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Penn State Football Recruiting

Recruiting News: Big-Time Penn State Flip Target Nearing Decision

Bryce Baker
Bryce Baker

One of Penn State footballโ€™s biggest remaining Class of 2025 recruiting targets will announce his decision soon.

Currently, four-star QB Bryce Baker is committed to North Carolina.

But he committed to play for Mack Brown, not Bill Belichick.

Days after Brownโ€™s firing, Baker was in Happy Valley for Penn Stateโ€™s season finale against Maryland, which turned into a 44-7 win.ย 

Penn State pounding Maryland has become an annual college football tradition. North Carolina hiring Belichick? Well, thatโ€™s the furthest thing from traditional. In a stunning turn of events, UNC hired the six-time Super Bowl champ Wednesday, and on his long, long list of things to do is keep Baker around.

Per Dylan Callaghan Croley of Rivals.com, Baker had a phone call with Belichick Thursday night, hours after his introductory press conference.

Heโ€™ll announced his decision Saturday.

A TWO-HORSE RACE

The only schools in the running for Baker are North Carolina and Penn State. One school would love to keep him. The other would love to have him.

The pride of Kernsville, North Carolinaโ€™s East Forsyth High School is the No. 8 QB in the country per 247Sportsโ€™ composite rankings, as well as the No. 3 player in North Carolina and the No. 80 overall player nationally.

In his scouting report, 247s Andrew Ivins described Baker as a โ€œmobile signal caller with muscled-up build that will throw his wide receivers open.โ€

โ€œOwns a compact release and can create some torque with his upper half,โ€ Ivins wrote. โ€œCan be a bit streaky at times as a passer, but has some impressive long balls on the junior spray chart. Really excels at attacking the back corner of the end zone when down in the red zone. Lower-body twitch allows him to escape pressure and extend plays. Effective on designed runs and has the burst to beat defenders to the sticks, although he isnโ€™t the type of quarterback thatโ€™s looking to just take off and run. Should be viewed as a potential multi-year starter at the Power Four level. Must keep improving his footwork and decision-making, but has tools to develop over the next few years. Likely to find the most success in a modern spread attack that wants to move him around.โ€

FRANKLIN CAN FLIP

Penn State coach James Franklin awaits his teamโ€™s fate.

Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: James Franklin

Penn State coach James Franklin has already flipped one key target since signing day ended last week. He got the No. 1 player in Pennsylvania, Andrew Olesh, to leave Michigan for Happy Valley. Heโ€™s also trying to get another in-state target, four-star EDGE Zahir Mathis, to pick Penn State after de-committing from Ohio State last month.ย 

Penn State has a QB signed to its 2025 recruiting Class in three-star Bekkem Kritza.

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