Penn State football commit ‘keeping an open mind’ as Big Ten head coach makes recruiting visit

Penn State football has continued to stay aggressive on the trail throughout the late summer, with several highly touted additions to its 2025 recruiting class in recent weeks. However, James Franklin and his staff may soon be forced to play defense as other programs come calling for the Nittany Lions’ most valuable pickups from the summer. Specifically, Ryan Walters and Purdue seem to be resetting their sights on four-star edge rusher Jayden Woods, one of the top commitments in the program’s upcoming class.

Walters and Purdue assistant coach Joe Dineen were in attendance to watch Woods’ Mill Valley High School (Kansas) play last Friday. And although he committed to Penn State football in June, with three months left until National Signing Day, Woods is not ready to close all his other doors just yet.

“So I am keeping an open mind, of course,” Woods told KC Sports Network’s Ryan Wallace when asked about the stop by Ryan Walters and Joe Dineen. “Recruiting is crazy nowadays. A lot of things can change in a season, so [I’m] keeping an open mind.”

🆕 on Verbal Commitment from @KCSportsNetwork:
Last Friday, Purdue head coach Ryan Walters & defensive assistant Joe Dineen were on hand to watch Mill Valley's season opener, specifically Jaguars star and Penn State pledge Jayden Woods.
Perhaps that recruitment isn't closed? pic.twitter.com/x4HFxlPARs

— Ryan Wallace (@GPCwallace) September 10, 2024

Currently the No. 198 player regardless of position, Jayden Woods is the No. 23 edge rusher in the 2025 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He is the Nittany Lions’ fifth-highest-rated recruit and the fourth-highest in what is shaping up to be a defensive-dominant class.

Jayden Woods also visited Purdue, Wisconsin, and Tennessee before announcing his commitment to Penn State football on June 26. Franklin has previous connections to the Woods family, having coached on the Kansas State staff in 2007 while Woods’ father, Justin, played for the program.

However, Ryan Walters and Purdue were believed to be firmly in the mix in this recruitment throughout the late spring and early summer, and were even the outright favorites to earn a commitment in On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine until the day of Woods’ pledge to the Nittany Lions.

Franklin discusses strategy Penn State football uses when deciding to pursue committed prospects

Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State football has recently been on the positive side of openmindedness in the 2025 recruiting cycle, flipping prospects Cam Smith and Matthew Outten from Duke and Virginia Tech, respectively, in August.

Last week, James Franklin detailed how the Nittany Lions decide if they will ultimately continue to pursue a recruit who has committed elsewhere.

“Well, I think a couple of things [factor in],” said Franklin. “I think number one, is this a player that we felt like we were legitimately in [the running for]? You know, so some of these guys, they put out a top five, and you’re not in it. That’s a top-five they’re just putting out for the media; there’s three schools that the young man has been really focused on.

“If it came down to us at another school, and we reach out, or the kid tells us, ‘Hey, I want you to keep recruiting me,’ then we’ll keep recruiting him. So I think your point is a good one, is we only have so many resources, and you got to make sure that the time you’re spending is time well spent.

“And so to me, it’s were we legitimately in it? Is the kid receptive? Is the kid open? And do you feel like, you know, you got a legitimate chance to get him before signing day? We’re not a negative recruiting team. We’re not a team that’s going to go after other people’s recruits just to go after other people’s recruits. It’s about a guy we’ve had a ton of time invested in and they still want to be recruited and we feel like we got a shot.”

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