Penn State football continued to roll on the recruiting trail Wednesday evening following the verbal commitment of Florida three-star safety prospect Antonio Branch Jr.
Th 6-foot-2, 172-pounder out of Miami’s Northwestern Senior High is the third defensive back to commit to Penn State in just over a week, with cornerback Jahmir Joseph adding his name to Penn State’s 2025 class on Monday while corner Daryus Dixson committed seven days earlier.
In spite of the flurry of coverage commitments, Branch is the first safety so far in Penn State’s 16-man class. The Nittany Lions’ current haul is ranked the ninth-best in the nation, according to the 247 Sports Network’s composite rankings, which account for all major recruiting outlets.
The network ranks Branch as the No. 37 overall safety in the class and the No. 52 overall prospect in the talent-rich state of Florida. He chose chose Penn State over the likes of Nebraska and Louisville, among others. Seven of Penn State’s 16 verbal commitments so far have come from players on the defensive side of the ball.
