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Top 10 Uncommitted WPIAL Prospects in the Class of 2025

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12 months ago

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WPIAL.

24 WPIAL football prospects in the class of 2025 have committed to college football programs, but what about those who still have their decision in front of them?

With the high school football season rapidly approaching, some WPIAL recruits plan to announce before the first kickoff, while others are waiting for more opportunities to showcase their talent and add to their film.

Here are the top 10 uncommitted WPIAL recruits in the Class of 2025:

10. Troy Cunningham

Cunningham – a 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive line prospect from South Park – is one of the top defensive line prospects remaining in the WPIAL.

His recruiting process picked up after his junior season when received an offer from Dartmouth in late January. He holds eight total Division I offers, all at the FCS level. Penn, Cornell, Colgate, Monmouth, Duquesne, Bryant and Robert Morris have all offered to go along with Dartmouth.

Cunningham and his brother Parker – a JMU commit in the class of 2025 – will be key pieces on both sides of the ball for South Park this season. Cunningham was a first-team all-conference defensive lineman selection last season as he recorded 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss.

At this time, Cunningham is considering all of his options, he tells PSN. He plans to commit a little after he gets his first three game tape out in September.

9. Van Hellmann

Hellmann – a 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker out of Upper St. Clair – holds FBS offers from Army and Navy, while Richmond, Merrimack, VMI and Sacred Heart have offered him at the FCS level.

The first-team all-conference selection this past fall showcases the ability to be a disruptor in the backfield. He manages the field well and does not quit on the play. He will be a valuable asset to whatever team lands him.

As of now, Hellmann plans on making a decision before the first scrimmage of the season, he told PSN.

8. Amari Jackson

Jackson – a 6-foot, 175-pound defensive back out of Beaver – is an intriguing prospect with plenty of tools that Division I schools are looking for. His speed and playmaking ability are evident and will have an impact for Beaver this fall on both sides of the ball.

Defensively, he produced 24 tackles and three interceptions during his junior campaign.

He holds an FBS offer from Bowling Green, along with FCS scholarships from Villanova, Fordham, Maine, Sacred Heart and Robert Morris. Jackson previously told PSN that he intended to visit each of the schools that offered him before the summer comes to a close.

While he does not have a date on when he plans on committing, he tells PSN that he is down to three schools: Fordham, Villanova and Bowling Green

For more reading on Jackson, click here.

7. Donald Barksdale

Barksdale – a 5-foot-10, 180-pound athlete out of Steel Valley – is one of the more entertaining players and personalities in the WPIAL.

He is a playmaker at the running back position and as a receiver. He has a tremendous blend of speed and talent with excellent footwork making him difficult to tackle. He put together 2,061 rushing yards to go with 36 touchdowns this past fall.

Defensively, he is a takeaway threat with good ball skills and plays strong zone coverage. He is a strong tackler, recording 53 this past season to go along with four interceptions with two pick-sixes during his junior season.

Barksdale owns an FBS offer from Bowling Green. His other FCS offers include Albany, Robert Morris, Duquesne, Bryant, Howard, Merrimack and Morgan State.

6. Kenny Lewis

Lewis – a 5-foot-10, 175-pound wide receiver/return specialist out of Gateway – is a dynamic athlete who has received some FBS interest from around the country. UNLV, Marshall and Temple have all offered Lewis, along with Robert Morris and Bryant at the FCS level.

For Gateway, Lewis is a multi-faceted talent who can create space with his excellent speed at the wide receiver position. He easily turns in yards after the catch. Defensively, he is a shutdown corner who has great ball skills and is a hard-nosed tackler. He is also a kick return threat with great vision.

While he is still looking over his options, Lewis told PSN that he hopes to have a decision made before the season or early on into the season.

5. Daniel Batch

Batch – a 5-foot-11, 200-pound prospect out of Montour – is a dynamic athlete who fills various roles for the Spartans at receiver, running back and safety.

The first-team wide receiver registered 1,421 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns during his junior season. The speedster can take the top off of defenses and does a tremendous job hauling in contested and high-difficulty catches.

He holds offers from FBS programs in Akron, Toledo and Navy. FCS schools that have offered include Towson, Bryant, New Hampshire, Robert Morris, Stony Brook, Maine and Fordham.

Batch tells PSN that he wants to be committed before the second week of the season and is considering Akron, Maine and New Hampshire.

For more reading on Batch, click here.

4. Kaleb Platz

Platz – a 6-foot-1, 230-pound recruit from Montour — is one of the more impressive linebacker prospects in the WPIAL.

He is physical with great instincts all while putting up some lofty numbers his junior season with 128 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception.

Several FBS schools have come calling for Platz with offers in Akron, Toledo and UMass. Maine, New Hampshire, Cornell, Robert Morris, and most recently, Mercyhurst have also extended offers.

As of now, Platz is in no rush to commit anywhere and is weighing the pros and cons with every school, he told PSN.

3. Elijah Faulkner

Faulkner – a 5-foot-10, 190-pound running back out of Central Catholic – is one of the top playmakers left to commit out of the WPIAL class of 2025.

This past fall, Faulkner put up some big-time numbers, rushing for 1,426 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and 25 touchdowns on 194 carries. Faulkner has all the tools for an FBS running back as he possesses excellent vision, great speed and the ability to bounce off tacklers.

He holds FBS offers from Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Navy, to go along with FCS offers from Youngstown State, Furman, Villanova, Howard, Fordham and Cornell.

With a few weeks under his belt during his senior season, Faulkner will certainly add more offers.

2. Jaiden Brown-Demery

Brown-Demery – a 6-foot-4, 345-pound offensive lineman from West Mifflin – is one of two players remaining in the WPIAL class of 2025 with Power Four offers to his name. He holds a three-star rating and ranks as the 24th-best player in the state, according to On3.

Pitt, West Virginia and Duke have extended offers to go along with other FBS offers in Bowling Green, UMass, Temple, Akron, Toledo and Kent State. He also holds offers from Monmouth and Robert Morris.

Brown-Demery is a physical offensive lineman that plays whistle to whistle and helped block from one of the top young running backs in Armand Hill who ran for 1,500-plus yards and 15 scores all while earning MaxPreps All-American honors.

Although Brown-Demery does not have a set timeline, he wants to commit in the near future and Pitt, West Virginia and Bowling Green are in the mix.

For more reading on Brown-Demery, click here.

1. Antwan Black Jr.

Black Jr. – a 6-foot-1, 170-pound athlete from Laurel Highlands in Uniontown, Pa. – is one of the highest-rated players left in the WPIAL class of 2025.

According to Rivals.com, he is a 5.5 three-star prospect. On On3, he’s ranked as a three-star and the 31st-ranked player in the state.

He holds Power Four offers from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Michigan State, Syracuse and Boston College. He holds additional FBS offers from Bowling Green, Marshall, Akron, Toledo and Delaware, along with an offer from Robert Morris.

Black Jr. has excellent ball skills and is a true playmaker as a defensive back. He is physical and has great instincts to come up and make plays. He is one of the top talents to keep an eye on this high school football season and will be intriguing to continue to watch his recruitment unfold.

Be sure to check out all of the high school football talent in the area with offers on PSN’s WPIAL Recruiting Board Below:

WPIAL Football Recruiting Board – Western PA Football Recruiting

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
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