James Franklin steals another 4-star recruit from Penn State

After firing incoming Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin, Penn State football immediately got hit with de-commitments from the Class of 2026 and Class of 2027. The impact Franklin had on those recruits hasn't been clearer ever since they put the Hokies on their new list of finalists once Franklin was hired.

Four-star tight end Pierce Petersohn became the fourth recruit during the week of Thanksgiving to flip to Virginia Tech.

Four-star tight end Pierce Petersohn flips commitment from Penn State to Virginia Tech

Petersohn joins four-star offensive tackle Marlen Bright, four-star running back Messiah Mickens, and three-star offensive tackle Roseby Lubintus as the latest additions to the Hokies' Class of 2026 roster. The Nittany Lions now have no offensive skill players remaining on their board.

On June 25, Petersohn initially committed to Penn State and reopened his recruitment on Nov. 10. Late in the day on Nov. 27, it was announced that he officially flipped his commitment.

According to 247Sports Composite rankings, Petersohn is the 325th-ranked recruit and No. 16 tight end from the Class of 2026. He is also the second-ranked athlete from Minnesota.

With the latest flipped commitments, Penn State's recruitment class fell to 118th in the country with a 120th Composite ranking. The Nittany Lions have seven commits remaining, but are at risk of losing more to Franklin.

Four-star safety Matt Sieg is set to announce his commitment on Dec. 3. Three-star interior offensive lineman Benjamin Eziuka is projected to flip his commitment to Virginia Tech. Franklin also extended an offer to three-star Mathieu Lamah.

Four-star offensive tackle Kevin Brown, four-star wide receiver Jahsiear Rogers, and four-star linebacker Elijah Littlejohn are on the verge of flipping as well. These three are already de-committed from Penn State's program.

As for the Hokies' Class of 2026, the program now has 12 commits and is ranked 80th overall and 81st on 247Sports' Composite Rank. Their class includes Petersohn, Mickens, Lubintus, Bright, four-star quarterback Cole Bergeron, three-star cornerback Zaevion Cleveland, three-star offensive tackle Tyrell Simpson, three-star interior offensive lineman Adrian hamilton, three-star edge rusher Kamren Johnson, three-star offensive tackle Buddy Wegdam, three-star tight end Isaiah Pina, and three-star kicker Will Love.