Elite 11 Quarterback Showdown at Penn State: Top-Ranked Edge Rusher Iose Epenesa Impressed with Visit to Happy Valley

Penn State had a busy weekend with several exciting events happening. The town was hosting the Elite 11 regionals, where top quarterbacks from across the country were competing for a chance to advance to the final event. Additionally, Penn State hosted their first official visit for the 2025 class.

One of their top targets, Iose Epenesa, made an exception to the original visit dates and came to Happy Valley. Epenesa is a consensus four-star edge rusher, ranked 34th overall and 3rd in his position according to On3’s Industry Rankings. Although Penn State is considered a longshot in his recruitment, they saw this visit as an opportunity to make a strong impression.

After his visit to Happy Valley, Epenesa had positive things to say about his experience. He described it as “great” and “a pleasant surprise.” Despite not being very familiar with the program prior to the visit, he was impressed by the family atmosphere and the state of the program, noting that former players often return to visit and coach. He also expressed confidence in his fit with the team based on how Penn State utilizes their defensive ends.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine currently favors Iowa as the landing spot for Epenesa, but his family also had a positive experience during their visit to Penn State. They enjoyed the facilities, coaching staff, strength coach, and academics. While it remains an uphill battle for Penn State in his recruitment, they are hopeful that they have put themselves in serious contention as Epenesa moves closer to making his decision. The exciting recruitment journey of Iose Epenesa will be interesting to watch unfold.