Penn State coach James Franklin signed 27 players in the 2025 recruiting class, many of whom already have begun training with the Nittany Lions.

Of all his great classes, the 2022 class has been the lynchpin of their most successful stretch in decades. ESPN’s Craig Haubert recently looked back at the 2022 class and reranked them, listing Penn State’s class as the second-best in the country. Only fellow Big Ten powerhouse Michigan ranks above them on his list.

Penn State has received plenty of praise over the past few weeks for retaining talent. Its latest move, hiring one of the nation's best defensive coordinators, has people buzzing.