Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1499919
5 2 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M A fter earning a commitment from offensive lineman Cooper Cousins in January 2022, Penn State needed nearly an entire year to add a second player to its 2024 recruiting class. That class was relatively slow to take shape before gaining speed this spring, but the situation could not be more dif- ferent when looking ahead to the next recruiting cycle. Head coach James Franklin and his staff already hold three commitments from prospects in the 2025 class, the most recent being running back Kiandrea Barker. A four-star prospect in the On3 Indus- try Ranking, Barker announced his com- mitment on April 16, just one day after visiting Penn State for the Blue-White Game. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound stand- out from Beebe, Ark., had picked up an offer from the Nittany Lions almost a year before he committed. Barker had taken visits to Mississippi State and Ole Miss last fall, but he also made it clear that the Nittany Lions were high on his list, thanks to their history of developing such running backs as New York Giants Pro Bowler Saquon Barkley and current starter Nicholas Singleton, last season's Big Ten Freshman of the Year. After Barker arrived on campus the day before the team's spring game, it was only a matter of time until he announced his commitment. "Penn State is a great college, and they play the kind of football I like," he said. "My favorite running back is Saquon Barkley. That's where he comes from and who I think my style of game is closely matched to. "With the year that Nick Singleton had this past season, I think Penn State is where home is. They can get me to the top level of football." Nittany Lion running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider led the way in Barker's recruitment. Barker developed a strong rapport with the veteran assistant, who is getting set to enter his sixth season at Penn State. "I like his coaching style, his personal- ity, everything," Barker said. "He's some- body I think can coach me very well." Penn State was the second school to extend an offer, and 11 others followed. On March 6, Barker announced a top five of consisting of Penn State, Florida State, Miami, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Following his commitment, both TCU and Wisconsin extended offers. "Penn State was one of my first big- time offers," Barker said. "Growing up, I watched Saquon before he got drafted. I knew that if Penn State ever offered, they would be one of my top choices." Barker holds an 88 overall grade from On3's scouts, making him a high three- star prospect. The other major recruiting networks have awarded him four stars, which is why he's rated more highly in the On3 Industry Ranking. He's listed as the No. 22 running back and No. 251 overall prospect nationally in the Industry Rank- ing. Since completing his sophomore sea- son, Barker has transferred to The Wood- lands High School, which is located out- side of Houston. Although he has yet to play a game in Texas, he's listed as the state's No. 44 prospect in the On3 Indus- try Ranking. Barker joins a pair of New Jersey pros- pects — four-star offensive tackle Jae- lyne Matthews and three-star cornerback Omari Gaines — in Penn State's 2025 re- cruiting class. Matthews was the first to commit, doing so in January. Gaines fol- lowed in March. ■ Four-Star 2025 Running Back Flashes Quickness By Picking PSU Early RYA N S N Y D E R | R YA N. S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M COMMITMENT PROFILE KIANDREA BARKER Barker grew up admiring former Penn State great Saquon Barkley and had the Nittany Lions high on his list as soon as they extended a scholarship offer. PHOTO COURTESY BARKER FAMILY It's hard to assess a player's skill set before he's even begun his junior season. At this stage in their development, most players are still figuring out what their skill sets are. That's why I'm holding off, for now, on a con- ventional film evaluation of Kiandrea Barker complete with strengths and weaknesses. Barker has committed to Penn State nearly two years in advance of his arrival. This situ- ation is a rarity for several reasons. The chief reason is that at running back, maybe more than at any position other than cornerback, the metric that coaches use to gauge collegiate potential is athleticism. The development pattern of a running back can be unexpected, and coaches are hesitant to take all but the best players early for fear that they won't continue to get bigger, faster and stronger. The second reason is that top-tier running backs usually have their pick of any program in the country and take their time making a decision. From my perspective, it's too early to say whether Barker is in that top tier. However, assistant coach Ja'Juan Seider thinks he is, as evidenced by Penn State's decision to take his commitment. Seider has an impeccable track record, so this is likely a home run for the Nittany Lions. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N