Matt Zollers, Pennsylvania's Top-Ranked Quarterback Recruit, Picks Missouri

The 4-star quarterback from Spring-Ford High chooses the Tigers over Penn State, Georgia and Pitt.

A general view of The Zou logo at Faurot Field, home of the Missouri Tigers. / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Zollers, Pennsylvania’s top-ranked quarterback prospect of the 2025 recruiting class, is leaving the state to play college football. The 4-star prospect from Spring-Ford High announced Thursday that he has committed to Missouri. Zollers became the first commit of Missouri’s 2025 recruiting class, leaving Penn State to consider its options for a possible second quarterback in its class.

Zollers ranks as an across-the-board 4-star prospect and is the highest-ranked recruit in Pennsylvania, according to 247Sports. He’s also the No. 6 quarterback of the recruiting cycle and a player who made huge strides during his junior season. Zollers (6-3, 205 pounds) threw for a school-record 2,927 yards, 37 touchdowns and just two interceptions for Spring-Ford last season to climb onto the lists of the nation’s top programs. Zollers chose Missouri from a final list of schools that included Penn State, Georgia and Pitt. He also received offers from Michigan State, Maryland, Nebraska, Virginia Tech and Virginia, among many others. 

During a press conference at Spring-Ford High School, Zollers said his top priority was finding "who I connect best with, both players and coaches." He added that Missouri's "great stability" with head coach Eliah Drinkwitz was appealing. Zollers also addressed the decision not to choose Penn State.

"It was pretty difficult," Zollers said. "It's definitely intriguing to go to college only two hours away, obviously being able to come home pretty easily. But I kind of fell back on what I looked for most in a school, and ultimately Missouri was my best fit."

Zollers represented a significant piece of Penn State coach James Franklin’s recruiting ethos. In December, Penn State signed the No. 1 Pennsylvania prospect for the sixth time under Franklin. That was Belle Vernon running back Quinton Martin Jr., who followed offensive tackle J'ven Williams (2023) in signing with Penn State as the state’s top player, according to the 247Sports Composite. Prior to them, Nicholas Singleton, Micah Parsons, Michal Menet and Saquon Barkley all committed to Franklin as the state's top-ranked players. In addition, Penn State recently received transfer commitments from former No. 1s Julian Fleming and Nolan Rucci, both of whom will contend for starting spots this season.

RELATED: Julian Fleming discusses Ohio State transfer, feeling healthy and the need for one more season

Barkley kickstarted the run in 2015, having been one of Franklin's first phone calls on Signing Day the year before. Franklin basically told Barkley that "the best players in Pennsylvania go to Penn State," a phrase Franklin has been repeating since.

"I believe the best players in the region should come to Penn State," Franklin said. "I'm biased but I think we're the best option in terms of combination of school and football and being able to compete at the very highest level. We are the best option within the footprint, and that's no disrespect to any other program. But I believe that and I feel that way."

For the 2025 cycle, however, five of the top seven Pennsylvania players, according to the 247Sports state rankings, have committed elsewhere. That includes Imhotep Charter edge rusher Zahir Mathis (Ohio State) and three players from Philadelphia’s St. Joseph’s Prep, notably linebacker Anthony Sacca (Notre Dame). Penn State has until Signing Day in December to change minds.

"We've got a pretty good run going right now in the state of Pennsylvania and [signing] the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania. We've got to do it again next year," Franklin said last December. “That's not looking as promising right now as it has been the last couple years, but we're going to battle and to find a way to get that one done as well. All these players, [Nicholas] Singleton and Quinton [Martin] that have done it, they have a responsibility to help us sign the No. 1 player in the state next year as well. We take a lot of pride in that."

RELATED: Quarterback Drew Allar says he's playing "loose, free and confident" this spring

Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class already includes one quarterback among its 11 commits. Bekkam Kritza, who spent most of his junior season at Fairview High in Boulder, Colorado, is transferring back to Miami Central in Florida. Kritza (6-5, 200 pounds) is the 32nd-ranked quarterback in the 2025 recruiting cycle, according to 247Sports. 

Penn State still could add a second quarterback to the class. The Lions are recruiting Malik Washington, a 4-star prospect from Maryland who also has offers from Maryland, Oregon and Virginia Tech, among others. Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class ranks fifth nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Missouri went 11-2 last season and defeated Ohio State 14-3 in the Cotton Bowl.

AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.