By Apollo Lundin
In his first 10 seasons at Penn State head coach James Franklin has been consistent, having the Nittany Loins finish six of those seasons in the Top 25. After finishing the 2023 season at 10-3, Franklin has the team in Happy Valley at 7-0 and ranked third in the nation preparing for a bout with Ohio State on Saturday. Franklin will look to keep their current success going in the future, and that starts with Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class led by edge defender Jayden Woods.
Jayden Woods
Shawnee, KS (Mill Valley)
#75 NAT, #7 EDGE, #3 KS
At 6’3” and 240 lbs., Jayden Woods has a great build for an edge rusher. Woods has power and speed coming off the line, beating offensive tackles off the snap. Woods has great pursuit of quarterbacks and running backs when he gets into the backfield. Woods uses his hands to disrupt the quarterback’s vision and to go for the ball, making him a terror for opposing offenses. Additionally, Woods is a textbook tackler, wrapping up the ball carrier and forcing them to the ground, a skill that should translate to the next level. Over his sophomore and junior seasons, Woods has tallied 122 tackles, 57 solo tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, and five forced fumbles.
Jayden Woods is a Kansas state champion in discus and participates in shotput and 100-meter dash. Jayden Woods’s father, Justin Woods, played quarterback at Kansas State.
Woods held 33 offers, but chose the Nittany Lions over schools like Wisconsin, Alabama, and Kansas State.
Malachi Goodman
Paramus, NJ (Paramus Catholic)
#86 NAT, #4 IOL, #2 NJ
At 6’5” and 315 lbs., Malachi Goodman has the ideal build for an offensive guard. Goodman plays tackle for Paramus Catholic, so James Franklin will be ecstatic about his versatility. Goodman possesses great power in run blocking schemes, driving his man back away from the runner. He has enough quickness to get out and block on outside runs, which will definitely be useful in Happy Valley. As a pass blocker, Goodman is a wall. He has quick, powerful hands that stop any rusher from getting past him.
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Goodman is the highest-ranked player out of Paramus Catholic since Jabrill Peppers and Rashan Gary. Additionally, Goodman received an invite to the All-American Bowl.
Goodman held 28 offers, but chose the Nittany Lions over schools like USC, Georgia, and Colorado.
Daryus Dixson
Santa Ana, CA (Mater Dei)
#113 NAT, #14 CB, #8 CA
At 6’0” and 180 lbs., Daryus Dixon offers versatility at the cornerback position. Dixon is a physical defensive back that has all the intangibles. He is always aware of the ball, using this in pass coverage and to blow up runs. Dixon is not the fastest, but he uses his intelligence to shadow receivers in coverage. Over his three-plus year high school career, Dixon has tallied 130 tackles, 115 solo tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble with three recoveries, and seven interceptions. Dixon has a high ceiling, and Penn State is looking to help him reach his NFL potential.
Daryus Dixson is a two-sport athlete, also participating in track.
Dixson held 27 offers, but chose the Nittany Lions over schools like UCLA, Washington, and Michigan.
