Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class takes another hit with 3-star de-commitment

Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class now numbers just 15 after Monday night’s de-commitment of three-star safety Darrell Carey. The Hyattsville, Maryland, native committed to Penn State in April, but is now expected to flip to the Terrapins. 

Carey is the 664th-ranked player nationally by 247Sports Composite and the 49th-ranked safety in the country. Carey took his time after James Franklin’s firing, but now that he has an official visit to Maryland set, he formally de-committed from the Nittany Lions. 

3-star safety Darrell Carey expected to flip to Maryland

Maryland continues to make inroads on Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class. The Terrapins have been one of the bigger beneficiaries of Franklin’s firing, considering the now-former head coach's perennial recruiting dominance in the DMV area. 

Carey’s DeMatha High School teammate, three-star wide receiver Lavar Keys, also scheduled a visit with Maryland in the wake of Franklin’s firing. Keys quickly de-committed from Penn State and is seemingly between the Terps and Indiana. 

With Carey gone, and likely joining a Big Ten rival, Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class now ranks No. 25 in the country, and its descent is likely to continue. Penn State’s top-ranked player in the class, four-star offensive tackle Kevin Brown, has scheduled a visit to West Virginia, where his father played college football for Rich Rodriguez during his first stint in Morgantown, and will be in the Ohio State recruiting section in Columbus on Saturday as Penn State visits the Buckeyes. 

Four-star safety Matt Sieg, who has reopened his recruiting but is still committed to Penn State, is now an even higher priority for the Penn State coaching staff and whoever ultimately replaces Franklin in Happy Valley. Carey was a nice insurance policy at the safety position, but without him, losing Sieg would be a massive blow. 

Naming cornerbacks coach and one of Penn State's most influential recruiters, Terry Smith as the program's interim head coach, has done little to hold onto top high school talent.

It was never likely that Penn State would keep its 2026 recruiting class together, but as it crumbles more and more, it becomes increasingly clear that the next head coach will have to undertake a massive roster overhaul and do it primarily through the transfer portal for Year 1 of his tenure.