Penn State football’s 4 most important recruiting targets for the 2026 class

James Franklin’s team has a bye week after beating USC 33-30 in overtime last Saturday, but that doesn’t mean the Penn State head coach isn’t busy. Along with preparing his team to play Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium in Week 9, Franklin will also be busy on the recruiting trail, which takes no weeks off. 

This past week, Penn State landed a commitment from three-star 2025 cornerback Josh Johnson. That addition brought Franklin’s 2025 class to 25 players and per 247Sports, that class ranks 14th best in the country and 4th best in the Big Ten behind Ohio State, Oregon, and USC. 

Early signing day is less than two months away for the 2025 group, so much of Franklin’s attention has and will be turning to the 2026 class. So far, Franklin has landed six 2026 commitments including four-star quarterback Troy Huhn and the No. 2 ranked player in Pennsylvania, offensive tackle Kevin Brown. Currently, Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class ranks fourth best in the nation because Franklin typically does an excellent job landing early commitments. 

So, with a few key positions already addressed in 2026, here are Penn State’s four most important 2026 recruiting targets who have shown a real interest in Happy Valley. 

This offseason, after Kalen King, Johnny Dixon, and Daequan Hardy all left for professional football, James Franklin realized his defense was so thin at cornerback that he went out and added not one but two former SEC cornerbacks in the transfer portal. AJ Harris and Jalen Kimber have both been starters for first-year defensive coordinator Tom Allen and though Harris still has multiple seasons of eligibility, Penn State needs to infuse the cornerback group with talent. 

In 2025, Franklin has commitments from four-star cornerbacks Daryus Dixson and Jahmir Joseph, but the position needs to remain a priority for 2026 and Khary Adams is one of the best options. 247Sports ranks Adams as the No. 52 player in the nation in 2026 and the seventh-best at his position. 

Penn State doesn’t just need corners for Allen’s defense to thrive. The former Indiana head coach likes to play with three safeties on the field and the depth there has already been tested through his first year in Happy Valley with a long-term injury to Kevin Winston Jr. 

Matt Sieg could quickly develop into a contributor for Allen because there are so many available reps at the safety spots. This season, true freshman Dejuan Lane has gotten the green light to burn his redshirt and has already played defensive snaps in five games. Sieg is a consensus four-star and 247 ranks him as the third-best player in PA. He has reportedly been at Penn State’s season-opening win over West Virginia, its home opener against Bowling Green, and will be back in Happy Valley for Penn State’s Week 10 clash with Ohio State. 

First-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki may not be on Penn State’s staff for long with his stock as a potential head coach continuing to rise, but if he is around in 2026 and beyond, it’s pretty obvious that he’ll want a dynamic tight end on the roster. Senior Tyler Warren has blossomed in Kotelnicki’s offense and though JC Anderson isn’t a high school quarterback like Warren was, he could be a great fit with the Nittany Lions. 

Even before Kotelnicki, Franklin has done a great job with tight ends, helping turn Mike Gesicki, Pat Freiermuth, Brenton Strange, and Theo Johnson into NFL draft picks. In 2024, Penn State added five-star tight end Luke Reynolds, who has played significant snaps as a true freshman this season. This summer, Anderson included Penn State in his top 10 and visited for the end-of-summer Lasch Bash, Penn State’s most important summer recruiting event. 

Anderson is a consensus top 10 tight end in the 2026 class and a top 125 player nationally. 

Zion Elee is the No. 2 ranked player in the country in the 2026 class and at one point, Penn State was considered a finalist for the Baltimore product. However, Elee scratched his list of finalists and has been taking visits to the SEC, Auburn and Alabama have become priorities. Still, with Penn State’s proximity and success with edge rushers in college and the NFL, Franklin and his staff should still be in the mix for Elee.