Penn State, essentially, missed the 2026 recruiting class. With no head coach in place for the early signing period, the Nittany Lions signed just two recruits, four-star edge rusher Jackson Ford and four-star quarterback Peyton Falzone. However, since taking the job a little over a month ago, Matt Campbell has done his best to salvage the cycle.
Campbell has primarily done that by bringing former Iowa State commits with him to Happy Valley, and on Wednesday, he added a commitment from the 13th such player, three-star edge rusher Elijah Reeder. As the 496th-ranked player in the country, Reeder is the third-best recruit in Penn State’s 15-player 2026 class, and the best of the former Iowa State commits.
Blessed and thankful to announce my commitment to play football at Penn State to continue my athletic career. Thank you to all the coaches who recruited me and everyone who supported me along the way.
— Elijah (@elijahreeder13) January 21, 2026
WE ARE!
#Committed @CoachMC_PSU @BrianDohn247@Central_Reg_FB @ColeeCFB pic.twitter.com/zSgJ3vwMeR
Reeder announced the commitment on his social media on Wednesday afternoon. With his inclusion in the class, Penn State now ranks 72nd in the national recruiting rankings, a far cry from James Franklin’s consistent top 25 finishes, but still a huge improvement compared to the depths of signing day.
Penn State lands commitment from former Iowa State signee Elijah Reeder
Reeder was released from his signing on December 16, in the wake of Campbell’s departure for Penn State. With new head coach Jimmy Rogers in place, Iowa State’s current recruiting class, with eight players enrolled, six signed, and 11 committed, ranks 57th in the country.
It appears, however, that Campbell and general manager Derek Hoodjer’s recruiting woes at Penn State will be short-lived. The duo has yet to land a commit in the 2027 class, but this weekend, they are hosting five-star running back Kemon Spell.
The top player in Pennsylvania, Spell, was a longtime Penn State recruit before Franklin’s firing. Spell de-committed and received serious interest from Notre Dame and Georgia, among other powerhouse programs. Yet, Campbell has been able to vault Penn State back to the top of the heap, and many expect a commitment to come soon.
Campbell was set up to fail in the 2026 class. He’s made the best of a bad situation, and Reeder’s commitment certainly helps, but the 72nd-ranked class is by no means a reflection of his recruiting acumen. And with the No. 5 transfer portal class in the country, one bad recruiting cycle shouldn’t hamper the program going forward.