With 19 commits, Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class ranks No. 5 in the country as James Franklin and his staff navigate the official visit season. Still, even with so much success on the recruiting trail, a loss always stings, especially at a position that has been so vital to the Nittany Lions' recent success, and Penn State suffered a significant one on Monday.
Four-star offensive lineman Johnnie “DJ” Jones announced his commitment to UCLA on Monday. The Berkley Prep product is the 11th-best offensive tackle in the 2026 class according to 247Sports Composite Rankings and a top 150 player nationally. He would have ranked as the second-best player in Penn State’s 2026 class, behind fellow offensive tackle Kevin Brown, who committed to the Nittany Lions last July.
BREAKING: Four-Star OT Johnnie “DJ” Jones has Committed to UCLA, he tells me for @on3recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 10, 2025
The 6’7 315 OT from Bradenton, FL chose the Bruins over Vanderbilt, Penn State, & Florida State
He’s the No. 8 OT in the 2026 On300
“Isaiah 54:17 Go Bruins”https://t.co/ZZckssWMqk pic.twitter.com/9ObklaKO0b
4-star Johnnie Jones chooses UCLA over Penn State, Vanderbilt, and Florida State
Jones was slated to make his official visit to Happy Valley this upcoming weekend, joining a talented group at Penn State on June 13, but he will reportedly be shutting down his recruitment and will likely not take the visit. In the NIL era, a commitment is worth less than ever, but Jones does not appear to be a flip candidate between now and the early signing period.
Brown is the highest-rated player in the 2026 Penn State class, and with two other three-star linemen also in the fray, the Nittany Lions and offensive line coach Phil Trautwein might be set at the position. However, leading a program that will potentially enter the 2026 season with three former five-star recruits as backups along the offensive line (Nolan Rucci, J’Ven Williams, and Alex Birchmeier), Franklin and Trautwein understand the importance of depth up front.
Nittany Lions have other options along the offensive line
With Jones off the board, Penn State still has the opportunity to make two major splashes along the offensive line this summer. Maryland five-star Immanuel Iheanacho included Penn State among his final four and is headlining this weekend’s group of official visitors, and Virginia five-star Darius Gray will head to campus for his official visit on Tuesday, June 17.
Penn State has significant depth up, but after losing out on Jones, it’s even more important that Franklin and his staff impress Iheanacho and Gray to win heated recruiting battles with powerhouse programs.