Penn State football out of the mix for top 2025 LB, son of ex-Nittany Lions QB

It’s been a successful week for Penn State football on the recruiting trail, landing two of Western Pennsylvania’s top linebacker prospects over the last four days. But the focus today shifts to the eastern half of the state, where James Franklin and the Nittany Lions received a minor setback from one of the commonwealth’s top linebacker prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle. On Thursday, Anthony Sacca, son of former Penn State QB Tony Sacca, excluded the Nittany Lions when announcing his list of top schools.

Penn State out of the running for 2025 legacy prospect Anthony Sacca

Anthony Sacca emerged as one of the top prospects in Pennsylvania over 30 years after his father donned the Blue and White for Joe Paterno and Penn State football. The On3 Industry Rankings rate Sacca as the No. 4 overall player in the Keystone State for the 2025 recruiting cycle. He is the second-ranked linebacker in the state, only behind his St. Joseph’s Prep teammate Cam Smith.

But it appears that the Penn State football legacy will not be following in his father’s footsteps to Happy Valley. On Thursday, Anthony Sacca left James Franklin and the Nittany Lions off his list of finalists for his commitment. Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Wisconsin made the cut for the four-star recruit in the 2025 cycle. Sacca also included former Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz’s Duke Blue Devils among his top five.

🏡 pic.twitter.com/XxswLSB1cQ

— Anthony Sacca (@saccaanthony) February 8, 2024

Penn State was one of the first programs to offer Anthony Sacca in late 2021. He has been to campus three times since, most recently for the January 20 junior day. Sacca took only one other visit during the most recent recruiting window, to Alabama last weekend.

James Franklin still locking down in-state linebackers in the 2025 recruiting cycle

Despite today’s news, Penn State football has been flexing its muscles with in-state linebacker recruiting to start February. James Franklin and the Nittany Lions have earned commitments from two of the top WPIAL players in the 2025 recruiting cycle this week.

On Sunday, Greater Latrobe linebacker Alex Tatsch pledged his name to the Nittany Lions. A four-star, Tatsch is the third-ranked linebacker in Pennsylvania behind Cam Smith and Anthony Sacca and the No. 9 overall player in the state.

Penn State then quickly locked down the No. 4 linebacker in the commonwealth when four-star Dayshaun Burnett committed on Wednesday. Burnett is a top 15 overall player in the state and a standout at Imani Christian Academy in Pittsburgh.

Penn State football currently has the No. 6 overall class in the 2025 recruiting cycle, according to 247Sports. The top-rated commitment in the Nittany Lions’ class is also from a linebacker, top 100 prospect DJ McClary from New Jersey.

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