BREAKING: No. 1 recruit in PA for 2025 picks Ohio State over Penn State football

According to James Franklin, the best high school prospects in Pennsylvania should stay home and play for Penn State football. More often than not recently, the Nittany Lions have gotten their way with the Keystone State’s top recruits. That is, until now. Penn State’s streak of landing the No. 1 recruit in Pennsylvania over consecutive recruiting cycles ended Wednesday afternoon when Zahir Mathis, the commonwealth’s top prospect for the class of 2025, announced that he will be playing his college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

No. 1 recruit in Pennsylvania commits to Ohio State

When James Franklin came to Happy Valley a decade ago, he set a vision for Penn State football to “dominate the state” in recruiting. Franklin has been largely successful in recruiting the state of Pennsylvania, especially of late.

With the signing of Quinton Martin in the class of 2024 last month, the Nittany Lions have landed the No. 1 recruit in Pennsylvania for the last three cycles. Nicholas Singleton (2022) and Jven Williams (2023) came in the two previous classes. 

In the last week, Penn State football has bounced back from previous recruiting misses in the commonwealth. By landing Julian Fleming and Nolan Rucci from the transfer portal, the Nittany Lions will have Pennsylvania’s top recruits from each class between 2020 and 2024 on campus next fall. 

However, Franklin’s streak of recruiting success among the top prospects in the state appears to be coming to an end. On Wednesday, Zahir Mathis, the No. 1 recruit in Pennsylvania for the 2025 cycle, committed to Ohio State. Penn State football was seemingly out of the running for some time, not even cracking the top five list that Mathis released in October. 

BREAKING: Four-Star EDGE Zahir Mathis (2025) tells me he has Committed to Ohio State!

The 6’6 230 EDGE from Philadelphia, PA chose the Buckeyes over South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, & Florida State

“Where tradition meets innovation🌰”https://t.co/RNEFxEvfAU pic.twitter.com/OG5MI3FD3d

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 10, 2024

Losing Zahir Mathis to Ohio State will sting on several fronts. The four-star recruit and No. 7 EDGE rusher in the 2025 cycle was seemingly unphased by the elite NFL prospects Penn State has churned out at DE in recent years, most recently Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac. Finishing his junior season at Imhotep in Philadelphia, the Mathis decision, at least outwardly, is a blow to the recruiting inroads DL coach Deion Barnes has made in the City of Brotherly Love recently. 

Can James Franklin, Penn State football make a late push to flip Zahir Mathis?

It’s clear that landing the No. 1 recruit in Pennsylvania each cycle is not an exercise in vanity. It’s something that James Franklin believes is vitally important to the success of Penn State football. 

“We’ve got a pretty good run going right now, again, with the state of Pennsylvania and the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania,” Franklin said in reference to the recruitment of Zahir Mathis on National Signing Day in December. “We’ve got to do it again next year. That’s not looking as promising right now as it has been the last couple years, but we’re going to battle and to find a way to get that one done as well.

“All these players, Singleton and Quinton that have done it, they have a responsibility to help us sign the No. 1 player in the state next year, as well. We take a lot of pride in that.”

While missing out on Zahir Mathis was certainly something that the coaching staff was expecting, it’s a significant blow nonetheless, especially when it comes at the hands of Big Ten foe Ohio State. But there are still 11 months until National Signing Day for the 2025 cycle. This decision is not one I’d expect Penn State football to take lying down.

And even if Mathis does ultimately play his college football at Ohio State, the Nittany Lions are expected to resume the streak next year with Messiah Mickens, the No. 1 recruit in Pennsylvania for the 2026 cycle, already in tow.

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