Penn State got its third commit of the 2025 recruiting cycle this weekend in four-star RB Kiandrea Barker (The Woodlands School).
With Barker now in the fold, here’s an updated breakdown of Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class thus far, going from highest-rated to lowest-rated, per 247Sports.
KIANDREA BARKER
This past weekend was a good one for Penn State football, and the good vibes continued Sunday when four-star Class of 2025 running back Barker announced his commitment.
Barker, listed at 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, is the No. 9 tailback in the 2025 Class and the No. 10 overall player in Texas, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
He’ll be playing his upperclassman years at The Woodlands School in Houston after playing his first two years at Beebe High School in Arkansas.
Nittany Sports Now spoke with Barker Saturday night before he made his commitment public Sunday afternoon. Barker described himself to NSN as a “hard runner” who is fast and capable of making big plays but also not afraid to lower the boom on a defender.
As for why he picked Penn State, Barker cited the school’s running back lineage, as well as his relationship with Penn State’s coaching staff, especially running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider, assistant running backs coach Charles Walker and, of course, head coach James Franklin.
“They showed me love,” Barker told Nittany Sports Now the night before he committed, “and then they gave me my first big offer when I was in my freshman year and kept a mutual relationship ever since then.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“And from having the visit there and showing us the love that they showed us, it felt like it was the right thing to do.”
JAELYNE MATTHEWS
Penn State football received its first commitment of the 2025 recruiting class in four-star offensive tackle Matthews back in late January.
NSN caught up with him before his commitment.
“This is the beginning of everything,” Matthews told NSN via Twitter DM. “Me graduating, then going there and then me hopefully going to the NFL.”
OMARI GAINES
Penn State’s second ‘25 commit came late last month in Gaines, an Adidas Freshman All-American from Malcom X Shabazz High School in Newark, New Jersey.
Gaines announced the commitment via Twitter Tuesday, March 28.
Penn State offered Gaines last April. Gaines also has offers from Boston College, Delaware State, Duke, Ole Miss, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple and West Virginia.
