PITTSBURGH — Imani Christian four-star Class of 2025 LB Dayshaun Burnett committed to Penn State football Wednesday afternoon, announcing his decision at his high school in the East Hills neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
Imani Christian 2025 4-Star LB Dayshaun Burnett commits to Penn State over #Pitt and #Rutgers
Burnett is the fifth #WPIAL player to commit to #PSU in the Class of 2025 and the second LB this week pic.twitter.com/xaSUYHAbZt
— Dominic Campbell (@DOMISMONEY) February 7, 2024
Burnett chose Penn State over Pitt and Rutgers, the other two programs he named in his top three schools Tuesday. He also had a top five list that included West Virginia and Kentucky.
He stands at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds and is a force that offenses have to reckon with. Burnett has great speed and agility, along with the strength to not only make any tackle needed, but with relative ease. He does well in coverage, but is best tracking down the quarterback on a blitz and getting into the backfield.
247Sports ranks him as the No. 39 linebacker in the country and No. 13 recruit in Pennsylvania in his class. Rivals ranks him No. 246 in the country, No. 20 at linebacker and No. 7 in the state in his class.
“He has the ability to take over games,” Imani Christian coach La’Roi Johnson said on his star linebacker. “He’s a dynamic athlete. He can do so much on the football field, but we just want him to grow into the game and continue to just grow and not limit himself on anything he can do, and we won’t do that either. He’ll do a lot this year and he’ll show even more ability. Just his experience now as a senior, I think it’s all going to come to a head for him and his best ball will be ahead of him, but he’ll have an outstanding year and lead us in all the ways he can. Definitely just proud of how much he’s grown just in the years. I remember when I first seen him and just now, where we’re at and understanding of the game, all of it is improved.”
Burnett is one of five WPIAL athletes committed to Penn State football in the Class of 2025 and the fourth four-star. This includes North Catholic tight end/athlete Brady O’Hara, Aliquippa running back Tiqwai Hayes and Latrobe linebacker Alex Tatsch, who committed on Sunday. Pittsburgh Central Catholic three-star cornerback XXavier Thomas also committed to PSU back in December.
Along with Tatsch, his commitment makes it three four-star linebackers in the Class of 2025 for Penn State, with DJ McClary out of Jersey City, N.J. committing back in September.
Penn State Football Class of 2025
Four-star running back Kiandrea Barker/The Woodlands/The Woodlands, Texas
Four-star linebacker Dayshaun Burnett/Imani Christian Academy/Pittsburgh, Pa. (WPIAL)
Four-star running back Tiqwai Hayes/Aliquippa/Aliquippa, Pa. (WPIAL)
Four-star linebacker DJ McClary/Henry Snyder/Jersey City, N.J.
Four-star tight end/athlete Brady O’Hara/North Catholic/Cranberry Twp. Pa. (WPIAL)
Three-star offensive tackle Owen Aliciene/Avon Old Farms/Avon, Conn.
Three-star cornerback Omari Gaines/Malcolm X Shabazz/Newark, N.J.
Three-star quarterback Bekkem Kritza/Fairview/Boulder, Colo.
Three-star cornerback XXavier Thomas/Pittsburgh Central Catholic/Pittsburgh, Pa. (WPIAL)
