SEC schools fight to take 4-star linebacker away from Penn State

Four-star linebacker Elijah Littlejohn from the class of 2026 announced that his recruitment is 100 percent open following the firing of former head coach James Franklin. Two days later, it was revealed that Littlejohn already had visits lined up, starting with Georgia on Oct. 18.

On Thursday, the senior defenseman posted on social media saying the next school on his schedule is Vanderbilt. Littlejohn will visit the Commodores on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The Charlotte, N.C. native is the No. 35 edge in his class, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. He's also the 386th ranked overall recruit.

Over the summer, Penn State was the top school for him and one of the only campuses he visited. He received his offer from the Nittany Lions on April 17, made an official visit in early June, announced his commitment to the program 10 days later, and made an unofficial visit on Sept. 27. He de-committed and reopened his recruitment soon after his last visit.

Alongside Penn State, Littlejohn made an official visit to Georgia Tech three days before his official visit to Happy Valley. Following Franklin's firing, the Yellow Jackets have been fairly quiet in trying to sway Littlejohn over.

While the Bulldogs already extended an offer to the defenseman back in 2024, Vanderbilt is a new name in the race. When he de-committed on Oct. 16, the Commodores reacted instantly and extended an offer to Littlejohn. Less than 10 days later, he penciled in an official visit.

Vanderbilt is on track to post a double-digit win season, currently sitting 6-1 with its only loss coming to Alabama on Oct. 4, 30-14. In Week 8 while the Nittany Lions were busy losing their fourth consecutive game, the Commodores beat LSU, 31-24, and earned the No. 10 spot on the AP Top 25 Poll. On Saturday, Littlejohn will watch them face No. 15 Missouri at 3:30 p.m. ET.

This battle is coincidentally one between two potential head coach candidates for the open position at Penn State.

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Vanderbilt head coach Clark lea and Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz are two possibilities lingering around the pool of candidates to replace Franklin. It makes for an interesting mix of names from de-committed recruits to potential future head coaches of the program Littlejohn turned away from.

This head coach possibility is an interesting case of déjà vu for the Nittany Lions