year and Mr. PA Football honors last season, Hayes garnered new interest from several programs this offseason, most notably Stanford.

Ranked No. 455 nationally, Hayes is rated as the No. 35 running back and the No. 12 prospect from Pennsylvania in the On3 Industry Rankings.

Sidelined for a portion of the season with injuries, Hayes has rushed for 933 yards and 12 touchdowns so far in his senior campaign.

Following Kiandrea Barker’s decommitment in August, Hayes is one of two Nittany Lions running back commitments in the 2025 recruiting cycle, joining Imhotep’s (PA) Jabree Wallace-Coleman. Penn State football has the No. 15 class nationally, according to On3.

The early National Signing period for the class of 2025 will begin on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, and closes on Friday, December 6, 2024.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, one of the fastest-growing outlets covering Penn State athletics. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned, community-operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on social media.