Top Ohio State target ‘inspired’ by James Franklin after Penn State football visit

It was a busy recruiting weekend for Penn Staten football, with upwards of three dozen prospects taking in spring practice on Saturday. Coming out of the weekend, it appears that James Franklin and the Nittany Lions made a strong impression on one of the top targets for Big Ten rival Ohio State. Top 2025 running back Bo Jackson came away from his visit to Happy Valley with some extremely high praise for Franklin and the Penn State coaching staff.

Top 2025 RB Bo Jackson was “impressed and inspired” by James Franklin after visit

Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Ohio) running back Bo Jackson made his fourth visit to Penn State over the weekend, and evidently, he continues to like what he sees from the Nittany Lions program. Recounting his visit to Blue-White Illustrated of the On3 network, Jackson had some glowing praise from James Franklin and the Penn State football staff.

I’m more and more impressed and inspired by Coach Franklin and his staff every time I visit,” Jackson told On3’s Ryan Snyder. The Saturday visit was the first time Bo Jackson returned to Happy Valley since James Franklin hired new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki in December.

Penn State continues to impress Top 100 prospect @BoJackson2025.

He recaps Saturday's visit to Happy Valley, which included talks with Nick Singleton and Saquon Barkley.

Link: https://t.co/QTLeaLqxO0 pic.twitter.com/Ex2DyX3FQS

— Blue White Illustrated (@PennStateOn3) March 17, 2024

Bo Jackson is the No. 3 running back and the No. 77 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle, per 247Sports. The Cleveland product is the fourth-rated prospect in Ohio for 2025. He holds 23 offers to date, all from power conference programs.

In January, 247Sports Ohio State insider Bill Kurelic logged a crystal ball for Jackson to commit to the Buckeyes. Ohio State is next up on the visit list for the four-star running back, as he is set to be in Columbus on March 30.

Penn State and Ohio State in a battle for the Big Ten’s top class

James Franklin and Penn State football are off to a strong start in the 2025 recruiting cycle. With five commitments added since January, the Nittany Lions now hold the No. 5 class nationally in 247Sports’ team rankings.

Penn State currently has the second-best class in the Big Ten, right behind Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Nittany Lions (11) outrank the Buckeyes (8) in total commitments, but Ohio State has two five-star prospects in the class so far to Penn State’s zero.

The stretch run of the 2025 recruiting cycle still ahead of us, Penn State and Ohio State seem positioned to battle it out of the conference’s top class. There will also likely be late risers in the cycle, including defending National Champion Michigan and Big Ten newcomer Oregon, a perennial contender for a top-five class nationally.

Pennsylvania has a relatively strong crop of talent in the 2025 cycle compared to years past, which could be to the Nittany Lions’ ultimate benefit. Franklin and Penn State already have several of the state’s top recruits in tow, and will push for more — the nation’s No. 3 QB Matt Zollers chief among them — in the coming months.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlet. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can proudly claim a readership of over 3.5 million in our first year of operation.