Top 50 recruit, cousin of Penn State football DB commits to Michigan

The 2025 recruiting class continues to unfold each day as prospects begin to make decisions about their future. With official visits well underway, another big-time prospect has made his pledge to play in the Big Ten. Unfortunately for James Franklin and Penn State football, it won’t be in Happy Valley. On Friday, Kainoa Winston, cousin of Nittany Lions starting safety KJ Winston, announced that he will play his college football for Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Wolverines.

Winston is regarded as one of the top prospects in the 2025 recruiting class. According to 247Sports, the Gonzaga product is the No. 3 safety in his class. He also ranks as the No. 1 prospect in Washington, DC, and is the No. 43 recruit in the cycle.

Of course, Winston’s direct relationship with KJ Winston, one of the top returning starters on Penn State’s defense for 2025, made many believe a family reunion in Happy Valley was likely. Kainoa Winston included Oregon, North Carolina, Penn State, and Michigan in his final four schools.

However, on Friday Winston announced via Hayes Fawcett of On3 that he had committed to Michigan. This decision was made after his official visits to Penn State and Michigan, respectively.

BREAKING: Four-Star Safety Kainoa Winston has Committed to Michigan, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 5’11 195 S from Montgomery Village, MD chose the Wolverines over Penn State, Oregon, & North Carolina

“I’m A Michigan Man!”https://t.co/XlnJ7bnce2 pic.twitter.com/RLWoSr4PI0

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 14, 2024

Penn State football’s recruiting cold streak continues

At the moment, the misses are starting to stack up against the Nittany Lions. In the past week, there have been several prospects that Penn State football was chasing who decided to commit elsewhere.

Offensive lineman Michael Carroll, a legacy prospect, made his pledge to Alabama on Monday. Then the next day, offensive tackle Ziyare Addison made his commitment official to Oregon.

Later in the week, EDGE Jayden Loftin made his commitment to Tennessee on Thursday, and wide receiver Quincy Porter joined Ohio State’s class on Friday. While Carroll, Addison, and Loftin all committed elsewhere before visiting Penn State this month, Porter was in Happy Valley on May 31.

Now, with Kainoa Winston choosing to go to Michigan, Penn State football must press forward and make the most of the official visits that are left.

A top prospect who is currently on campus is the No. 1 tight end in Pennsylvania, Andrew Olesh. He will head to Ann Arbor next weekend for his Michigan visit. The Nittany Lions still hold a top-15 recruiting class, but many of their priority targets are starting to come off the board.

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