Penn State football impresses top 30 recruit on official visit

Penn State football moves forward after another busy weekend of recruiting in Happy Valley. James Franklin and the Nittany Lions had the chance to host one of the top prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle on campus Saturday, who apparently liked what he saw. Elite 2025 recruit JaDon Blair took to social media this weekend to recap his most recent visit to State College.

Penn State football stands out with top 30 recruit JaDon Blair following official visit

Early on in the 2025 recruiting cycle, JaDon Blair has already stood out as one of the most impressive prospects in the entire country. The Mount Tabor product from Winston Salem, North Carolina, currently ranks as the No. 2 safety and the No. 28 overall prospect in 2025, according to On3. Last season, Blair recorded 35 tackles and an interception after tallying 48 tackles as a sophomore.

Back on campus for the January 27 junior day, Penn State football made a strong impression on the elite prospect from the 2025 recruiting cycle. “I had an amazing time in Happy Valley today,” JaDon Blair posted on X this weekend, alongside a picture with Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin.

I had an amazing time in Happy Valley today #WeAre @coachjfranklin @Coachpoindexter @CoachTHowle pic.twitter.com/3IWzmZUmgg

— JaDon Blair (@Jadon_Blair2025) January 28, 2024

Penn State football was in on Blair early, becoming one of the first programs to offer him in March 2023. Saturday was Blair’s third trip to Happy Valley, with the most recent visit coming for the season opener against West Virginia on September 2.

JaDon Blair holds 22 offers to date, including from LSU, Michigan, and Notre Dame. Blair’s father, Ja’Warren Blair, had a brief stint in the NFL after playing his college football at East Carolina.

Franklin and the Nittany Lions gunning for multiple top DBs

JaDon Blair isn’t the only top defensive back that has come to Happy Valley recently. Earlier this month, James Franklin and the Nittany Lions hosted Kainoa Winston, cousin of Penn State starting safety KJ Winston.

Also a safety, Winston holds a much higher evaluation from 247Sports than he currently does On3. 247Sports rates Winston as its No. 2 safety and No. 27 prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle, whereas On3 has him at No. 9 and No. 103, respectively.

With eight total commitments, Penn State football has the No. 7 class in 247Sports’ 2025 recruiting rankings. The Nittany Lions fall outside the top 10 to No. 13, according to On3.

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.