Future Freaks: Breaking down four of Penn State’s most overlooked athletes in the Class of 2025
Penn State has produced no shortage of players over the years who stand out among the nation’s best athletically. Just this past April, edge rusher Chop Robinson grabbed the attention of everyone at the NFL Combine when he ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash. I could list endless examples of those types of results over the years, but this isn’t a story about the past.
Instead, we’re looking at Penn State’s future. Similarly to Bruce Feldman’s annual article at The Athletic, which details the top athletes currently playing college football, we’re taking a look at some of the players in Penn State’s class who stand out not just in this class but across the entire country.
In addition to being excellent athletically, all four of these players are also still being overlooked, in my opinion, across the recruiting industry.
DE Jayden Woods
Where do you start with Jayden Woods?
The Kansas native is a two-time 6A discus state champion and recently won the shot put as well. But it’s not just that he’s a state champion that stands out. His personal best throw in the shot put (56′, 3″) ranks among the very best in the nation when you compare him to other 2025 defensive linemen.
But I think it’s even more impressive when you compare him to previous Penn State defensive linemen. It’s no secret that Anthony Zettel was a special prospect coming out of high school, and his throw of 61’08” is the only one that tops what Woods did in the shot put this year. The next closest was current 49ers defensive tackle Kevin Givens. He threw 53’00” in high school.
What he’s done in the discus is arguably even better, reaching 180’03” this past spring. Zettel threw 175′ 04″ in high school. No one else comes even close to those two.
Then, when you add in an 11.8-second 100-meter time, that’s not far off from what Adisa Isaac and Shaka Toney did in high school, with both of them having personal bests of 11.74 seconds. At 240 pounds, Woods also weighs a good bit more than both Isaac and Toney did heading into their senior seasons.
We don’t have testing numbers on Woods from an official camp, but his high school also posted some very impressive numbers on Twitter. During Mill Valley’s spring combine, Woods ran a 4.57-second 40, had a shuttle of 4.3 seconds, a broad jump that reached 10’05”, and had a vertical over 36 inches.
When you add all of that together, it’s that combination of speed, power and coordination that makes Woods unique. He’s undoubtedly one of the freakiest players in this class.
Link: What do Penn State fans need to know about the 2024-25 recruiting calendar?
OL Owen Aliciene
Connecticut native Owen Aliciene is a four-star prospect at On3, but when you look at the Industry Rankings, which is what we use to grade where each team ranks, I can’t help but think he’s still being overlooked. Ranked No. 418 nationally and No. 31 at offensive tackle, the Industry Rankings have Aliciene as the 13th-ranked player in Penn State’s class currently. In my eyes, that’s way too low.
At nearly 6-foot-8, 270 pounds, Aliciene put up some eye-catching numbers this summer, running a 5.1-second 40-yard dash. His shuttle was just as impressive, going sub-4.8 seconds, but it’s his 9-foot broad jump that has my attention the most. For perspective, former running back commit Alvin Henderson had a 9-foot broad jump at an Under Armour Camp earlier this year. He’s also 5-foot-9, 200 pounds.
Aliciene is just now entering his third year playing football, so when you consider how much he can still learn from a technique perspective while also looking at his athletic data, it’s hard for me to believe that 30 offensive tackles in the 2025 class have more potential long-term than him.
I strongly believe he’s one of Penn State’s top players in this class.
Saf. Braswell Thomas
I’ve discussed Braswell Thomas a lot this summer.
Going into that June 2 camp, I didn’t even know Thomas was expected to attend that day, but it didn’t take long to spot him when you consider how well he performed in a variety of drills. That was a solid camp for defensive backs, too, with up-and-coming prospects like Bryson Brown and Jase Rhodes also in attendance.
But in addition to how well he performed in one-on-ones and position drills, Thomas put up some eye-catching numbers at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. His 4.5-second 40 was two-tenths better than the previous times we had on record. His shuttle (4.3) also improved substantially, plus he had a triple broad jump over 30 feet.
On3 moved Thomas up in its latest rankings update, making him an 89 overall, putting him on the verge of becoming a four-star prospect. Whether he gets that fourth star or not will depend on his senior film. I also like the fact that he’s at Pleasantville now, where he’ll be coached by a former college defensive back.
I think when you consider the work he’s put in to improve athletically, plus the school change, 2024 sets up well for Thomas to have a breakout season.
Link: Charter Oak coach Dom Farrar discusses Penn State commit LaVar Arrington II
WR Lyrick Samuel
Just like Aliciene, wide receiver Lyrick Samuel ranks substantially lower in the Industry Rankings than he does by On3. Our scouts have him as the third-best player in Penn State’s class, while the Industry Rankings put him at No. 12.
At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Samuel’s length will instantly make him one of the bigger receivers in Penn State’s room next year. However, it’s not just his length that stands out, as he also ran a 4.5-second 40 and has gone sub-4.5 seconds in the shuttle. Those numbers are better than someone like USC commit Corey Simms, who has similar size at 6-3, 190 pounds. Yet, despite that, Simms ranks more than 100 spots higher in the Industry Rankings.
Samuel finished with just 27 receptions last year, yet still had 693 yards receiving (25.6 YPC) and 11 touchdowns. He’s always kind of flown under the radar a bit playing in Brooklyn, N.Y., but I feel pretty strongly that no matter who Penn State adds at wide receiver moving forward, it’s tough for me to see anyone having more upside.
The post Future Freaks: Breaking down four of Penn State’s most overlooked athletes in the Class of 2025 appeared first on On3.
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