Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530530
5 2 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M considered a four-star prospect by On3, he had only two offers from Power Four programs — Michigan State and Syracuse — when the Nittany Lions extended their offer in late April. Within days, Maryland, Pitt and Vir- ginia Tech also offered the Powhatan prospect, while many others also took no- tice and started showing interest. How- ever, Henderson already knew where he wanted to go. He ended up committing to Penn State just two weeks after earning the offer on May 8. Henderson finished his senior season with 48 receptions for 724 yards and 8 touchdowns. For his career, he racked up 146 catches for 2,267 yards and 28 scores. He's considered a four-star prospect by On3 and is a member of the On300, rank- ing 247th nationally. He's the No. 15 tight end in the 2025 class and the No. 6 pros- pect in Virginia. Koby Howard WR | 5-11 | 185 | Pensacola, Fla. Howard received an offer from Penn State in June 2022, but after he broke both his tibia and fibula his sophomore year, many schools pressed pause on his re- cruitment to see how he bounced back. Attending Western High in Davie, Fla., as a junior, he totaled 1,065 yards receiv- ing and 8 touchdowns, rekindling interest from many schools. But it wasn't until he took official visits to Penn State and Ole Miss last summer that it became clear who the real contenders were. PSU brought him back for the Lasch Bash Bar- becue in July, and he committed to the Nittany Lions on Aug. 2. Howard transferred to Chaminade Ma- donna in Hollywood, Fla., for his senior year but ended up playing in only a couple of games due to a broken hand. The cast has since been removed, and Howard is expected to enroll at Penn State in Janu- ary. He holds a three-star rating from On3 and is listed as the No. 109 receiver na- tionally and No. 70 prospect in Florida. Josh Johnson S | 6-2 | 185 | Ironton, Ohio Penn State became the second Power Four program to offer Johnson when he attended a game in November 2023. He didn't visit again until May 2024, but by that point, it was clear that his rela- tionship with Penn State was among the strongest he had built. Iowa and Arkansas were also in the mix, but his only official visits were to Louisville and Penn State. A three-star prospect according to On3, Johnson had been expected to commit to PSU when he canceled his remaining of- ficial visits just a day after his trip to State College, but he surprised many observers by joining Louisville's class instead. That decision stemmed from the Cardinals' proximity to his home in southern Ohio. Johnson began having second thoughts after his season began, right around the same time that Penn State lost a commit- ment from defensive back Antonio Branch Jr. After an unofficial visit for the UCLA game, Johnson announced on Oct. 14 that he was flipping his commitment to PSU. In Ironton's first 12 games this season, Johnson totaled 53 tackles, 11 pass deflec- tions and 2 interceptions. Ironton won the Ohio Division V state championship game, 28-17, over Liberty Center Dec. 7. Lions 'Super Excited' About LaVar Arrington II's Potential To some, it might seem like common sense that Penn State would sign LaVar Arrington II as part of its 2025 recruiting class, considering who his father is. But there's a lot more to Arrington's résumé than a family tie to LaVar Arrington, one of the greatest linebackers in PSU history. In fact, the Nittany Lions were not even the first team to leap into the race to land him. Rather, they were the 10th. Penn State didn't extend an offer to the Charter Oak (Calif.) High star until Nov. 15, 2023. That was long after Oregon State kicked off this recruitment in April of that year. The Lions had their reasons for taking a more delib- erate approach with Arrington. "If you were to rewind a couple of years, I don't know if the world would have said, 'He's a Penn State- level player,'" noted Andy Frank, Penn State's general manager for personnel and recruitment. Over time, that assessment changed. Arrington's recruiting profile rose as his play on the field did. He totaled 65 tackles and 12 sacks in 13 games as a junior, adding 9 quarterback hurries, an interception and a blocked punt. On the heels of that performance, Arrington took official visits to UCLA, Penn State and Tennessee last spring before committing to the Lions on July 4. Then, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound defender, who projects as either a linebacker or edge rusher depending on how he develops, turned his full attention toward his senior season. It turned out to be a fine end to his prep career. Arrington finished his 2024 campaign with 45 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries. Along the way, he moved up 128 spots in the On3 Industry Ranking. Now officially a Nittany Lion, he is the No. 276 overall player and No. 28 linebacker nationally, and a four- star prospect in those rankings. "If you look from year to year to year, he just keeps getting better and better," Frank said. "And you saw this senior year, he really flashed on film. We're super excited about him. I think he's got the ability to rush off the edge. I think he can play stand-up a little bit as well. He's got some twitch, he's got some bend. I think he's a guy who's got a lot of versatility and is going to be a really good player for us down the road." Arrington is one of three players who currently project as linebackers in the 2025 class. Cam Smith of St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia and Alex Tatsch of Greater Latrobe (Pa.) High are the others. Arrington and Tatsch will both enroll at Penn State in January. Smith will arrive next summer. All three aim to carry the Nittany Lions' "Linebacker U" legacy forward. — Greg Pickel Pe n n St a te wa s n ' t t h e f i rst s c h o o l to p u rs u e Arrington, but it made a persuasive case that he should follow in his All-America father's footsteps by joining the Nittany Lions. PHOTO COURTESY LAVAR ARRINGTON II