There have been a lot of great moments for Penn State in its 2025 recruiting cycle, and there have been a lot of frustrating moments for the program, coaching staff and fanbase.
The most recent decision from one of their top remaining targets in this cycle certainly isn’t going to make anyone happy.
Lex Cyrus, the top in-state wide receiver and the Nittany Lions’ most coveted remaining target at that position shocked everyone and decided to commit to the South Carolina Gamecocks.
This might have been bubbling under the surface for a while despite all the confidence that Penn State people had that they would get this one done. After taking his official visits to Happy Valley and then South Carolina, it took a long time for him to make up his mind.
Now, it’s clear his decision wasn’t as simple as expected.
“Really, I would say probably Coach [Mike] Furrey. He was definitely a major impact on this decision. Talking to him and the conversations I’ve had with him, he showed me that he’s probably the best coach that can develop me as a man and football player the next three to four years,” Cyrus told Ryan Snyder of BlueWhiteIllustrated.
That quote won’t do much to quiet the crowd who is not a fan of current wide receivers coach Marques Hagans. This was supposed to be a recruiting cycle where he showed his prowess, and so far, that has not happened.
Only two wideouts are committed to Penn State in the 2025 class after there was a clear need for them to obtain talent and bodies. Losing out on Cyrus is a massive blow for James Franklin and this program.
There’s still a chance that he can decommit and come to the Nittany Lions, but based on his comments, it sounds like that is unlikely.
Nittany Lions Wire
