Penn State is including some versatility to its 2025 class, as four-star New Jersey product Braswell Thomas has dedicated to the Nittany Lions.
Thomas is at the moment listed by Rivals as a large receiver, however the Nittany Lions are recruiting him as an “athlete,” who might additionally probably play on the defensive aspect of the ball as a security.
He was in Comfortable Valley for his official go to this weekend and made the choice to pledge to PSU.
The Pleasantville Excessive Faculty (Pleasantville, New Jersey) student-athlete at the moment ranks because the No. 11 participant within the Backyard State and the No. 60 broad receiver within the 2025 class.
Whereas his actual place is to be decided, at Penn State, Thomas will play below head coach James Franklin, defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Tom Allen, co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Anthony Poindexter, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, broad receivers coach/offensive recruiting coordinator Marques Hagans and the remainder of the employees.
Thomas acquired extra scholarship affords from Georgia, Maryland, Nebraska, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and others.
He took an official go to to see the Mountaineers in Morgantown on June 7. Nonetheless, after taking his official go to with Penn State this previous weekend, Thomas knew he wished to grow to be a Nittany Lion.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Thomas performs each broad receiver and defensive again at the highschool stage. His capacity to regulate to the ball, his physique management and his tendency to make performs on contested balls as a large receiver or drive turnovers and move break-ups as a defensive again are all issues that stand out. He’s greater than prepared to return up in run assist and make sturdy tackles defensively as nicely.
Thomas has additionally proven enchancment along with his pace, as he ran a sub-4.5.-second 40-yard sprint at Penn State’s camp earlier this month. The general sturdy camp efficiency, impressed PSU’s teaching employees and led to him getting the official go to scheduled for the weekend of June 21.
In March, it was introduced that Braswell will likely be transferring from Decrease Cape Might Regional Excessive Faculty to Pleasantville Excessive Faculty for his senior season.
Pleasantville head coach Malachi Timberlake famous that Thomas’ competitiveness and wok ethic are traits that set him aside.
“I feel the very first thing that you simply discover about Braswell is how a lot of a competitor he really is,” Timberlake mentioned about Thomas. “His willpower and drive to compete at a excessive stage is thru the roof. He’s his personal greatest competitor, he needs to compete with himself mentally and be good at every little thing he does.”
Timberlake additionally praised Braswell’s demeanor and household.
“As an individual, he’s a child with an enormous coronary heart and carries himself with a lot gratitude and I feel that is because of his upbringing,” Timberlake mentioned.
With Braswell now within the group, Penn State’s 2025 class at the moment has 17 whole commits within the cycle. The Nittany Lions rank within the top-10 within the nationwide workforce rankings.
If Braswell is to play on the defensive aspect of the ball, he can be the fifth prospect within the group projected to play defensive again for the Nittany Lions within the 2025 class, and the second recruit who is anticipated to play security, becoming a member of three-star Antonio Department Jr. If Braswell performs broad receiver on the school stage, he can be the second wideout within the present cycle for Penn State, together with three-star Lyrick Samuel.
