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.

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