Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1539550
5 8 O C T O B E R 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 received a commitment from one of its top in-state prospects on Sept. 6 when three-star defensive tackle Tavian Branch announced plans to sign with the Nittany Lions after having previously been part of Rutgers' 2026 class. "I knew where I wanted to be. I want to be at Penn State," Branch said. "The more I thought about things — realizing where I want to be, what my goals are, and how I want to be developed into a top defensive lineman — I knew Penn State was the right place for me." Listed at 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, Branch earned an offer from the Nit- tany Lions in July 2024 after camping with the staff on multiple occasions that summer. At the time, he was con- sidered an interior offensive line recruit. That assessment started to shift last fall when the Taylor, Pa., native showed how his athleticism could be used on the defensive side of the ball. Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes warmed up to the idea this past spring, but Branch opted against taking an official visit to PSU in June. Instead, he narrowed his list of more than two dozen scholarship offers to Oklahoma and Rutgers and eventually committed to the Scarlet Knights. That changed in early September when Branch decided to reopen his re- cruitment. The Riverside High pros- pect took an official visit to PSU on the weekend of the Nittany Lions' game against Florida International. After checking out the program in person, he didn't waste any time making up his mind. Branch committed to the Nit- tany Lions on the morning of the game, which the Lions won, 34-0. "When I committed to Rutgers, Penn State gave me a little space, but they al- ways recruited me," Branch said. "They congratulated me, let me know they would be in contact, and then about a month ago, they started picking things back up. Over the last month, they've made me feel like even more of a priority than they ever have. They really came on hard, and it gave me a lot to think about." Branch excelled on defense during the first few games of his senior season. Of his 15 total tackles in the Vikings' first three games, 7 were for a loss. He also had 3 sacks and 2 pass deflections, along with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal. Riverside head coach Harry Arm- strong said Branch's most noteworthy trait is his athletic ability. "He has incredible twitch and explo- siveness for a 300-pounder," Armstrong said. "His footwork is fantastic. He can change direction with the best of them." "But on top of the speed and athleti- cism, his hands and his power are ex- traordinary. It's just a matter of time until he learns how to use that part of his game at a higher level. When he strikes, it's powerful. He's explosive with it. It's hard for him to really utilize that when he's being double- and even triple-teamed at times in high school, but when he gets that opportunity, it's awesome to watch." With his commitment, Branch be- came the third defensive tackle in Penn State's class, joining Isaac Chukwurah of Caravel Academy in Delaware and Alex Haskell of St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia. Just like Chukwurah and Haskell, Branch is listed as a three-star prospect by all three of the major re- cruiting websites. In the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average of the grades from those three sites, Branch is listed as the nation's No. 563 overall prospect, No. 60 defensive lineman and No. 15 player in Pennsylvania. Rivals' scouts have him rated a bit higher than that. They list him No. 36 among defensive linemen and No. 11 in his home state. ■ In-State Lineman Gives Penn State A Second Look RYA N S N Y D E R | RYA N . S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M B ra n c h i n i t i a lly co m m i tted to Ru tge rs b u t b ega n rethinking his decision and joined the Nittany Lions' 2026 class on Sept. 6 PHOTO COURTESY ON3 COMMITMENT PROFILE TAVIAN BRANCH While he started his recruiting journey as an offensive line recruit, Tavian Branch decided last year to focus on playing defensive tackle. He could still theoretically end up on the of- fensive line at the college level, but he's now a defender as far as Penn State is concerned. The coaching staff doesn't really differentiate between one- and three-technique defen- sive tackles, but from this vantage point, he looks more like the former. Branch is a run- stuffer. He has the quickness and mobility to be a well-balanced player, but he'll need to develop the requisite hand-fighting skills and awareness to be an all-around player. After a few years under position coach Deion Barnes, it'll be interesting to see what this gifted defender will be able to do at Penn State. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N