Penn State Sports Magazine
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5 0 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 P enn State linebackers coach Dan Connor was enjoying a pretty good week already, having earned commitments from four- star Coatesville (Pa.) prospect Terry Wiggins and North Caro- lina transfer Amare Campbell. Then, just three days after Wig- gins' commitment, the Nittany Lions received a verbal pledge from Mathieu Lamah, another of their most coveted linebacker prospects in the 2026 class. A 6-foot-3, 220-pound mid- dle linebacker from Patriot High in Manassas, Va., Lamah didn't step foot on campus until six months ago when he attended last year's White Out game. At the time, he didn't hold an offer from the Nittany Lions, but the expe- rience quickly made them the team to beat. "On all the [recruiting websites], there was a lot of talk that Penn State was in the lead," Lamah said. "I tried to brush it off to make it look like they weren't, but truthfully, they've been in the lead for a long time. "The first time I was there, I went to the White Out game. It was just a regu- lar visit, and I really hadn't talked with them much yet. Obviously, those types of games, you're not going to get much time to talk to their coaches, but I re- member being on the [sideline] and just watching all the other recruits that were offered go out on the field. Then, seeing the atmosphere there, all the people in white, it really sparked something in me to work harder to get that offer." Lamah, who previously went by the last name of Kanu, didn't have to wait long. Penn State's staff was able to verify his measurables during that first visit, and that was all they needed. The Lions extended an offer to Kanu just days later. At the time, Lamah had earned a few Power Four offers, a list headlined by Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. North Caro- lina quickly followed Penn State, but it wasn't until January that he saw his list nearly triple. He eventually narrowed it down to Penn State, Kentucky, Michi- gan, North Carolina, Rutgers and Vir- ginia Tech. All of those schools hosted him for visits this spring, but it was al- ways going to take a monumental effort for a school to surpass the PSU. "Between the longevity they have there — [James] Franklin will probably be there the next 10 years — and a great coach- ing staff, it was always a great fit for me," Lamah said. "They just added Jim Knowles, the best defensive coordinator in the country. He just won a [national championship] with Ohio State and their defense. "I built a great bond with Coach Connor as well. He's known for being the leading tackler in Penn State history, and he played in the [NFL]. He knows what he's talking about. I watched it at their spring practice." Last season was Lamah's first at Pa- triot High after attending Unity Reed the year before. Coach Sean Finnerty wasn't sure at first whether to put him at defen- sive end or linebacker, but after a series of preseason drills, it became clear that the latter position would be the best fit. "The way he moved, especially later- ally, it was pretty clear he's a linebacker," Finnerty said. "We also knew it was go- ing to be a lot for Matt coming in late. He had to learn a whole new defense, a multiple [formation] defense. We knew it would be a lot for anyone to learn in a few months, so we made it fairly easy for him. We had a couple of older kids at the other linebacker spots who could do most of the calls. We just asked him to play ball and do what comes naturally to him. He certainly did that." Despite his late start, Lamah totaled 137 tackles, including 16 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. Those efforts earned him a four-star rating from On3 in February. The On300 prospect is ranked as the na- tion's No. 274 overall prospect and No. 19 linebacker, as well as the No. 6 player in Virginia. ■ Virginia Prospect Bolsters PSU's Linebacker Corps RYA N S N Y D E R | RYA N . S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M Lamah had been leaning toward the Lions since visiting campus for the team's White Out game against Washington last November. PHOTO COURTESY ON3 COMMITMENT PROFILE MATHIEU LAMAH Unlike many of Penn State's linebacker prospects, there's not much versatility in Ma- thieu Lamah's profile. Despite his 6-3 size, his arm length doesn't match an edge rusher's profile, checking in at sub-32 inches. That, plus his lack of elite burst and pass rush- ing instincts, limits his value at defensive end. It's possible to work on several of those skills, but size and explosiveness are harder to manufacture. While there's certainly a world in which he could play Will linebacker, his best fit is at Mike. His run defense skills, lack of sideline- to-sideline range, and high school experience make the transition a natural fit. He was also a captain for his team as a junior and has the reputation as a leader. Anything is pos- sible, but it's likely he will be a Mike-only player for Penn State. In that role, he could be excellent. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N