The popular recruiting services continually update their rankings throughout the year and though many prospects are already on campus as early enrollees, 247Sports did its final update for the 2025 high school recruiting class on Wednesday, and Penn State was one of the big risers.
James Franklin’s 2025 class jumped to No. 15 in the country, one spot behind Miami and fourth in the Big Ten, but the bigger movement was within the Nittany Lion’s class. Heading into the update, tight end Andrew Olesh was the program’s highest-rated incoming freshman, after tight end Luke Reynolds had that distinction in the 2024 class, but now it’s interior offensive lineman Malachi Goodman.
The 6-foot-5 320-pound Paramus, New Jersey native jumped 67 spots in the rankings to No. 19 in the country and earned a fifth star. He is now the highest-rated recruit to come out of Paramus Catholic since Jabrill Peppers, Rashan Gary, and Drew Singleton. He is the No. 5 ranked offensive lineman in the class and the top player out of New Jersey, one of Penn State’s most important recruiting hotbeds.
Olesh remained in the 247Sports top 100 at No. 46 and he and Goodman are joined by cornerback Daryus Dixson at No. 88.
With a five-star rating, Goodman profiles as a multi-year starter for the Nittany Lions, but the struggle will be finding him room along the offensive line. At least in 2025, there is a significant logjam for offensive line coach Phil Trautwein, with only one member of last year’s starting group leaving the program (right guard Sal Wormley). The right guard spot will likely be filled by either former five-star rising sophomore Cooper Cousins or Texas A&M transfer TJ Shanahan.
In 2026, however, there will be plenty of open competitions for starting spots with left tackle Drew Shelton, left guard Vega Ioane, and center Nick Dawkins all out of eligibility. Attempting to project that far out is a challenge, but from the construction of the current roster, Cousins could slide to center with Shanahan at right guard, and Donkoh would remain at right tackle leaving Goodman to start at left guard next to fellow former five-star J’Ven Williams.