Penn State picked up commitment No. 16 in its Class of 2025 Wednesday evening with the addition of Florida safety Antonio Branch. A four-star prospect in On3’s Industry Rankings, Branch is ranked No. 400 nationally and No. 55 overall in the Sunshine State. He’s also the 36th-ranked cornerback but will focus on playing safety when he gets to State College.
The addition of Branch didn’t move Penn State up in On3’s Team Rankings, as the Lions held firm at No. 12 nationally. However, adding another four-star did pad their cushion between them and Michigan. Coming into the day, Penn State’s class had an overall grade of 90.065. That’s now up to 90.161, which slots the Nittany Lions at fourth overall in the Big Ten. Ohio State and Oregon both currently rank among the top 10 schools nationally.
Understanding On3’s Team Rankings
For those unfamiliar with On3’s Team Rankings, there are two major differences compared to other sites that you need to know.
1) We use the Industry Rankings, which puts together all four major recruiting sites – On3, 247, Rivals and ESPN – to find a cumulative score for each prospect. It’s not just based on On3’s rankings.
2) On3’s Team Recruiting Rankings solve the problem of varying class sizes during the recruiting cycle by totaling the highest-rated commitments for each team based on a rolling average of current total commitments among Power Four schools. That average is now up to 11 prospects currently.
So, if you’re wondering why Penn State ranks lower at On3 when compared to sits like 247 and Rivals, it’s because we’re aiming to project which position the Nittany Lions are on pace to finish come National Signing Day.
Fans can read much more on On3’s Industry Team Recruiting Ranks by clicking here.
Around the Big Ten
It’s only been two days since Penn State picked up four-star cornerback Jahmir Joseph, but in that short timeframe, we’ve seen some big changes in the Big Ten.
That’s not the case at the top, however, as Ohio State remains the team to beat by a wide margin, holding an average score of 94.886. That’s the best in the nation by two full points, as LSU currently ranks second with a 92.692. The Buckeyes picked up two more commitments recently, adding wide receiver Quincy Porter from New Jersey and athlete Isaiah West from St. Joseph’s Prep. They hold 16 commitments total and have nine players who rank among the Top 100 nationally.
Instead, one of the Big Ten’s newest members, USC, took a big hit this week, losing two five-star defensive linemen from Georgia, Isaiah Gibson and Justus Terry. That dropped the Trojans from No. 4 overall nationally all the way to No. 11. The recent fallout may not be finished either, as rumors surrounding quarterback Julian Lewis continue to swirl following his official visit to Auburn.
Link: Penn State official visit exceeds expectations for Texas WR Taz Williams
USC’s drop moved Oregon up one spot nationally to No. 8 overall. The Ducks have nine commitments so far, and all but one of them have earned either a four or five-star rating. Quarterback Akili Smith Jr. and wide receiver Dallas Wilson headline the class. The Ducks also added top Penn State target Ziyare Addison last week.
Michigan was one of this week’s biggest movers, climbing from No. 18 to No. 13. The Wolverines picked up three new commitments this week to give them eight total in the class. That includes one of Penn State’s top safety targets in Gonzaga prospect Kainoa Winston. Michigan also added defensive lineman Jaylen Williams and running back Jasper Parker this week.
Behind the Wolverines you’ll find Rutgers (No. 18) and Wisconsin (No. 19) also among the Top 25 nationally. The Scarlett Knights have stayed hot over the past week, bringing their total to 27 commitments now. After adding defensive back Tariq Hayer last Sunday, Rutgers added three more four-star prospects this week in wide receiver Michael Thomas and offensive linemen Jaelyne Matthews and Joshua Blackston.
The Badgers are now up to 20 commitments. Wisconsin added its top-ranked player in the class this past week in linebacker Mason Posa.
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