Josiah Zayas comes to Penn State as a true freshman defensive back out of Piscataway, New Jersey. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound recruit played his final high school season at Piscataway after transferring from St. Thomas Aquinas, and his recruiting grade varies depending on the source. He’s listed as a three-star in some rankings, and a four-star in others, with 247Sports Composite pegging him as the No. 19 player in New Jersey and the No. 127 wide receiver nationally. He originally signed with Iowa State before being released and flipping to Penn State.
Zayas was a true two-way weapon in high school: 93 catches for 1,784 yards and 26 touchdowns on offense, paired with 67 tackles, five tackles for loss, and nine interceptions on defense. His junior season alone included 41 catches for 1,063 yards and 16 touchdowns, plus seven interceptions. He earned first-team All-Big Central honors and was named 2024 Two-Way Player of the Year in his conference, and helped lead Piscataway to a 2025 state playoff appearance.
17 days!
