Penn State Sports Magazine
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4 8 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M prospect from Southern Lehigh, was a bit more difficult to read. Rated by On3 as the nation's No. 47 overall player in the class and No. 3 tight end, as well as the No. 2 prospect in Pennsylvania, he looked to be seriously consider- ing a switch to Penn State, but then he informed reporters that Oregon was trending as Michigan's top competitor, not the Nittany Lions. "Penn State is up there, but of all the schools, I'd probably say Oregon," Olesh said. "I like the Ducks' coaching staff. They don't have a lot of tight ends on the roster. They give a lot of playing time to freshmen. The development is pretty good there, too." While Olesh was thinking about decommitting from Michigan, Gom- pers was mulling whether to join the Wolverines' class. The 6-4, 215-pound prospect took an official visit to Michi- gan at the end of October. He has kept many of the details surrounding his recruitment quiet, but we know Penn State would like to get the three-star athlete on campus for an official visit. Class of 2026 Visitors Penn State has had its fair share of big recruiting weekends in previous sea- sons, but it's not often that we see them take place on back-to-back game days. With the game against Ohio State and PSU's annual White Out being held on consecutive weekends, Franklin and his staff welcomed roughly 200 prospects who already hold at least one Division I scholarship offer. The game against the Buckeyes on Nov. 2 featured about 20 four-star pros- pects. The guest list included athlete Joey O'Brien of LaSalle College High in Glenside, Pa., who is rated by On3 as the No. 103 overall prospect and No. 6 athlete nationally and the No. 3 player in his home state. "It was an awesome environment. There's lot of energy in the stadium, and I always enjoy being around the staff," O'Brien said. "It was great spending time with Coach [Terry] Smith and Coach [Anthony] Poindexter. I really connect well with those guys. Coach Franklin made time to see me before the game, too." Also in attendance was four-star ath- lete Peyton Falzone of Nazareth, Pa. Al- though he's committed to Virginia Tech, the 6-5, 200-pound prospect is clearly still interested in the Nittany Lions. "It's always an awesome experience in Beaver Stadium," said Falzone, the ninth-ranked player in Pennsylvania, per On3. "It was a great day, and it was nice being able to bring my sister and About an hour before this year's White Out game against Washington kicked off, Penn State picked up its second commitment of the 2027 cycle. Four-star offensive line prospect Layton von Brandt revealed that he plans to join the Nittany Lions when his class is able to sign a little over two years from now. Listed at just over 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, von Brandt is already considered one of the nation's best. On3's scouts list the Middletown, Del., native fourth nation- ally among interior offensive linemen, although the Nittany Lion staff believes he will grow into an of- fensive tackle by the time he arrives in State College. He's also the No. 65 overall prospect nationally and the top player in his home state, per On3. Von Brandt is from the same hometown as former PSU star wide receiver Chris Godwin, and he devel- oped into a Nittany Lion fan while watching Godwin excel at Penn State from 2014-16. "My dad and older brother are PSU fans, too. I've always watched their games on TV and followed their teams," von Brandt said. "Then, every time I've been on campus, the experience just keeps getting better. They've treated my family very well from the begin- ning. Whether at spring practices or summer camps and then again at the Lasch Bash all the way through my two game visits this year." With von Brandt only being a sophomore, it's natural for some fans to wonder if he's ending his recruitment a bit earlier than he should. So far, he's earned a dozen offers, and schools aren't going to stop pursuing him. Von Brandt doesn't see it that way, though. He said he's known where he wants to go for some time now. "My parents and I wanted to make sure I went to all of the schools that showed interest in me first," he said. "This summer and fall, that's what we did. I went to Alabama, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia and Rutgers multiple times, just to name a few, and had great experiences with their coaching staffs and at their schools and games. We really appreciate all of the schools that recruited me, but every time I went back to Penn State, the vibe was just different. "I talked a lot with my parents because they wanted me to understand this is a final decision for us. We are very loyal people, and I don't want to be the guy that decommits. Recruiting is cool, but I love football more than being recruited and I feel that PSU has everything I want." In addition to attending the Nittany Lions' White Out victory over Washington on Nov. 9, von Brandt was in the stands for the game against Illinois in Sep- tember. Those two experiences were all he needed. "The energy of the White Out crowd was unbeliev- able, but it was just as awesome at the Illinois game," he said. "The fans are awesome, and the energy they bring absolutely affects the game. That was one of the big things I learned on game day visits. The other schools were great, too, but nothing compares to Beaver Stadium." Despite still being an underclassman, von Brandt is now the second player in the 2027 class, joining the nation's top-ranked running back, Kemon Spell of McKeesport,Pa. Von Brandt, who plays at Appoquinimink High, is also teammates with 2026 wide receiver Jahsiear Rogers, who committed to the Nittany Lions last summer. "PSU has everything I'm looking for," von Brandt said. "They're compet- ing for a playoff spot every year, and ultimately, the goal is a national title. I believe it can happen. As a family, we decided there was no need to wait or keep looking around. This is where I want to be." — Ryan Snyder Layton von Brandt of Middletown, Del., is listed by On3 as the No. 4 interior offensive lineman in his class and the No. 65 overall prospect nationally. PHOTO BY THOMAS FRANK CARR Lineman Becomes Second Prospect To Join 2027 Class