Penn State stays hot in Western Pennsylvania, adding Ath. Dayshaun Burnett to 2025 class
Penn State has been excellent in and around Pittsburgh over the past few years, but the Class of 2025 is taking that to a new level. On Wednesday, head coach James Franklin and his staff added their fifth commitment from the region already this cycle, locking in Imani Christian’s Dayshaun Burnett.
“Big Ten football is a different kind of football. With Penn State being the kind of program they are, they can develop me not only as a player but also as a young man,” Burnett said when asked why the Nittany Lions were the choice.
“Also, I know I have coaches that care about me, so I know that I’m covered no matter what.”
Checking in at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Burnett could contribute at a few positions at the next level. He earned an offer from the Lions in June 2022 after camping as a linebacker prospect. He primarily played that position during his sophomore and junior seasons but also mixed in snaps rushing off the edge this past year. Burnett has also added about 20 pounds since that camp and has the frame to continue adding weight.
“He has the ability to be an NFL guy,” said 2Tenths Speed & Agility founder DeWayne Brown, who’s been working with Burnett since the fifth grade. “A guy like Dayshaun will fit well at Penn State. As long as he’s doing his job, he’s athletic enough that he can definitely get on the field after a season or two, show scouts how athletic he is and give them something to think about. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of [Penn State tight end] Khalil Dinkins athletically. He has the athleticism to do anything he wants to do.”
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Throughout his recruitment, Burnett totaled 16 scholarship offers. He took seven visits to Penn State but also took multiple trips to Pitt, Rutgers and West Virginia. Wisconsin also hosted him for one of its games back in November. Other notable schools that offered include Duke, Kentucky, Michigan and Michigan State.
“Dayshaun is a team guy first and a great kid. He’s not selfish at all. He’s going to be a great locker room guy and comes from a wonderful family,” Brown said. “For Penn State, I see it. He’s the type of guy that they want. He’ll fit right in. The best is yet to come with him, honestly. He hasn’t peaked out yet.”
Burnett is the second commitment for Penn State this week following Latrobe linebacker Alex Tatsch’s announcement on Monday. North Catholic tight end Brady O’Hara, Aliquippa running back Tiqwai Hayes and Central Catholic cornerback Xxavier Thomas are the other three commitments from the Pittsburgh region.
Overall, Penn State’s Class of 2025 is up to 10 commitments total now, with Burnett being the fifth four-star prospect according to On3’s Industry Rankings. He currently sits at No. 314 nationally and 11th-overall in Pennsylvania.
