Penn State locks up top-ranked 2026 recruit Elijah Reeder

Penn State has officially signed New Jersey native Elijah Reeder to its Class of 2026.

A 6-foot-6, 210-pound defensive end from Central Regional High School in Bayville, Reeder went from a little-known FCS prospect to a consensus four-star recruit in just a matter of months. In an interview with Blue White Illustrated last week, Reeder admitted that by the end of his senior season, he was planning to commit to Monmouth to begin his collegiate career.

However, that quickly changed once he released his senior season highlights. Within days, Iowa State’s recruiting staff took notice and eventually hosted Reeder for an official visit just before the early signing period. He then signed with the Cyclones on Dec. 3, only for Campbell to take the job at Penn State days later.

For his senior season, Reeder finished with 50 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and eight sacks. His film not only caught the attention of Matt Campbell and his staff but also all three major recruiting services. Last Tuesday, Rivals promoted Reeder to its Rivals300, making him a four-star prospect. Since then, both ESPN and 247Sports have also promoted him to four-star status, making him Penn State’s top-ranked recruit in the 2026 class by both Rivals and the Industry Rankings.

“It’s honestly kind of weird for me,” Reeder said when asked about his new ranking. “I never thought I’d end up playing at Penn State and becoming a four-star player, all of that. It’s a blessing, though, knowing everyone who’s helped me get to this point. It’s honestly been crazy. I could’ve never imagined any of that happening a couple of months ago.”

Charles Power breaks down PSU DE Elijah Reeder

Power: Elijah Reeder was a great find by Matt Campbell and his staff at Iowa State late in the process. I don’t believe he had any FBS offers and they were able to keep him under the radar and sneak him into their class on signing day. When you go back and watch his film, he’s very talented as a pass rusher. He looks to have good size, is explosive, and has that arch acceleration with quality bend. He has the coordination and change of direction to create mismatches as a pass rusher. Just watching his senior film, I do think he’s a guy who has NFL upside. He’s one that, if I’m a Penn State fan, you want them to get him in the boat. That would be exciting. He’s a New Jersey product, too.

Penn State fans should be used to seeing their school bring in these types of players. He’s a high upside, high athleticism kind of player with all the traits that fit Penn State edge rushers in the past. I don’t think there’s going to be a ton of differences there. I think once Matt Campbell gets his staff in there, and they’re able to develop these players, you’ll see that they can find high upside players who can make a difference down the line. Reeder looks like one of those guys.