Where do Penn State's 2026 commits and former targets rank following Rivals300 update?

It’s been a rough couple of weeks for Penn State recruiting. Monday’s release of the updated Rivals300 for the Class of 2026 followed a similar trend.

Of the six players who are still technically committed to the Nittany Lions and rank within the top 300, four of them dropped 20 spots or more, none bigger than running back Messiah Mickens, who dropped over 100 spots to No. 256 nationally. The Harrisburg running back missed much of the regular season with an injury but has played the past few weeks. He rushed for 65 yards on 17 carries against Manheim Township this past Saturday, scoring one rushing touchdown. Mickens also had a pick-six on defense.

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To add insult to injury, Mickens’ teammate, offensive lineman Kevin Brown, moved up 28 spots to No. 29 in the nation, putting him in range to eventually become a five-star prospect once the rankings are complete. The move comes just a day after Brown formally decommitted from the Nittany Lions. He’s expected to announce his college plans later this week on the Pat McAfee show. West Virginia is considered the team to beat.

Following Penn State’s decision to fire former head coach James Franklin, the Nittany Lions have seen the 2026 class drop from 26 commits to just 13. PSU also lost all four of its 2027 commits, three of whom rank among the top 100 prospects in the country.