Penn State football has yet to land a five-star recruit from the class of 2026. The most likely candidates on the Nittany Lions target list were initially Brandon Arrington, Immanuel Iheanacho, and Zion Elee. Now that trio has gone down to just one — Iheanacho — whose decision is still uncomfirmed.
Edge rusher Elee has been committed to Maryland since Dec. 7, 2024 and only lists Auburn as having slight potential to change his decision. Arrington originally had a July 5 decision date, leaving time for the Nittany Lions to stay in his mind. However, the rising senior pushed this date up and will announce his commitment on June 19, according to On3. With it being crunch time, Arrington narrowed his list down to two schools.
Which Schools Made It Into Five-Star Cornerback Brandon Arrington's Top Two
News hit the Nittany Lions that they went from a top five team to being knocked out of the competition entirely. Of his 44 offers, Arrington put Texas A&M and Oregon at his top two. Penn State joins Alabama, Washington, and USC in the dust.
Even without his official visit with the Aggies, originally scheduled for June 20, Texas A&M is in good position to land the five-star cornerback. Arrington visited Oregon on June 6, nearly a month after his visit to Happy Valley on May 2.
One of the main things making Oregon stand out and keeping them in consideration is the high-level defense and the consistency from defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi throughout the recruiting process. However, according to On3, it is more likely that the Ducks will still remain second in his mind.
"[The Aggies] all want me and they recruit me hard," Arrington said to On3. "From the start, it never changed with [Texas] A&M. They recruited me the same, they built relationships and how consistent they have been stands out.”
Where Does This Leave Penn State's Class of 2026 Recruitment?
The Nittany Lions are currently No. 7 overall in the country with their group of 2026 commits. While they recently added a top tier four-star Elijah Littlejohn, head coach James Franklin is still without a five-star recruit.
The top of Franklin's 20-player crew includes four-stars offensive tackle Kevin Brown, safeties Matt Sieg and Darrell Carey, wide receiver Davion Brown, quarterbacks Peyton Falzone and Troy Huhn, running back Messiah Mickens, linebackers Terry Wiggins and Littlejohn, and athlete David Davis.
Brown, who's ranked as the No. 45 overall recruit, No. 4 offensive tackle overall, and No. 1 pick out of Pennsylvania, is the highest recruit of Penn State's class of 2026. The addition of Arrington would have boosted the Nittany Lions' top player up 35 spots. The cornerback is No. 10 overall, the No. 1 overall athlete, and No. 1 pick out of California.
Now Penn State needs to put extra priority on landing Iheanacho to advance its recruitment class. Currently, Oregon is the leading school for the interior offensive lineman with LSU following second. The Nittany Lions and Auburn are still in the running, and Iheanacho has been posting more about Penn State on social media following his official visit.