Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530530
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 5 5 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M I would love to know Coleman's broad jump or vertical. I tried to ask, but his coaches at Warren G. Harding High in Ohio never tested him. At the same time, I don't really need to know. The film doesn't lie. The way he performs is on a different level. Most Surprising I have to circle back to Dixson here, just because Penn State hadn't signed a player from California in more than a decade. He literally visited just one time; his of- ficial visit in June was his lone trip to cam- pus. We don't see that often, and even when players do make decisions without spending much time on the campus of their prospective school, they're rarely as coveted as Dixson, nor do they come from prominent programs like Mater Dei, which have the resources to help kids visit anywhere they want. I'll go back to Zemaitis' comment about Dixson: He fits Penn State perfectly. Dur- ing his visit, he clearly realized he had found exactly what he was looking for. However, at the time, I was surprised, just as many fans surely were. Highest Upside Malachi Goodman is certainly the easy pick, but I do think the four-star offensive lineman from Paramus (N.J.) Catholic de- serves to be mentioned. Other prospects are physically comparable to the 6-foot- 6, 310-pound Goodman, but his balance and footwork separate him. Add in the fact that offensive line coach Phil Trautwein has been on a roll lately when it comes to developing players, and I think that makes him the safest bet. He's also the second-ranked player in the class, so he should have a high upside. But I also can't help but wonder what Coleman may ultimately become. When he learns how to use his hands and prop- erly use leverage off the edge, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he emerged as a Day 1 or 2 draft pick in the coming years. Toughest Miss There are a few players to choose from in this category, but cornerback Bran- don Finney is my pick, mainly because he was genuinely close to flipping. On3 recruiting experts Chad Simmons, Sean Fitz and Steve Wiltfong aren't putting in Recruiting Prediction Machine picks for something to happen if there's not real substance behind the speculation. They gave Penn State a shot to flip Finney, but the four-star cornerback from McDonogh High in Maryland ultimately followed through on his commitment to Oregon. At the end of the day, Penn State will be fine at cornerback. Assistant coach Terry Smith has plenty of talent to work with and knows how to develop players. Look- ing at it from that perspective, I under- stand why some might say that wide re- ceiver Quincy Porter and defensive tackle Trent Wilson were bigger misses for Penn State in the 2025 cycle. The Nittany Lions have more urgent needs at those position groups, after all. However, Finney's college decision was a very close call. With PSU coming up empty, this has to be the choice. Hidden Gem On3 has had wide receiver Lyrick Sam- uel of Brooklyn, N.Y., as a four-star pros- pect for a long time, so I can understand why other players might seem like better fits in this category. I do think the fact that the 6-4, 170-pounder didn't travel much and didn't attend many camps had the effect of shielding him from other elite programs. "Lyrick is one of the more exciting pros- pects," said Kenny Sanders, Penn State's director of player personnel. "The size is there, but just the athleticism, too. We think, as good as he is athletically, he's still a little bit of a raw, untapped gem. We're super excited about him. He's a big- ger body, but he does have some of those movements that make you think he can do some of the stuff the little guys do, too. "I think the sky's the limit for him as far as being a receiver. No knock on New York football, but it's not the best ball. I think that he can still reach higher goals once he gets into our program. "With the resources that we're going to be able to pour into him, don't be sur- prised when you look out there in a couple years and he's one of the best receivers in the Big Ten." ■ Coming out of Brooklyn, N.Y., receiver Lyrick Samuel didn't get as much attention as some other wideout prospects in the 2025 class, but Penn State's coaching staff is excited about his potential at the college level. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER