Skip to main content
Penn State

Gonzaga Edge Tyson Harley finds family fit with Penn State

Fitz headshot croppedby: Sean Fitz07/05/25SeanFitzOn3
tyson-harley-penn-state-football-recruiting-1-on3
Penn State defensive end target Tyson Harley. (Credit: EJ Holland | On3)

Penn State picked up its second commitment on Saturday evening with a pledge from Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga College defensive end Tyson Harley. The On3 Industry four-star prospect was offered by the Nittany Lions back in January and took his official visit to Happy Valley on the weekend of June 6. He’s the first commitment for the Nittany Lions out of Gonzaga since Olu Fashanu back in the Class of 2020. 

“I would say first and foremost, the educational piece was really important to me and my family,” Harley told BWI. “I will also say how me and my family also felt about the love from the coaches and the players. There’s the development piece, but also the brotherhood between the players and the coaches.”

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound prospect was offered by defensive line coach Deion Barnes back in January and he became the second defensive end committed in the cycle, joining in-state four-star Jackson Ford. Harley said that the Nittany Lions’ coaching staff was a big draw for him landing in Happy Valley. 

“Me and coach Barnes are kind of similar in many ways. Just really similar types of people, so I know that I can get along with him,” he said. “His track record of developing great edge rushers. I really want to be coached by somebody like coach Barnes. Coach Franklin’s personality and his genuine love for my family and I, his genuine want for me to come play football for his team, I really would say that separated them.”

New Penn State commit Harley a four-star prospect by On3/Rivals

On3 | Rivals rates Harley higher than any other recruiting service, placing him well within the On300 at No. 186 nationally. He’s the 24th-ranked defensive end and No. 2 overall in Washington, D.C. The Industry Rankings, which are used to determine the team rankings, have him ranked No. 332 nationally and No. 35 at the Edge position.

Harley committed to the Nittany Lions last Tuesday, he said. 

“I would really say throughout this whole process, it was between Rutgers and Penn State,” he said. “I think going through this process, every school you visit, you feel that you want to be there. It’s always something new, every single week. After taking time and really seeing what places fit me, Penn State was just the best overall fit.”

You may also like