Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532761
4 4 M A R C H 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 / / / / / / / T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 2 5 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / T here's a reason why Penn State uses its White Out games as major re- cruiting events. The environment never fails to impress, and that's exactly what happened with Brady O'Hara. A standout at North Catholic High in Pittsburgh, O'Hara was on hand when the Nittany Lions shut out Iowa, 31- 0, on Sept. 23, 2023. Three days later, the two-way star verbally committed to PSU. "Being here for the White Out game was an absolutely amazing experience," O'Hara said. "The energy hits you as soon as you walk in, and it was so cool to walk out onto the field and feel the crowd." Even before he attended the game, O'Hara was thinking about committing to the Nittany Lions. During the sum- mer, he earned Power Four scholarship offers from Penn State, Pitt, West Vir- ginia and Wisconsin. That total would have likely climbed in the months that followed, but O'Hara didn't feel as though there was any reason to wait. Penn State already felt like the best place for him. "I know I would have gotten more offers down the road, but every time I went to Penn State, the relationship just kept getting better and better," said O'Hara, who totaled 19 visits to PSU over the course of his recruitment. "When I went to their junior day for the first time, I just kept thinking about how incredible this place was. I walked out of there thinking that I could truly see myself there. "As time went on, I just kept think- ing the same. When we were leaving the White Out game, walking down the stairs to go to our car, that's when I re- ally started thinking, 'Yeah, I want to commit here. This is a place I want to be.' "I just thought to myself that I should commit now. If I already know where I want to be, there's no point in waiting for other offers." O'Hara played tight end and defen- sive end at North Catholic. As a senior, he totaled 11 catches for 145 yards while also leading the team in tackles with 36, including 6 for loss and 2 sacks. The previous year, he had 16 catches for 308 yards on offense, and 45 tackles, includ- ing 10 for loss and 2 sacks, on defense. The three-star prospect won't play either of those positions at Penn State. O'Hara, who checks in at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, is listed by the Nittany Lions as an offensive lineman. Penn State's coaches had told him all along that if he continued to grow, there was a good chance he would end up moving to the offensive line. That was fine with O'Hara. "I'll play wherever they want me to play to win a Big Ten championship," he said. — Ryan Snyder O'Hara shined at tight end and defensive end at Pittsburgh North Catholic, but PSU's coaches see him fitting in best at offensive tackle. PHOTO COURTESY ON3 BRADY O'HARA Two-way standout eyes move to offensive line at Penn State OL | 6-6 | 250 North Catholic Mars, Pa. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos.* State On3 Industry ★★★ 665 36 16 On3 ★★★ — 75 25 247Sports ★★★ — 73 23 ESPN ★★★★ — 5 12 Rivals ★★★ — 59 14 * Listed by On3 as a tight end Statistics • Totaled 11 catches for 145 yards and had a team-high 36 tackles with 2 sacks and 6 TFLs as a senior • Had a team-leading 16 catches for 308 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 45 tack- les, 10 TFLs and 2 sacks as a junior • Had 48 tackles, 11 TFLs and 4 sacks as a sophomore Notable • Was a four-year letterman and a team cap- tain in 2024 • Received All-WPIAL honors twice as a de- fensive end and once as a tight end Recruitment • Committed to Penn State on Sept. 26, 2023 • Recruited by tight ends coach Ty Howle and cornerbacks coach Terry Smith • Picked Penn State over Pitt, Wisconsin and West Virginia • Officially visited on June 14, 2024 2025 Projection O'Hara is changing positions, moving to a spot where true freshmen typically need a year or two of development before they're ready to see the field. Listed at 250 pounds, he'll likely be focused on making strides in Penn State's strength program when he ar- rives later this year. A redshirt season seems assured. They Said It BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "You can understand the coaching staff's rationale in opting to move O'Hara from tight end, where he excelled at Pittsburgh North Catholic, to offensive tackle. He has a massive frame and is a good athlete, but not an extremely good athlete, which is what Penn State has at the tight end spot. One of his priorities when he gets to PSU will be to work on maintaining a low pad level, because he's a tall athlete who plays upright too often." T H E O ' H A R A F I L E