This offseason was expected to be all about loading up for a national title run in 2025, and while James Franklin has managed that with some major transfer portal additions, he’s kept one eye to the future of the Penn State football program with a ridiculous recruiting hot streak. On Tuesday, Franklin added his 17th player to the 2026 high school class with the commitment of four-star wide receiver Davion Brown.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound playmaker is a top 200 player in the country according to 247Sports Composite Rankings, and is the Nittany Lions' highest-ranked wide receiver in the 2026 class. Along with wide receivers coach Marques Hagans, Franklin has continued to rebuild his wide receiver room, and Brown could be a massive piece of the puzzle moving forward.
1000% Committed !! #WeAre @PennStateFball @coachjfranklin @coachmhagans pic.twitter.com/rjzj91C9IW
— Davion “fatrat” brown (@davion__brown) May 12, 2025
2026 four-star wide receiver Davion Brown announces commitment to Penn State
Penn State’s 2024-25 season ended in the College Football Playoff Semifinal with zero receptions for wide receivers against Notre Dame and a game-sealing interception from quarterback Drew Allar. It was not the first time that Allar’s wide receivers failed him during his first two seasons as the Nittany Lions’ starting quarterback, which led to a complete overhaul of the wide receiver room.
Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans both transferred away after the Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame, with USC transfer Kyron Hudson and Troy transfer Devonte Ross waiting in the wings as transfer portal additions. Then, in the spring, Franklin deemed that Hudson and Ross weren’t enough to win it all next season, so he plucked last season’s ACC receptions leader, Trebor Pena, away from Syracuse.
The trio of Hudson, Ross, and Pena gives Allar and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki a diverse group of pass-catchers that should be the best at Penn State since 2021 with Jahan Dotson, Parker Washington, and KeAndre Lambert-Smith. However, all three are in their final season of eligibility, so the future of the position is still uncertain.
Redshirt freshman Tyseer Denmark appears to be emerging and could carve out a role this season, and the 2025 class featured three wide receivers: Matthew Outten, Koby Howard, and Lyrick Samuel. Still, after a steady flow of talent at the position during the early years of his tenure, production at wide receiver has taken a steep decline under Franklin, so heading into his 12th season, the head coach needs to keep adding to the wide receiver room until he’s certain that the problem is fixed with long-term solutions, not one-year stop-gaps like this season’s group.
Brown is a talented run-and-the-catch player, not so dissimilar from Outten in last year’s class. He turns into a running back once he makes a catch and is a nightmare to bring down. He’s the type of receiver who makes life easier for his quarterback and allows him to get the ball out of his hands quickly, exactly what Allar has needed.
While he’ll never get to play with Allar, Brown could be Penn State’s next quarterback’s best friend and help solve the Nittany Lions’ wide receiver woes.