Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1535618
4 4 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M W ith 16 commitments as of mid- May (previously 17, but Daniel Jennings recently reclassified and will arrive this summer), Penn State was maintaining a brisk pace heading into the busy summer months of the 2026 recruiting cycle. Of the top 60 teams in the On3 Industry Team Rankings, only one had more commitments than the Nittany Lions. That team was Big Ten rival USC, the nation's runaway leader with 27 players. Notre Dame also had 16 commitments. Although the Lions have filled up well over half of their available scholarships for the current recruiting cycle, there's still plenty of work to be done. Here's a position-by-position look at the pros- pects coach James Franklin and his staff are still pursuing. Quarterback Penn State already has two quarter- backs committed in Troy Huhn fron Cali- fornia, the nation's No. 34 QB per On3, and Peyton Falzone of Pennsylvania, the No. 13 athlete in his class. As long as they both stay committed, the Nittany Lions are done at the quarterback position for 2026. Running Back Four-star prospect Messiah Mickens of Harrisburg, Pa., flirted with Notre Dame after running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider headed to South Bend in February, but he's still committed to Penn State. Mick- ens, the No. 132 overall prospect and No. 9 running back in the 2026 class, per On3's scouts, should end up signing with the Nittany Lions. Seider's successor, Stan Drayton, con- tinues to keep tabs on other running backs, but as of mid-May, only one had set an official visit to Penn State. That player is Brian Bonner, a consensus four- star prospect from Santa Clarita, Calif. Listed by On3 as the No. 55 overall pros- pect and No. 4 running back nationally, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Bonner took an unofficial visit to State College in April and has an official visit set for June 13-15. He has taken official visits to Washington and UCLA, and Nebraska is set to host him June 6-8. Wide Receiver Penn State lost a commitment from Indiana native Jerquaden Guilford at the end of February. The Nittany Lions re- sponded by picking up a coveted target on May 12 in three-star Virginia receiver Davion Brown, the No. 65 wideout in the country. Add in four-star Delaware wideout Jahsiear Rogers, the No. 25 pass catcher in the class per On3, and three- star Maryland prospect LaVar Keys, and Penn State fans should feel good about the class. If the Nittany Lions finish with those three, Franklin and his staff will feel pretty good, too, but there are a few other pros- pects to watch. Penn State hosted three-star wideout Brian Williams of Altamonte Springs, Fla., for an official visit May 16-18. The Lions also plan to host another three-star Floridian, Hayden Moore of Gainesville, for an official visit June 13-15. Moore committed to Minnesota just before Penn State offered, but he'll visit with the staff anyway. The Nittany Lions are continuing to pursue Travis Johnson of Chesapeake, Penn State Looks To Stay Hot This Summer RYA N S N Y D E R | RYA N . S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M FOOTBALL RECRUITING Grayson McKeogh of Seton La Salle College High in suburban Philadelphia is one of Penn State's top offensive tackle targets. He's listed by On3 as the No. 183 overall prospect nationally. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER