Penn State has lost its longest-reigning Class of 2025 commitment.
Early Monday afternoon, Kiandrea Barker, a three-star RB from Beebe, Arkansas, announced his de-commitment from Penn State via Instagram.
News: Newport (Ark.) HS 2025 RB Kiandrea Barker (@KiandreaBarker) confirms that he’s decommitted from Penn State 🔵⚪️
Barker holds 18+ offers including #Arkansas, #SouthCarolina & others
Barker will look to wait until December before he makes his final decision pic.twitter.com/6nIjMYBFzy
— Brandon Howard (@BHoward_11) August 13, 2024
“At this time, I think it’s best for me to decommit from Penn State,” the statement read. “I have been committed to PSU for two years and feel that I should open up my recruitment.”
Per the statement, Penn State’s still in the mix for Barker.
“However, I think it is best for me to see other places to compare considering I only took one official visit.”
Barker ended his statement by thanking PSU and coach James Franklin “for their continued support.”
The 5-foot-11, 183-pounder had been committed to Penn State since April 2023. He made his decision while visiting for the Blue-White Game and announcing his decision the following afternoon.
While committed, he continued to receive offers, picking them up from schools such as Arkansas, Colorado, Duke and USC. He also received offers from schools such as Auburn, Houston, Oregon, TCU, UCF and Wisconsin.
But Barker took to X (formerly Twitter) in early June to affirm his commitment to Penn State.
“I want to thank all the coaches who have recruited me along this process,” Barker wrote, “and all the penn state coaches/ staff that’s been showing love since day with that being said I want to officially announce that all recruitment is shut down for me and I’m all in 110% #weare🦁.”
I want to thank all the coaches who have recruited me along this process , and all the penn state coaches/ staff that’s been showing love since day with that being said I want to officially announce that all recruitment is shut down for me and I’m all in 110% #weare🦁 pic.twitter.com/23Ha83TNKb
— Kiandrea Barker (@KiandreaBarker) June 6, 2024
Nittany Sports Now caught up with Barker the next month, and he reaffirmed his commitment.
“I just know that Penn State was the only place that I wanted to go to,” he told NSN. “Other colleges could’ve come after me, but honestly, it wouldn’t have meant anything because I wanted to be a Nittany Lion.”
But in an interview with Nate Olson of HighSchoolSI.com less than a week later, Barker revealed he was considering another school.
“I’m keeping Arkansas in the back of my head,” Barker said. “They still have a chance.”
Penn State’s Class of 2025 now sits at 23. Four-star Jabree Wallace-Coleman (Philly) and three-star Tiqwai Hayes (Aliquippa) are PSU’s remaining ‘25 RB commits.
